The Ministry of Community and Social Services will launch a new team in North Bay dedicated to helping social assistance recipients across Ontario enroll in a program to help lower their electricity costs. The Ontario Disability Support Program office, located on Main Street West, is looking to hire 39 people for up to 12 months or longer to help sign up ODSP and Ontario Works recipients in the Ontario Electricity Support Program.
Ministry officials say there are 100,000 ODSP and Ontario Works recipients paying hydro costs today. The reason a dedicated team is being set up is to ensure individuals and families are accessing the supports available to them. A few tasks the team will be responsible for include conducting outreach to existing social assistance recipients across the province and completing OESP applications on their behalf.
The positions pay between $21 and $25 an hour according to the job listing. They’re looking for people who are skilled at customer service and communication, office administration, computers, planning and organizing. Based on household income and size, the OESP provides a credit for low-income individuals and families on their monthly utility bill. The program was originally launched last year, but growth has been slow.
