The Executive Director of Stella’s Circle is welcoming poverty reduction measures announced by the provincial government yesterday.

Laura Winters says existing policies had unintended consequences, causing further problems and issues for people who can least afford to get by.

She offered as an example the higher rates provided to single adults on income support, than those living together in the same household. “That deters people from living together,” she says.

Part of the measures announced yesterday include improving quicker access to benefits and allowing greater flexibility to ensure that benefits are not necessarily tied to living arrangements.