From last year in Texas, the moment a spillway collapsed and drained a lake.. It was 90 years old. I hope some of the big older dams in BC are better maintained.

I don't understand the resentment people have towards those who lost their jobs and had to go on CERB, count yourself lucky if you stayed employed and didn't need CERB. Odd mindset some have.

There are those that just consider it money for nothing/free money. It's the "of course food bank use is increasing, it's free" mindset.

True another common comment in CERB threads is the so called CERB vacation people had, I doubt those who lost their job consider it a vacation, especially if their normal income was double or triple or whatever more than CERB.

And the majority of those claiming are those that are relying on it to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table... with many others who wish they could qualify for it because they are in debt to their eyeballs with no job, no prospects and no income - having used all their savings (if they had any)..

Anyone who claims who doesn't qualify runs the risk of having action taken against them.. and have to pay every penny back.. I doubt that many are taking it just because it's there.. unless they qualify for it... it's also taxable income- so not exactly just a free ride.

Unfortunately there's a particular poster here - though apparently AWOL - I had in mind when I posted that. Always on about 'free money' and 'Bennies'

On reddit when people post about the high life people on assistance or disability apparently live, I always offer to trade them my disability for their income, they never reply...ha ha

Other side, should companies pay dividends out at the same time they are collecting government benefit programs?

https://financialpost-com.cdn.amppro...0a902e407/amp/

Another story on the cracks in the healthcare system and a crappy employer too.

Couple has a 17 year old with an inflammatory disease and received low dose chemo therapy every 3 weeks to help with pain.

Cost per month is $3,000, the medication isn't covered by Alberta Health.

She can also no longer see her psychologist because of course like BC and most everywhere in Canada, they are not covered at all.

Family had extended health benefits, father went on his Christmas break on Dec 18th, hospital called informing them their insurance was no longer providing payment, they call blue cross who informs them the employer cancelled the coverage, father calls his employer to find out they terminated his employment, kicker they didn't notify him of his change in employment status.

https://globalnews.ca/news/7540266/a...xBcpi_Th51pLSI

I read this and what I see as the major fault is the existence of health benefits from employment. As long as most people are getting it from employment (while masses of resources are spent unnecessarily administering the whole thing and insurance companies do very nicely out of it) governments can easily absolve themselves of responsibility.

I am sure the system we have isn't designed by mistake, and I would imagine insurance companies lobby hard not to have it changed.

I wouldn't even be surprised if the company chose to lay him off was in part due to his child needing expensive medication causing the group plan rates to increase.

I've just had a rummage over the Alberta site. There's the basic scheme where coverage is based on income - for a couple and 2 kids, less than $36k net income - so if neither is working or only one is, that's a possibility.

In addition there are two possibilities for that family under the Specialised Drug Program. Outpatient cancer drugs and High Cost Drugs.

If the drug concerned comes under either of those - it sounds like the second one - then at an annual cost of $36k it's likely they would qualify even if their income was above that for the basic scheme. Although it would probably need the special authority.

Their GFM page is doing well but I can't help thinking they might qualify under the High Cost Drugs scheme in exactly the same way my wife did for her Remicade.

You'd probably need the Province Manual, but the way NB's equivalent scheme works is to compare income with outgoings and if there's a shortfall, coverage would be allowed.

Social assistance for a couple in Alberta is around $1300 a month or $15600 annually. Their real expenditure is likely to be more than that but just as a basic idea with $36000 drugs costs on top, they'd likely qualify on income of under $51600. If income was more than that they could still qualify, they'd just have to prove all the expenditure as we did.

Somebody in that medical team possibly knows of it just the same as my wife's Rheumatologist's secretary knew about it.

Of course, it might be that the mum still has her job and her wages maybe $52k or more and could technically be enough to afford it.

I wonder if they would be eligible for social assistance?

In BC you need to be pretty much destitute, but maybe Alberta isn't as strict. For example if he was laid off and EI eligible, BC would make him exhaust EI benefits first, if they have a car worth more than the exemption amount they would be required to sell the car and live off the proceeds, if they have credit will be expected to use their credit first, if they own property that isn't their primary dwelling they may require the property to be sold, etc. Payer of last resort, BC only steps in when someone has literally no other options or resources.

But that would just be for social assistance not anything drug related, social assistance in BC doesn't guarantee medication will be covered, many are but not all are.

Kind of insane how expensive some of these drugs are, I hope I never have to rely on a medication that costs more per year than I generally make and find BC doesn't cover it...

Whenever possible if donating to food banks, cash is best, they can do a lot more with cash donations, and those prepackaged donation bags stores will have, often are not in conjunction with the food banks, and as the Vancouver Food Bank shows, the price the store is charging for the donation vs what is in the bag isn't always a good value.

https://globalnews.ca/news/7540490/f...IPqkGH4NYTd_b0

When I was looking through the Varagesale feed last night, I noticed some people were offering free Christmas hampers to those in need. Rather than donate through an organisation they were cutting out the middleman.
I just checked and the hampers are gone, but someone is still giving away turkeys.

If I ever go to the Halifax area, I am going to have to remember to check this store out. I wish Kelowna had a store like this...