Some recipients still having trouble collecting federal disability benefits amid botched rollout

CITYnews halifax / By Pat Taney

A Toronto man is speaking out about issues he’s having with a benefit program that’s intended to support people living with disabilities.

Govid Singh was happy when the federal government announced a benefit program for people like him who are living with severe disabilities. He submitted his application early in the summer and was approved for the first instalment in July.

However, Singh says that $200 check – which was supposed to come monthly – did not arrive in August or September.

“I received a letter that they, Service Canada, [said] they have miscalculated,” Singh explained.

In the letter reviewed by CityNews, Service Canada states that Singh’s income was “miscalculated.”

He currently earns approximately $11,000 per year, which he says is barely enough for him to survive.

“They are telling me they are going to fix the problems. When they fix the problem, they will let us know,” he explained.

Singh is just one individual who has faced setbacks since the program was rolled out this summer. Other recipients have also reported delayed payments in August due to technical issues which were eventually resolved.

As for Singh’s case, Service Canada says adjustments were required in the calculation of employment income and the special exemption for some eligible applicants who have employment income.

“This resulted in those individuals either receiving no payment or an underpayment,” a spokesperson told CityNews.

“Service Canada immediately resolved this issue,” they added. “Once the recalculation is complete, they will receive a new letter indicating the updated benefit amount, if applicable, and will be backpaid for any difference owed.”

By the time this article was published, Singh was still waiting for his payment and said he’s frustrated that it’s taken so long.

“I need to pay the rent, I need to take the groceries and my wife is also handicapped, she has knee problems and we have a very hard time financially,” he explained.

“We’re trying to raise those issues to officials in the system,” explained Rabia Khedr, the national director of an advocacy group called Disability Without Poverty. She’s hopeful it won’t be long before Singh and others impacted by the income adjustment will receive their payments.

“The system is working on those kinks. They ironed out, you know, the mishap of some benefits not being delivered to those who qualified in August,” Khedr said. “They got those out fairly quickly.”

Meanwhile, Singh says the agency needs to fix the problem as soon as possible within a reasonable timeframe so that people get their checks.

If you have an issue, a story or a question you’d like Speakers Corner to look into, contact us here.