Social assistance software glitches increase work for city employees

Sudbury city council heard at its meeting Monday night that problems with a new software for welfare and disability payments could be permanent.

The glitches with the province's new social assistance management system, or SAMS, have made headlines, and even lead to an apology from Premier Kathleen Wynne.

In Sudbury, it has caused some stress for the city workers who distribute the payments on behalf of the province.

Community Development General Manager Catherine Matheson told city council that the extra work required won't be worked out along with the bugs in the program.

"The work that's involved is definitely two- to three times more than it was in the past. In means we are going to have to re-think how we deliver services."

Matheson said several city employees from other departments have been brought in to help deal with the new social assistance software.