B.C.'s ombudsperson is investigation the province's Social Development and Poverty Reduction Ministry after thousands of social assistance cheques weren't delivered amid the Canada Post strike. 

Ombudsperson Jay Chalke announced Friday (Dec. 6) that his office was investigating the ministry's distribution of cheques for income and disability assistance during the current Canada Post strike. The ombudsperson said the investigation started after he was advised by the ministry the previous week that thousands of cheques were not yet delivered.

While the Social Development and Poverty Reduction Ministry has taken "some steps to distribute hard copy cheques" during the strike, about 40% of November's cheques weren't distributed by the last week of the month. 

鈥淭he ministry鈥檚 clients are some of the province鈥檚 most vulnerable people and, given the upcoming holiday season, I am concerned that many people will be left without funds for food and shelter,鈥� Chalke said.

鈥淒espite the ministry鈥檚 efforts to encourage direct deposit, hard copy cheques need to be mailed every month, for example to recipients who do not have bank accounts and thus are not eligible for direct deposit.鈥�

Chalke added that given the widely reported risk of a strike at Canada Post in the weeks ahead of the job action, the ministry "needed to have an effective plan for the distribution of these hard copy cheques to people in need."

He said the investigation will assess the adequacy of the Social Development and Poverty Reduction Ministry's plan. It will also assess the ministry's contingency planning before the strike was announced, as well as the steps taken during the strike to distribute hard copy cheques to the approximately 15 per cent of income and disability assistance recipients not on direct deposit. The remaining 85 per cent receive their monthly payments through direct deposit 

The next social assistance payment date is Dec. 18.

"The end of December is when many ministry employees intend to be on vacation, which could present operational challenges," Chalke said. He added he is calling on the government to demonstrate it has a plan in place to achieve better and faster results for December's cheques in the event the strike continues.

In an emailed statement from the ministry, it said the ministry is prepared for the Dec. 18 cheque date should there be a need to manually distribute cheques normally delivered by Canada Post.

The statement added that cheques that aren't being direct deposited are being sent to the closest ministry or Services BC office for pick up. People who cannot make it to the office can authorize another person to pick up their cheque after signing a letter of consent. 

Social Development and Poverty Reduction Minister Sheila Malcolmson reportedly wrote to the federal minister on Nov. 28 to "express concern that the Canada Post hold requirements are a barrier to delivering provincial assistance cheques for B.C. and for all provinces and territories."

However, as of Nov. 30, 98 per cent of the B.C. ministry's payments had been distributed. The ministry has attempted to connect with the clients of the "small amount" of remaining cheques.

The postal strike is entering its fourth week.