Amendments to the Income Assistance Regulations, that form a critical part of the framework governing social support in the Northwest Territories, make several important changes to how different sources of income are treated in the determination of eligibility for income assistance.

The amendments initiate by repealing specific provisions in paragraphs 20(4)(s) and (t) of the existing regulations. These sections were previously used to define what income should be considered when assessing eligibility for social assistance.

A substantial portion of the amendments revises subsection 20(5), which outlines types of income and payments excluded from the calculation of net monthly income for assistance purposes. Notable revisions include:

• • • Jordan’s Principle and Inuit Child First Initiative: Payments from the Government of Canada under these programs are explicitly excluded from income calculations. 
    • Treaty and Agreement Payments: Financial receipts under treaties, self-government agreements, or land claims agreements are not counted as income. 
    • Impact Benefits Agreements: Payments received through impact benefits agreements are excluded from the income assessment. 
    • Indian Residential School Compensation: Compensation related to attendance at Indian residential or day schools, including payments under specific agreements such as the Memorandum of Understanding and the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement, is excluded from net monthly income. This encompasses various forms of compensation, including loss of income and advance payments for common experience. 
    • Sixties Scoop Compensation: Compensation related to the loss of culture and identity due to the practice of removing Aboriginal children from their families and placing them for adoption in non-Aboriginal homes (known as the Sixties Scoop) is also excluded. 
    • Agricultural Benefits Programs: Payments related to agricultural benefits from the Government of Canada or Indigenous governments are excluded from income calculations.

The amendments to the Income Assistance Regulations aim to refine and broaden the types of payments and compensation that are excluded from income calculations for social assistance. By excluding certain payments linked to historical injustices, treaties, and specific government programs, these changes seek to more accurately reflect the financial needs of recipients and ensure they receive appropriate support. 

Source: Northwest Territories, March 29, 2023