Yukon Council on Disability behind on paperwork, says minister

Yukon's education minister says the government had no choice but to deny funding to the Yukon Council on Disability because the group was not keeping up with its paperwork.

Funding for the Yukon Council on Disability has been provided through a federal agreement called theCanada-Yukon Labour Market Agreement for Persons with Disabilities.

"The federal government has specific criteria," says minister Doug Graham. "We need to file with the federal government and we've been unable to file those reports because the data isn't available."

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The federal requirements includereporting 'performance indicators.' The organization must track, for example, the number of people eligible for their service andthe number of clients who used the service, and keep track of thoseclients over several months.

According to Graham,as of September 2014, the Yukon Council on Disabilityhad not filed complete paperwork on 101 of its 112 active cases. Hesays without the documentation, there is no way to know if theCouncil on Disabilityis the best value-for-dollar and if its programs are effective.

"We just can't stand by and allow that to happen," he says. "We have a responsibility. Not only to those people with disabilities, to ensure they're getting an appropriate service, but we also have to answer to the government of Canada."

The current arrangement with the Council on Disability, which isnow coming to an end,is worth about $740,000 over athree year term.Staff at the Council have defended their service, saying they provide support to people with disabilities that goes beyond job coaching.

Graham says the Yukon government will now publish a request for proposals to see if other groups are interested in applying for the funding.He says the Councilcan choose to reapply,but the application will require a significant change.

"The Yukon Council on Disability can still bid,"says Graham, "but we would need very clear assurances that they're capable of meeting the requirements of that agreement.So we're not closing the door completely."