B.C. steps back on welfare time limit.

VICTORIA -- A total of 339 employable clients who have been receiving assistance for more than two years may become ineligible over the coming year, or receive a rate reduction, as a result of non-compliance with their employment plan. This is considerably lower than as predicted in a background paper leaked in October 2003.

The BC government issued a report projecting the number of clients that will be affected as the government follows through on its commitment to limit income assistance for employable clients to two years out of every five. The report, released by Minister of Human Resources Stan Hagen, honours a commitment made by the previous minister.

"We are ensuring that those who are unable to work, or are doing everything in their power to find work, will be protected."

Under the time limit policy, employable clients who do not meet any of the 25 exemption criteria are limited to a cumulative two years of assistance out of every five. The 25 exemption criteria are designed to ensure that no one who is unable to work or who is actively looking for work will lose assistance. These include persons with disabilities, pregnant women, single parents with young children, people in a special care facility or people with an alcohol or drug problem.

According to the Minister, clients who continue to take every possible step to find work will not face time limit sanctions. Individuals who follow the steps outlined in their employment plan will continue to receive their full rate of support. These clients will be closely monitored, and the Ministry will work with them intensively to determine why they are not finding work. Employable clients nearing their time limit will be given priority job placement assistance. The two-in-five time limit policy is the first of its kind in Canada.