Frustrated grandparents call for suspension of benefits program until policy is clear

Grandparents on P.E.I. are frustrated with the way a new benefit meant to support them is being rolled out and they want it to be put on hold until information on the criteria is clear.

Last fall, the government announced a new benefit for grandparents caring for children of $700 a month beginning on Dec. 1. Now that applications are being reviewed, grandparents say there is conflicting information being given out. 

"The grandmothers that are there, they're all telling pretty near the same story but there's a mixed message being delivered to all of them. Because one grandmother would tell her story, and they would say 'well I didn't get told that." said Don Avery, the co-founder of the Charlottetown-based Grandparents Raising Grandchildren.

He said he's getting calls daily from concerned members of his group looking for answers. One of the main concerns is that the benefit could be taxed and could affect the federal Child Care Benefit. That was something some grandparents, such as Dorothy Carrigan, only recently heard about. 

"When they told me that it was going to be taxable, and were taking my child tax benefit away I just said, 'I'm sorry but I think I'm just going to stand back and hold back on this one,'" she said.

"It's not beneficial if I'm going to pay taxes at the end of the year...I'm going further in the hole, so it's not really helping the children." 

Mixed messages

Avery said many are choosing not to apply for the funding until all the details are clear, but he said they are frustrated because it should have been done before the program was announced. 

"Before it was even mentioned, before it was even put out there, there should have been — the details of the whole program should have been worked out," he said.

"Somebody has to stop, or say something to whoever is in charge, let's do the details, let's get the details written down, so when it's delivered to a grandmother A, grandmother B is going to get the same message and there shouldn't be any confusion."

Conditions not specified

Opposition PC Leader James Alyward said he can't blame the grandparents for not signing on. 

"I don't think it sheds a great light on a government when they roll something out and the details around the conditions of the program are not there."

CRA reviewing documents

The Canada Revenue Agency told CBC they want to make it clear that they are not going after grandparents, that they just have to work within the rules of existing benefits. The agency said most provinces when rolling out new policies or programs usually contact them to see what the implications could be, but P.E.I. did not in this case and only received documents from the province this week.

In an emailed statement, it said: "The CRA is reviewing the draft information on the program submitted by the P.E.I. government on Feb. 7 in an effort to address the province's concerns about the impacts of their Grandparents and Care Providers program. The agency will continue a dialogue with P.E.I. officials to provide information and assistance in a timely manner, and looks forward to holding more productive discussions."

The province would not answer direct questions Friday when asked why it rolled out the program when it did. But a spokesperson said the benefit will continue, and they will continue conversations with CRA.

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