Negotiating bureaucratic delays

“Mr. G, a Storefront user, had recently celebrated his 65th birthday and was entitled to start receiving his Old Age Security pension in lieu of the welfare benefits he had been receiving. In anticipation of this transition, welfare had already cut his benefits; however, Mr. G’s pension payments had not yet begun due to bureaucratic delays. In the interim, Mr. G found himself without any income and unable to pay his rent. Furthermore, Mr. G was suffering from significant memory problems which made it challenging for him to address his situation himself.

I called the supervisor at Mr. G’s welfare office to follow up on his situation. They evaluated his file and granted Mr. G temporary benefits until his pension payments began. Mr. G was relieved that he would not be left stranded without any income simply for bureaucratic reasons.

The Storefront staff were instrumental in guiding me in assessing the situation so that I could confidently take the next steps in working towards a resolution for Mr. G. I realized the importance of teamwork in making this a successful intervention.”

Geneviève, Storefront advisor and student intern