A Global News investigation is revealing the many ways the Social Development and Poverty Reduction Ministry is exposed to potential fraud.
Global News has agreed to keep her identity anonymous.
She said there is little accountability and managers are turning a blind eye.
She added they are not asking for verification, “mostly because of being overwhelmed with increasing caseload.” She said there are also “political concerns” meaning “trying to take back monies or hold clients accountable, there’s very little appetite to do that.”
“There are strategies put in place to complete the work faster, which means we are letting certain things go, such as proper verification.”
More and more people are applying for assistance in B.C. every day and staff are being encouraged by bosses to just issue cheques to all people, often skipping proper verification.
“Clients can be anyone in all walks of life, have mental health or adopt addiction issues, to people who run businesses within our community and are financially successful,” the whistlerblower said.
“It’s people who have much more money in their bank account than I do or probably anyone on this block.”
Global News has obtained documents, rife with numerous examples, flagged by multiple ministry staff this past year alone.
Applicant one had more than $100,000 cash, disqualifying them for disability assistance. This does not include their house, vehicle, and some investments. So they dumped $30,000 on their son’s annual private school tuition. The government check was approved, with no repercussions for disposing of assets.
Applicant two overpaid almost $10,000 in shelter allowance they never should have received after failing to tell the ministry their financial situation had vastly improved. Three years passed and the ministry never checked.
If approved, the penalty is repayment of $20 a month, with no interest, and more than 41 years to return the money owed to taxpayers.
Applicant three received more than $6,000 a month in government money for the family, minus shelter expenses. There’s almost $5,000 left in the bank every month, but the client is still asking for more money in crisis supplements to cover food and clothing.
“We take an oath of employment that we’re going to be careful fiscally,” the whistlerblower said, adding that it feels like she is lying and being asked to do something that’s not fair or to be held accountable to a certain measure, but then incapable of fulfilling it.
About a quarter of a million people receive income and disability assistance every month in B.C. with the projected budget being $1.6 billion over the next three years.
The ministry’s data shows the number of cases are rising and the whistleblower says the current situation is untenable.
“We used to really put an emphasis on employment and supports to people to put them in better situations to move them towards independence,” she said.
“That was the goal of the program, and we’ve just moved so far away from that. I would like to see us properly verify eligibility and really help those people who truly are in need.”
-with files from Rumina Daya
This Story refer to Global TV BC Website go to the link here
DABC Calls Upon Global News to Issue a Formal Apology for their Discriminatory News Piece
December 4, 2025 by DABC
DABC Calls Upon Global News to Issue a Formal Apology for their Discriminatory News Piece
DABC is shocked and deeply disappointed at Global News which, on December 3, 2025, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, decided to publish an inflammatory and antagonizing piece claiming allegations of fraud conducted by people receiving disability assistance and income assistance (known collectively as social assistance), from the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction (SDPR). This piece highlighted only one viewpoint: through the biased lens of one SDPR worker. The video provided no context, information or alternative viewpoints regarding the real lived experiences of people who receive social assistance.
Throughout this video, Global News mentions a lack of “proper verification,” yet fails to provide any information regarding the complex and rigorous application and eligibility verification process that people must undergo in order to receive social assistance to begin with. This process includes but is not limited to the applicant providing:
- all financial and bank account documents;
- at least three months worth of income documentation;
- proof of assets;
- eligibility interviews;
- forceable work searches;
- for people who have been living with someone for more than 12 months, all the above documents are also required for their partner; and
- proof of disability through medical confirmation from their healthcare practitioner and a separate assessor (for people applying for disability assistance).
The social assistance system is incredibly onerous and complex. Global News’ assertion that SDPR has a lack of “proper verification” does nothing to reflect the reality of folks who require assistance in order to meet basic living needs, and who have to jump through many hoops and verification processes just to receive it.
In their video, Global News mentions “millions of dollars of fraud” which DABC argues is a wild assumption to assert based on the viewpoint of one whistleblower, particularly when said whistleblower voiced no clear evidence to back up this information. The whistleblower failed to mention that many clients on social assistance are routinely monitored and reviewed by SDPR with no just cause. These reviews require clients to provide months if not years of financial documents. If they fail to do so or are late in submitting this documentation, they are penalized by having their social assistance cut off. DABC has observed that these random reviews are often conducted over and over again, leading to further anxiety and stress on those receiving social assistance.
There is no recognition in this video that monthly social assistance income is a meager amount which keeps many people below the poverty line in this province. There are several mentions within the video claiming that people on social assistance are financially successful, such as an example of “a family who is receiving more than $6,000 a month in government money”. DABC believes that Global News has failed to fact-check this story according to proper journalistic standards. The highest rate of disability assistance in BC is currently set to $3,207 per month – that is for a family of 10 people where both adults are approved for disability assistance.
The Global News video mentions an increasing amount of people applying for social assistance, yet provides no critical analysis or explanation as to why that may be; such as higher cost of living and increased number of people with disabilities due to the impacts of COVID.
This sensationalized piece purposely leads viewers to believe that people on social assistance are defrauding the system and stealing taxpayer money. DABC soundly rebuffs the viewpoint of punishing individuals on low income and people with disabilities for an overloaded social assistance system that is causing SDPR workers to be overwhelmed by their increasing caseload. The fault of a system should not fall on the backs of people with disabilities.
We wholeheartedly reject the frankly ableist and discriminatory perception that this video has produced and abhor the negative narrative it perpetuates: that people with disabilities are untrustworthy or trying to “cheat the system”. The Global News piece is a gross example of one-sided, salacious, fear-mongering journalism that is used as a tactic to gain views at the expense of our common humanity. We ask that Global News release a formal apology and retract their statements made in the video, immediately.
This is on Disability Alliance BC website go to the link here
