In 2012, Make Poverty History Manitoba launched a campaign to raise shelter benefits to 75% of median market rent.
See our campaign document: eia_rental_allowance.2012.1pager.
EIA Recipients get Increase for Rent!
Provincial Budget 2014
“Way to Go Make Poverty History Manitoba!”
Government of Manitoba Budget 2014 includes $20 million this year in new funds for rent support for people receiving Employment and Income Assistance (EIA). The government has made a commitment to raise benefit rates to 75% of the Median Market Rent (MMR) in four-years. A new shelter benefit program, ‘Manitoba Rent Assist’, will replace the current EIA shelter allowance and RentAid programs for people living in private rental housing.
| EIA ‘Rent Assist’ increases beginning July 2014 | 75% of the MMR target in 4 years |
| General Assistance $70/month | General Applicants $420-$563 |
| Disability $70/month | Disability $420-$563 |
| Families* $50/month | Families* $701-$825 |
*This category includes both single parents with two children (ages 4 and 6) and two adults with two children (ages 10 and 13) as examples ** The range in MMR for one person households represents 75% of MMR for bachelor and one bedroom units respectively.
The Province of Manitoba also said in the Budget speech, that it is committed to working and consulting with local community groups to advise the government on a multi-year plan to meet the needs of low-income Manitobans.
Highlights of the Manitoba Budget 2014 Related to Poverty Reduction
Housing: Over the next three years the government is committed to building 500 social and 500 affordable housing units in addition to current commitments. In 2014/15, $100 million will be set aside to restore and redevelop existing buildings that can be used for low-income housing units. An additional $34 million will be allotted for maintenance and repairs of existing housing units.
Childcare: In the next five years, thousands of child care spaces will be opened up and childhood educators will receive wage increases. $5.5 million in new funding will allow the government to continue their commitment to fund 2,000 additional child-care spaces, half of which will be opened up by the end of 2014.
Training and Apprenticeship: ‘Manitoba Works!’ will be introduced to assist community-based agencies that provide supportive training and co-operative work. $3 million over three years has been set aside for this initiative. ‘Gateway to Apprenticeship’ has received funding to support partnerships between industry and labor organizations. The target populations for the skill development are youth, the under-employed, Aboriginal persons, and women. Carpentry and plumbing certification under the Aboriginal and community economic development program will also receive funding.
Food Security: The 2014 budget has allocated $450,000 for school nutrition programming in low income schools in partnership with the school divisions. A new pilot project will help make healthy foods available in northern and remote communities less expensive.
As a Metis person, I feel that First Nations people SHOULD be given more opportunities to self sufficiency/determination by way of employment. Contrary to popular belief, there are a lot of First Nations who want to work, one just has to view the facebook group Aboriginal jobs/opportunities where there are approx. 12,000 members.
Not all of us want to live under the thumbs of pushy, jaded EIA workers.