No school, no work cause big problems for Lethbridge mom

The COVID019 pandemic has created struggles for Lethbridge mom Melissa Smith and her son Dante Leigh Foster, who has special needs.

Lethbridge, Alta. — The closure of schools and daycares is requiring a major adjustment for many parents in Alberta.

Elementary student Dante Leigh Foster is one the 700,000 students in Alberta staying home as part of the province's plan to try and stop the spread of the COVID-19.

Dante has special needs and his mom Melissa Smith is one of many parents adjusting to the "new norm."

Smith said she understands why facilities around the city are closing but for Dante and other children with special needs, those facilities were important to have.

"Being stuck at our home without being able to take him to the library where he enjoys, or take him to the swimming pool ... things like that help special needs kids and now we're stuck in a closed proximity space."

Smith is a single mom and is currently on medical employment insurance (EI) for her own health reasons. She said it's been frustrating trying to find out if she and Dante's coverage will continue.

"I can’t go to my medical appointments because I can’t take my kid and I tried to call them this morning and it hung up on me a couple times so I called back and then it would just ring and ring and ring," she said.

Smith said her medical appointments are what qualify her to have EI.

Service Canada disconnections

Service Canada provided another EI phone line after complaints were made that other Canadian weren't able to get through. However, the second phone line is only for those who are directly being affected by the virus and both phone lines are receiving an overflow of calls resulting in customers being automatically disconnected.

Smith said she was finally able to talk to someone and will be covered for the next nine weeks, but she said Service Canada won’t be providing regular benefits at this time.

She explained that with the uncertainty of how long COVID-19 will last, she’s said more should be done for people in similar situations.

"I want there to be some support for people that may end up getting evicted because they can’t go to work now. You can’t go to work, you don’t get an income, yeah they say apply for EI, how are you supposed to apply for EI if you can’t get through on the phone to talk to somebody."