The Saskatchewan Ministry of Social Services announced on February 2, 2026, a comprehensive simplification of the Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disabilities (SAID) program.
The overhaul aims to make the benefit structure easier for its 18,000 clients to navigate by consolidating highly specific policies into broader, more flexible categories. One of the most significant changes includes an increase in the liquid asset limit; household members can now have up to $2,000 in the bank—a $500 increase—when applying for the program.
“Through conversations with clients and community partners, we have heard that SAID is too complicated,” Social Services Minister Terry Jenson said. “This complexity makes it difficult for clients to know what they are eligible for, and limits ministry flexibility to adapt to individual circumstances that also slows down support for clients. Changes beginning April 1, 2026, will better address client needs and support them to receive all the benefits they are eligible for in the simplest and quickest way possible.”
Effective April 1, 2026, changes will:
- Combine highly specific policies and benefits into broader categories which allows more flexible and timely responses to client needs;
- Add flat-rate benefits to replace some actual-cost benefits which reduces client reporting requirements and speeds up access to supports;
- Modernize the program to remove benefits that are outdated, not currently being used by clients, or being provided in other programs; and
- Ensure individuals in need are supported to transition onto SAID by raising the amount of money individuals can have in the bank to apply for the program by $500 – from $1,500 to $2,000 per household member.
