Brief
Manitoba eases income assistance for youths leaving care
The province will allow direct enrolment on income assistance and fund youth‑support organisations.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Manitoba announced changes to its employment income assistance program that will waive benefit conditions for three months for youths transitioning out of the Child and Family Services (CFS) system, according to Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine on Monday.
Fontaine said the new "time‑limited, unconditional income" will let eligible young adults enrol directly on income assistance when they turn 18, eliminating gaps in support. The province also created a Youth Pathways Team to coordinate with CFS agencies before and after a youth exits care, helping them apply for assistance early.
Each year more than 650 young adults age out of CFS care, and the latest departmental report shows 9,172 youth were in care during the 2024‑25 period, up from 8,919 the previous year. The government will also allocate $1.7 million to seven organisations that assist former CFS youth.
Selena Starling, CEO of Community of Big Hearts and former youth in care, highlighted the need for such resources, noting she now helps younger siblings aging out of foster care.
Key facts
- Manitoba will waive conditions on income assistance for three months for youths aging out of CFS care (winnipegfreepress.com)
- The change allows direct enrolment on income assistance at age 18 (winnipegfreepress.com)
- A Youth Pathways Team will coordinate with CFS agencies to help apply before turning 18 (winnipegfreepress.com)
- More than 650 youths transition out of CFS care each year; 9,172 were in care in 2024‑25 (winnipegfreepress.com)
- The province will provide $1.7 million to seven organisations supporting former CFS youth (winnipegfreepress.com)
Sources
- [1] winnipegfreepress.com — originally reported as “Province helping youths leaving CFS system with three-month EIA ‘unconditional income’”
