Government has only received 35,100 applications so far out of 196,000 target, finds report
New Brunswick has received far fewer applications than it had anticipated for its one-time N.B. Workers Benefit of $300, according to a report.
New Brunswick believes about 250,000 residents would benefit from the program.
The provincial government opened applications for the benefit on Feb. 27. It will close on June 30.
The department added $58.8 million to its current year budget as it expected to receive 196,000 applications by the end of its fiscal year on March 31, 34 days since the program opened for applications, according to a CBC report.
However, halfway through the 34-day period, the department had received just 35,100 applications, according to the report.
The department is still about 160,000 applications short, based on its projection.
Also, new applications had dropped to just above 1,000 per day, half the rate of earlier in the month, CBC reported, citing data from the department.
New Brunswick’s minimum pay rate will move up to $15.30 per hour on April 1, from the current rate of $14.75 per hour.
Criticism of $75-million Workers Benefit
Applicants for the New Brunswick benefit must submit a copy of their Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) proof of income statement and that of their spouse or common-law partner, if applicable, for 2022 or 2023.
To qualify, applicants must:
- be a New Brunswick resident at the time of their application
- have been aged 19 or older as of Dec. 31, 2023
- for 2022 or 2023:
- filed a New Brunswick tax return
- had family net income of $70,000 or less for that taxation year
- had family working income of $3,000 or more for that taxation year
However, thousands of New Brunswick pensioners are not covered by the benefit.
"I could have used the $300," said Tammey Mclean in the CBC report. Mclean survives on less than $20,000 a year she gets from a $700 per month widows’ pension and Canada Pension Plan survivor benefits. She is too young for senior benefits.
"Groceries are horrible."
Cecile Cassista, executive director for the Coalition for Seniors and Nursing Home Residents’ Rights, said she has had a number of seniors asking her questions about the benefit, including why they are not eligible.
“It’s very disheartening,” she said about seniors being excluded from the payment, a CTV News report. “We nickel and dime our seniors every day. Every day they contribute to society but we tend to forget about them.”
She hopes the premier will re-consider letting that population apply for the benefit.
“I think it’s important for the premier to go back to the drawing board and actually take a serious look at addressing and making sure our seniors received that $300 affordability,” said Cassista in the report. “I think it is extremely important, especially in an election year.”
About 19.5 million Canadians are facing financial vulnerability, according to a previous report from the Financial Resilience Institute.
‘Good news story,’ says premier
However, New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs said he's surprised by criticism of the $75-million program to help make residents’ life more affordable. This should be seen as a "good news story,” he said, according to a report from The Canadian Press posted on Yahoo! News.
“We put this measure in place because of a group that was missed in the working class that are experiencing every day the cost of energy to travel and groceries,” Higgs said, according to the CTV News report.
“I found in this job I often have to take a lot of abuse to move forward on files. But on this file it was quite surprising. But would I do it again, absolutely.”
The finance department believes that as early applicants begin to receive their $300 payments, interest in the program will grow.
"We anticipate experiencing a continued rise in applications, particularly now that cheques are already arriving in mailboxes," Morgan Bell, Finance Department spokesperson, said in an email to CBC.
Two in five employees are working extra hours due to the cost-of-living crisis, according to a previous study.