The B.C. Conservatives are criticizing a government program intended to provide rent supplements for youth aging out of government care, after reports that no payments have been made under the program since February 2024.
The Strengthening Abilities and Journey’s of Empowerment (SAJE) program became law in April 2024. Part of SAJE is the Rent Supplement Program, which is supposed to offer eligible youth an additional $600 dollars per month, if they are between the ages of 19 and 27 and renting in the private market.
Young adults who have aged out of the care system can receive the supplement for up to two-years, or until age 27 – whichever comes first.
Information about the program on the B.C. government website said applications would be open twice a year, “typically each February and September.” It said the number of rent supplements available at each intake period varies, and priority is given to Indigenous and lowest-income youth.
“Indigenous youth were supposed to be prioritized. Instead, they’ve been abandoned, again. This is unacceptable.” said Heather Maahs, MLA for Chilliwack North and Critic for Indigenous Child and Family Services in a press release issued Monday, June 23.
The comments come after an advocate from the group Former Youth in Care Community of Practice spoke to a governmental finance committee last week.
Kaeli Rose Sort pointed to a March report from IndigiNews that found no rent supplements have been distributed since February 2024, and the next intake period has not been scheduled. Areas the ministry did not address questions about.
“This demonstrates a gap between legislative intent and on-the-ground delivery,” Sort told the committee.
IndigiNews also reported the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) spent nearly $300,000 on promotional materials for the SAJE program, including branded socks, toques, lip-balm, tote bags and flyers.
“People don’t need swag — they need housing,” said Skeena MLA Claire Rattée. “The government is spending public money on promo gear while youth are left with nothing.”
“Our government is committed to supporting youth aging out of care to get the support they need,” said the ministry in a statement to Vista News.
MCFD said about 10,000 youth in B.C. are eligible to access various supports and services under the SAJE program. The ministry said 3,800 received support last year through SAJE, but did not say how many had received the rent supplement specifically.
The ministry said the promotional materials were ordered after consultations with former youth in care, who “requested socks, hats, and chapsticks for those struggling with insecure housing to ensure they are aware of the supports that exist.”
The SAJE program also includes income support for young adults with experience in the care system of up to $1,250 per month from age 19 to 20. This monthly assistance can be maintained up until age 27 if the young adult is enrolled in some type of educational, rehabilitative or cultural programming.
The ministry said employment income is not considered when determining the level of funding a young adult will receive through SAJE programming.
SAJE replaced the province’s Agreements with Young Adults (AYA) program, which was criticized for being too restrictive and not comprehensive enough.
A 2020 report by the Representative for Children and Youth, Dr. Jennifer Charlesworth, said global research clearly shows higher rates of homelessness and unemployment, lower incomes and poorer mental health among youth leaving care, compared with youth outside the system.
The report said significant gaps in B.C.’s system for youth aging out of care “create profoundly inequitable and difficult access for youth who could benefit from these supports.”
She added the lack of data on the issue makes it challenging to even analyze what is or isn’t working, and to determine the impact on the lives of Indigenous youth, who made up about 66 per cent of all children youth in care in B.C.
