Winnipeg senior says province is delaying vital rebate amid postal strike plan

A Winnipeg senior criticizing the province’s plan for her to receive cheques if Canada Post goes on strike. Harrison Shin reports.

A Winnipeg woman who relies on supplemental oxygen says Manitoba’s decision to stop mailing essential cheques is putting seniors at risk.

Evelyn Kenny, 90, lives in a Grant Park apartment and uses an oxygen tank daily. She pays for her oxygen upfront and receives a rebate from the provincial government—a routine that’s worked for five years. But for the past two months, her $435 cheques haven’t arrived.

“When my cheque wasn’t in the mail, I phoned and was told I had to go to 300 Carleton Street to pick it up,” Kenny said.

Manitoba Health has asked residents to pick up essential documents and cheques in-person due to a looming postal strike. But Kenny says that’s not feasible for seniors with mobility challenges. In her case, on top of oxygen tanks, she must use a walker.

“I’m on oxygen 24/7,” she said. “If I go out, I have a portable machine. I cannot be without oxygen.”

She says the federal government managed to mail its cheques without issue and questions why the province couldn’t do the same.

“Why did this government jump the wagon and decide they are going to have us go pick them up?” Kenny said.

Kenny says she’d need to book Handy Transit to get downtown, which doesn’t wait for passengers. That could mean an hour-long wait downtown just to get home.

“Our priority is to ensure that all Manitobans, especially seniors and vulnerable individuals, continue to receive the support they need,” a spokesperson for the province’s health minister told CTV News.

“To prevent essential cheques from being delayed, Manitoba opened essential mail distribution centres as a precaution.

“We remain committed to working across government to address any ongoing concerns and ensure that affected individuals are supported during this time.”

Kenny says the province needs to consider the realities faced by seniors.

“Whoever thinks up these ideas are not putting themselves in the position of a senior.”