UPDATED JULY 10 - PRESS RELEASE: INCLUSION SASKATCHEWAN RESPONDS TO CHANGES TO SAID PROGRAM
- malloryb0
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 10, 2026
Today, the Government of Saskatchewan’s Minister of Social Services announced changes to the Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability (SAID) program, effective September 1, 2026. These changes are stated to increase monthly benefit amounts for 40% of people receiving SAID, and are intended to improve the program. They include:
• Merging together several benefits into the core Living Income Benefit
• Elevating the two lowest-paid Community of Residence Benefit tiers by combining them into the higher-paid tiers
• Removing benefits that the government sees few people using, or that are provided through other ministries or programs
Inclusion Saskatchewan has been advocating for a simplified SAID program that is easier for people with intellectual disabilities to navigate, and we recognize some of these changes as a commitment to that goal. However, we do not view the changes as an increase in funding but rather a change in how the current funding is distributed. Some SAID recipients will see an increase in funding, and some may not depending on which discontinued benefits they currently receive. For new clients, this increase may not even cover the payments from other benefits that have now been removed. We are also concerned about the removal of benefits that are deemed to be underutilized. We know that the impact of disability is higher for some people than others, and some people have much higher costs than others. The removal of underutilized benefits may mean a decrease in overall support for new clients who will access them.
People who rely on SAID are still facing significant barriers, including lengthy processing delays, inconsistent communication between workers and clients, difficulty meeting urgent and unexpected needs, and increasing difficulty navigating the income support system. As a result, more people are turning to advocacy organizations simply to access services they are entitled to. These systemic challenges are creating vulnerability and leaving people without the timely assistance they need, often creating a level of crisis that is completely avoidable.
Inclusion Saskatchewan will continue working with people with intellectual disabilities to monitor the impacts of these changes. We encourage people who are experiencing challenges or have concerns about their benefits to contact their SAID worker, and to reach out to us if they need advocacy support. We continue to advocate for a livable income for disabled people that will lift people out of poverty.
Background
Inclusion Saskatchewan has a long history of advocating for dignified, livable income support for disabled people in Saskatchewan. In 2006, Inclusion Saskatchewan was in the forefront of the creation of the Disability Income Support Coalition (DISC), a partnership of people with lived experience, disability advocates, and allied organizations across the province. DISC collaborated with the Government of Saskatchewan to develop an income support program that offered both a sufficient baseline income for people with disabilities and an accessible mechanism to address individual financial needs based on the impact of a person’s disability. Since its implementation in 2009, there have been many policy changes aimed to improve the program for those accessing it, yet the benefit rates continue to be inadequate in lifting disabled people out of poverty.
In February 2026, the Ministry of Social Services announced changes to the SAID program that raised concerns within the disability community. These changes were positioned as a simplification of the current program, intended to make the program easier to navigate and understand. The changes included a restructuring of 30 niche benefits into five broader categories, the removal of the Respite Benefit, and a change from the Clothing Benefit to the Incontinent Supplies Benefit. While there were initial concerns raised by community members, the experiences we heard from SAID recipients were consistent with what we had heard long before these changes.
To read the Government of Saskatchewan’s July 9, 2026 release on SAID changes, please visit this link:
For media inquiries, please contact:
Mallory Brabant
Communications & Marketing Specialist
Inclusion Saskatchewan
306-955-3344
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