Jim is broke and itching for March 21 B次元官网网址� the next B次元官网网址渨elfare Wednesday,B次元官网网址� streetspeak for when monthly social assistance cheques arrive.
JimB次元官网网址檚 money never lasts long; two days to dissolve $710, B次元官网网址済oing out, seeing friends, paying debts,B次元官网网址� he says.
The B次元官网网址渃heque effectB次元官网网址� is a universal problem marked by the consequences that instant funds create for illicit drug users, the mentally ill and homeless. While welfare provides relief for many, including substance users, itB次元官网网址檚 a headache for emergency services.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e identified a trend. Around this time, call-outs for illicit drug behaviour and social order crimes spike,B次元官网网址� says Victoria police Chief Const. Del Manak. B次元官网网址淥fficers know in advance itB次元官网网址檚 going to a very busy, demanding night.B次元官网网址�
While he could not offer any official statistics linking an increase in crime to Welfare Wednesday, Manak says itB次元官网网址檚 evidenced in the stories of front line workers.
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The chief expressed his concerns in a Feb. 22 letter to Shelia Taylor, deputy minister of social development and poverty reduction.
B次元官网网址淎t the very least, I want to talk about the current process B次元官网网址� why is income assistance received on one particular day? Are you aware that this causes problems for police and other responders?B次元官网网址� he wrote, noting that additional officers are assigned to those busier periods.
ManakB次元官网网址檚 letter queried whether the ministry has considered other payment models, such as staggering the issue date of welfare cheques, a popular concept but one with few real-life examples.
Lindsey Richardson, an assistant professor at the University of British Columbia, is a principle investigator in a study on the B次元官网网址渃heque effect.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a long history of scientific evidence that document drug use and drug-related harm that coincides with income assistance payments,B次元官网网址� she says. The influx of cash can interrupt addiction and HIV treatment, cause fatal and non-fatal overdoses and increase mental health apprehensions, to name a few effects.
B次元官网网址淭he staggered distribution method is not new and neither is the fact that pay signals an increase in consumption,B次元官网网址� Richardson says. B次元官网网址淧ayday triggers social cues and we see this in all areas of society B次元官网网址� By staggering and splitting payments, there could be a chance to reduce those cues that lead to harm.B次元官网网址�
While no system is perfect, she adds, the goal is to find the most public-health promoting system available.
B次元官网网址淲hen youB次元官网网址檙e talking about welfare, thatB次元官网网址檚 a large group of people,B次元官网网址� points out Grant McKenzie, communications director for , the street level agency that serves over 4,000 people in poverty every year. B次元官网网址淎 staggered cheque might not make any difference to some, but it is timed to take care of bills and rent.B次元官网网址�
Compared with the pressure it puts on police, B次元官网网址渨elfare WednesdayB次元官网网址� has an opposite effect on social services, McKenzie notes.
B次元官网网址淎s soon as welfare happens, itB次元官网网址檚 our quietest time. People can afford to rent a hotel room, go out for something to eat,B次元官网网址� he says. Staff meetings are held during the lull period, giving them a few days to regroup before clients start to trickle back in.
B次元官网网址淲e do see an increase in overdoses in the five days after cheque day. But if we staggered it they wouldnB次元官网网址檛 go down, theyB次元官网网址檇 just be spread across the month.B次元官网网址�
The increased chance of victimization with a staggered system is the primary concern of McKenzie and others in the social service field. B次元官网网址淚f JohnnyB次元官网网址檚 got a cheque and youB次元官网网址檙e broke, you go to his place. If SheilaB次元官网网址檚 got a cheque B次元官网网址�,B次元官网网址� he says, admitting that no clear solution has emerged. B次元官网网址淭here is always going to be predators that want to separate the vulnerable from their money. There is never going to be a system to completely stop that.B次元官网网址�
Manak acknowledges the concerns, but says people are being victimized now.
B次元官网网址漈hey get their cheque money and have it taken away,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淎ll IB次元官网网址檓 asking is that the government consider a pilot project. I want to better understand their reasoning behind this system, and look at more alternatives.B次元官网网址�
As for Jim, who sleeps rough on the Victoria streets, the timing of the payments matters not.
B次元官网网址淗onestly, I donB次元官网网址檛 care what day it comes, just as long as it comes.B次元官网网址�
