Some B.C. residents who receive monthly income assistance cheques by mail may not get them in time for Christmas.
Black Press Media has learned that some residents at an Abbotsford men91裸聊视频檚 treatment centre, which houses people working through their addictions, had not received their cheques by mail as of Thursday evening.
Typically they would be sent out by the second last Wednesday of the month. However, inclement weather suspended service by Canada Post in many regions, including the Fraser Valley.
The provincial government is urging most of the province to stay home on Friday, due to a particularly strong winter storm. That means those who haven91裸聊视频檛 received their cheques by Thursday could be out of luck on Friday as well.
A staff member at the centre said that the problem is affecting virtually all of their clients.
91裸聊视频淎 lot of people who are experiencing homelessness, and are addicted, don91裸聊视频檛 have bank accounts,91裸聊视频 the worker said.
Their staff have been working with someone from the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, but no clear answers had been given to them by Thursday night.
91裸聊视频淚 don91裸聊视频檛 know how far spread this will be,91裸聊视频 the worker added.
Black Press Media has heard from a handful of Fraser Valley residents, and people in other weather-affected areas of the province, who have confirmed they have not received their January cheque yet, and have been told not to expect it until next week.
One woman said while her disability cheque came through her direct deposit as usual, a 91裸聊视频渕id-month cheque91裸聊视频 that comes through the mail has not yet arrived.
91裸聊视频淚t usually gets delivered on disability day,91裸聊视频 she told The News. 91裸聊视频 I feel for everyone who hasn91裸聊视频檛 received theirs yet, it91裸聊视频檚 hard enough living on (income assistance) or disability, then throw in only getting paid once a month and delays on top of that. It91裸聊视频檚 heartbreaking.91裸聊视频
Black Press Media has requested comment from the ministry and Canada Post and will update this story as new information is received.
UPDATE, 2:08 p.m. Friday:
Canada Post media relations replied to The News, saying 91裸聊视频渢he storm has caused delays on multiple fronts and Canada Post has been affected as well.91裸聊视频
91裸聊视频淥n Tuesday, we issued a red delivery service alert for the Fraser Valley,91裸聊视频 the media officer said. 91裸聊视频淭hat meant there was no mail delivery on Tuesday. The alert was upgraded to yellow on Wednesday, so that means we made every effort to deliver the mail but there would be delays and possibly no delivery.91裸聊视频
Canada Post issued a country-wide media advisory Friday, announcing they are currently in a red or yellow service alert in all regions, including the Fraser Valley.
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