Service commitment and service standards

We commit to meeting your needs by providing you with service that is:

• Reliable and accessible 
• Fair and impartial
• Responsive and accurate
• Respectful and courteous

Service commitment

The ministry provides a variety of options to citizens for accessing information, assistance and services, including:

• Online
• In person
• Over the phone

Online, 24 hours a day

Through My Self Serve, you can:

• Apply for assistance
• Receive and reply to messages from the ministry
• Make and track service requests
• Submit your monthly report
• Find information about your next payment date

All offices have computers and free Wi-Fi available to access My Self Serve during office hours.

In-person

• Offices are open Monday to Friday (except statutory holidays) between 9 am to 4 pm, closed 12 pm to 1 pm Pacific time
• Cheques are produced in all ministry offices at least three times per day at 11 am, 2 pm and 3 pm
• Clients attending a ministry office are acknowledged and informed of service request processing times
• All ministry offices are accessible

Phone

• Information about ministry programs and services is available 24 hours a day, toll free at 1-866-866-0800
• Phone lines are open Monday to Friday (except statutory holidays) between 9 am to 4 pm Pacific time
• Clients calling the ministry are informed of service request processing times

Mail

The ministry is committed to providing responses to ministerial correspondence within 14 business days.

Service standards

There are fluctuations with wait times, response, and decision times that can happen throughout the year (for example, cheque issue week). The target is to meet service standards at least 80 per cent of the time. 

Access to phone service

Calls answered in 10 minutes or less

Applying for assistance

After you have applied for assistance, the ministry will contact you about the application within 5 business days, except for in 1 business day if:

• You are fleeing abuse
• You have an immediate need for food, shelter or urgent medical attention

Service delivery timelines

Once you submit all the required documentation to the ministry, decisions on the following services will be provided within:

We will work to meet these service standards and are committed to listening and addressing your service concerns.