The money the province is investing in social services software is a waste of funds, according to the Official Opposition.
During question period on Tuesday, NDP MLA Meara Conway said Saskatchewan people are paying more and more every year, and funds that are being used for software should be put elsewhere.
“Those dollars aren’t going to education, they’re not going to better health care, they’re not going for better supports for kids in our classrooms,” she said. “They’re being wasted on costly IT boondoggles that keep growing year after year.”
Conway referenced the Administrative Information Management System (AIMS) program, which she said costs $138 million, a program that is not even live, as well as almost $80 million for the Linkin Case Management System.
“And as we learned in committee just days ago, more than $25 million for MyCase to support the failed rollout of the SIS program,” she said.
Gene Makowsky, minister of social services, said as a society, we rely more on computers and technology for efficiencies.
“The Linkin system has increased in scope, there’s maintenance fees that go along with that,” he said. “Old filing systems that took days and days and a lot of paperwork to be able to look after those files adequately, it frees up time for our caseworkers to deal more directly with children in care.”
“We’re working hard to ensure our kids are looked after, part of that is the Linkin system,” he added.
Conway responded by saying the minister knows well that the ministry’s record is not one of success.
“A higher number of kids in care, more injuries and deaths than ever before, larger percentage of Indigenous kids in care, and Linkin is doing nothing to fix that,” she said.
She reiterated as they learned in committee, more than $25 million was spent for the MyCase program, a program that people warned would fail.
“Low and behold, it has, the SIS program,” she said.
“It boggles the mind, this government is refusing to listen to municipalities, to community based organizations who are calling for increased supports, not more IT boondoggles.”
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She questioned why the government could afford these programs and not more than a dollar a day increase to the SAID and SIS programs.
Makowsky said they’ve been able to support workers and children with the IT programs and the current budget has increased funding to the SIS and SAID programs.
“We’ve been able to invest in some of our most vulnerable people and that will continue.”
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Makowsky said while there are challenges, the ministry has made improvements in addressing the complex issues surrounding homelessness.
In 2022, the Saskatchewan NDP called for a provincial audit after more than $70 million was spent on the Linkin information manangement system.
The Linkin systyem was first announced in 2009, with an original estimated cost of $15 million over three years.
- With files from CTV News Regina's Wayne Mantyka
