Emergency Isolation Support Program – Own Motion Investigation
On March 17, 2020, the Government of Alberta declared a state of public health emergency across the province as concerns over the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic grew.
Alberta’s Emergency Isolation Support (EIS) Program offered temporary aid—a one-time payment benefit for Albertans who were unable to work due to a requirement to isolate or to care for a dependent who was isolating as a result of COVID-19. The program, administered by the Ministry of Labour and Immigration with the assistance of the Ministry of Service Alberta, responded to the immediate nature of the circumstances and was developed quickly to meet the rising need. The cost of this program was significant and the government reported the benefit to Albertans was in excess of $108 million dollars.
This own motion investigation looked deeper into whether the application of the EIS program was administratively fair. We investigated the application of the program policy, eligibility requirements, applicant assessment criteria, and how decisions were made and documented.