Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister listens in as Minister Heather Stefanson speaks at the Manitoba Legislature in Winnipeg, Tuesday, November 7, 2017. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods)
WINNIPEG — The Manitoba government is providing $10 million for a new Pandemic Staffing Support Benefit aimed at helping help address urgent staffing needs in the disability services, child-care and child welfare sectors.
Families Minister Heather Stefanson announced the benefit on Wednesday, saying it’s a flexible solution, helping ensure that the province can continue providing quality services for vulnerable Manitobans during COVID-19.
The benefit will be available to help address staffing challenges related to the pandemic including overtime costs, replacement staff, or paying for sick time. Funds could also support ongoing staffing costs if public health directs an early learning and child-care facility or a specific cohort to close for a short-term isolation period in response to a case of COVID-19.
The benefit will be split between three sectors, with approximately $6 million being allocated to the disability sector, $3 million to child-care and $1 million to child and family services from now until March 2021.
Non-profit community living disability services residential home providers, child and family services group home providers and child-care centres are able to apply for the benefit.
