Social Services Administration Act, S-52.01

1 SOCIAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION c S-52.01 The Social Services Administration Act being Chapter S‑52.01 effective February 26, 1979) as amended by the Statutes of Saskatchewan, 1979, c 20; 1983, c 11, c 29 and c 80; 1984‑85‑86, c 39; 1988‑89, c 27; 1989‑90, c 15; 1990‑91, c S‑63.1; 1991, c T‑1.1; 1996, c 13 and c 28; 2001, c 33; 2003, c Y‑2; 2004, c 10; 2014, c E‑13.1; 2015, c G‑5.101; 2019, c Y‑3; and 2022, c 41. Formerly Chapter D‑23 of The Revised Statutes of Saskatchewan, 1978. *NOTE: The chapter number and Title of this Act were changed by SS 2014, c E‑13.1. NOTE: This consolidation is not official. Amendments have been incorporated for convenience of reference and the original statutes and regulations should be consulted for all purposes of interpretation and application of the law. In order to preserve the integrity of the original statutes and regulations, errors that may have appeared are reproduced in this consolidation. 2 c S-52.01 SOCIAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION Table of Contents 1 Short title 9 Repealed 1.1 Interpretation 10 Appeal committees and provincial appeal boards 2 Repealed 11 Repealed 3 Repealed 12 Repealed 4 Repealed 13 Administration of funds 5 Repealed 14 Power of minister respecting certain institutions 6 Certain powers of department subject to approval 15 Minister may accept grants, etc., for the ministry of minister 16 Repealed 7 Certain powers of department subject to approval of 17 Annual report re trust funds Lieutenant Governor in Council 18 Secrecy 8 Responsibilities of minister 19 Regulations 3 SOCIAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION c S-52.01 CHAPTER S-52.01 An Act respecting the Administration of Social Services Short title 1 This Act may be cited as The Social Services Administration Act. 2014, c E‑13.1, s 43. Interpretation 1.1 In this Act: (a) “minister” means the member of the Executive Council to whom for the time being the administration of this Act is assigned; (b) “ministry” means the ministry over which the minister presides. 2014, c E‑13.1, s 43. 2 Repealed. 2014, c E‑13.1, s 43. 3 Repealed. 2014, c E‑13.1, s 43. 4 Repealed. 2014, c E‑13.1, s 43. 5 Repealed. 1983, c 11, s 20. Certain powers of department subject to approval of minister 6 Subject to the approval of the minister, the ministry may: (a) furnish, alter or repair buildings necessary for the purpose of exercising any of the powers or performing any of the duties of the ministry; (b) enter into contracts for the alteration or repair of buildings necessary for the purpose of exercising any of the powers or performing any of the duties of the ministry; (c) where the amount involved does not exceed $1,000, settle legal and equitable claims against the ministry if the minister deems it advisable to do so in the interest of or for the welfare of persons in Saskatchewan; (d) upon such terms and conditions as the minister may deem advisable: (i) purchase, lease or otherwise acquire any real property; (ii) sell, lease, sublease, exchange, assign, distribute or otherwise deal with real property acquired; where the value of the real property does not exceed $1,000 or, in the case of a lease or sublease of real property, the term of the lease or sublease does not exceed ten years or the annual rent under the lease or sublease does not exceed $1,000; 4 c S-52.01 SOCIAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION (e) in any other case where the amount involved does not exceed $1,000, do such acts and things or pay such expenses or fees, other than those provided for by subsection (2) of section 7 that the minister deems advisable for the purpose of providing for the welfare of persons in Saskatchewan. RSS 1978, c D‑23, s 6; 2014, c E‑13.1, s 43. Certain powers of department subject to approval of Lieutenant Governor in Council 7(1) Subject to the approval of the Lieutenant Governor in Council, the ministry may, except in cases provided for by section 6, do such things as the minister considers advisable for the purpose of promoting the well being and providing for the welfare of persons in Saskatchewan. (2) Without limiting the generality of subsection (1), if authorized by the Lieutenant Governor in Council to do so the ministry may: (a) if the amount involved exceeds $1,000, settle legal and equitable claims against the ministry if the minister considers it advisable to do so in the interest of or for the welfare of persons in Saskatchewan; (b) if the value of real property exceeds $1,000 or, in the case of a lease or sublease of real property, the term of the lease or sublease exceeds ten years or the annual rent under the lease or sublease exceeds $1,000, on any terms and conditions that the Lieutenant Governor in Council considers advisable: (i) purchase, lease or otherwise acquire any real property; (ii) sell, lease, sublease, exchange, assign, distribute or otherwise deal with real property acquired. RSS 1978, c D‑23, s 7; 2014, c E‑13.1, s 43; 2022, c 41, s 18. Responsibilities of minister 8 The minister is responsible for all matters not by law assigned to any other minister, ministry or agency of the Government of Saskatchewan related to the following: (a) providing programs or services for the benefit of people in Saskatchewan; (b) assisting in the research, development, expansion or maintenance of services that have as their purpose the furthering of the welfare of persons in Saskatchewan; (c) collecting information and statistics relating to all matters of welfare; (d) disseminating information in any manner and in any form that the minister considers best suited to promote the welfare of persons in Saskatchewan; (e) conducting research to determine the effectiveness of its programs in providing programs and services to persons in Saskatchewan; 5 SOCIAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION c S-52.01 (f) conducting programs or research for the purposes of furthering the programs and services of the ministry for persons in Saskatchewan; (g) conducting research and carrying out and coordinating programs respecting housing. 2014, c E‑13.1, s 43; 2015, c G‑5.101, s 12; 2022, c 41, s 18. 9 Repealed. 2014, c E‑13.1, s 43. Appeal committees and provincial appeal boards 10(1) The minister may establish appeal committees that shall review or hear any grievances, arising out of the administration of this Act or any other Act administered by the ministry, that are submitted by persons who feel that they are aggrieved by a decision, act or omission of an official or representative of the ministry. (2) The minister may, subject to the approval of the Lieutenant Governor in Council, establish provincial appeal boards, and any person, including a director within or a representative of the ministry, who is dissatisfied with a decision of an appeal committee may appeal to a provincial appeal board. (3) An appeal committee or a provincial appeal board may, in addition to deciding a matter under appeal, recommend to the minister: (a) changes in existing laws or policies administered by or affecting the ministry; (b) changes in service practices of the ministry. (4) The minister may, by order, make rules for the procedure and operation of an appeal committee or a provincial appeal board. (5) The decision of a provincial appeal board is final. (6) The minister shall provide each appeal committee and provincial appeal board with any clerical, technical or professional staff that the appeal committee or provincial appeal board may require in order to carry out its functions. (7) The Lieutenant Governor in Council may determine the amounts that may be paid to members of appeal committees and provincial appeal boards as remuneration for their services or allowances for expenses. 1979, c 20, s 4; 2014, c E‑13.1, s 43. 11 Repealed. 2014, c E‑13.1, s 43. 12 Repealed. 2014, c E‑13.1, s 43. 6 c S-52.01 SOCIAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION Administration of funds 13(1) Any moneys received from any source by the minister or the ministry on behalf of, for the benefit of or in trust for any client of the ministry or person resident in an institution administered by the ministry may be administered and invested by the ministry for the general benefit of the client or person. (2) Without limiting the generality of subsection (1), the ministry may: (a) hold, administer and invest any moneys received by the minister or ministry on behalf of any client of the ministry, former ward of the minister or resident of an institution, school or treatment centre administered by the ministry; (b) administer payments of moneys made with respect to recipients pursuant to The Saskatchewan Assistance Act and make payments of those moneys on behalf of those recipients; (c) administer and invest moneys of the estates of deceased residents of institutions administered by the ministry until the moneys can be turned over to persons who are responsible for those estates; (d) establish and administer trust accounts in accordance with any regulations that the Lieutenant Governor in Council may make; (e) administer and invest moneys received by the ministry as restitution for damage caused by wards of the minister if those moneys are or will be payable other than to the Government of Saskatchewan. (3) Moneys authorized to be invested pursuant to this section and that are not immediately required for the use for which the moneys were received must be invested in any class of securities authorized for the investment of moneys in the general revenue fund pursuant to The Financial Administration Act, 1993. (4) Notwithstanding subsection (3), the ministry may provide that moneys that may be invested pursuant to subsection (1) or (2) are to be turned over to the Public Guardian and Trustee continued pursuant to section 3 of The Public Guardian and Trustee Act for investment. 2014, c E‑13.1, s 43; 2022, c 41, s 18. Power of minister respecting certain institutions 14 The minister may: (a) plan, develop, furnish, equip, administer, manage, operate, maintain and repair any housing project, residential‑care facility for the care or accommodation of needy, aged or disabled persons or institution, custody facility or other facility for the care or treatment of neglected children or persons to whom The Youth Justice Administration Act, 2019 or section 35 of The Summary Offences Procedure Act, 1990 applies, established by the province, and all lands, buildings and personal property used in connection with those facilities; and 7 SOCIAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION c S-52.01 (b) authorize the purchase of all materials, goods and equipment, and procurement of all the services required for the efficient administration of the institutions mentioned in clause (a) and may make payment for those purchases from moneys appropriated by the Legislature for the purpose. RSS 1978, c D‑23, s 14; 1983, c 11, s 20; 1984‑85‑86, c 39, s 2; 1990‑91, c S‑63.1, s 62; 2003, c Y‑2, s 19; 2019, c Y‑3, s 15‑6; 2022, c 41, s 18. Minister may accept grants, etc., for the ministry 15(1) The minister may accept grants, gifts, devises and bequests for the purposes of the ministry and shall administer any grant, gift, devise or bequest, subject to the terms of any trust imposed by the donor or testator, for the purposes of the ministry. (2) The minister may execute any instrument required for the purposes of accepting a grant, gift, devise or bequest mentioned in subsection (1) and administering it, subject to any terms of trust imposed with respect to that grant, gift, devise or bequest, for the purposes of the ministry. 2022, c 41, s 18. Co-operation with other governments, etc. 16 Repealed. 2014, c E‑13.1, s 43. Annual report re trust funds 17(1) In each fiscal year, the ministry, in accordance with section 13 of The Executive Government Administration Act, shall prepare and submit to the minister a financial statement showing the business of the trust funds mentioned in section 13 for the preceding fiscal year. (2) The financial statement mentioned in subsection (1) is to be in the form required by Treasury Board. (3) In accordance with section 13 of The Executive Government Administration Act, the minister shall lay before the Assembly each financial statement received by the minister pursuant to this section. 2014, c E‑13.1, s 43. Secrecy 18(1) Repealed. 1996, c 13, s 2. (2) Neither the minister nor any person serving on a board or committee appointed by the minister pursuant to this Act or any other Act administered by the ministry, nor any member of the staff of the ministry shall be; (a) compellable to give evidence with respect to: (i) written or oral statements made to the minister or the person in the performance of his or her duties; or (ii) knowledge or information acquired by the minister or the person in the performance of his or her duties; (b) required to produce any written statement mentioned in subclause (i) of clause (a) at a trial, hearing or other proceeding. RSS 1978, c D‑23, s 17; 1996, c 13, s 2; 2014, c E‑13.1, s 43; 2022, c 41, s 18. 8 c S-52.01 SOCIAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION Regulations 19 For the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this Act according to their intent, the Lieutenant Governor of Council may make regulations: (a) establishing any programs or services considered necessary to carry out the intent of this Act; (b) respecting any programs that are: (i) administered or provided pursuant to this Act; or (ii) established by regulations pursuant to clause (a); (c) respecting any other matter or thing considered necessary to carry out the intent of this Act. 1988‑89, c 27, s 2; 2022, c 41, s 18. REGINA, SASKATCHEWAN Printed by the authority of THE QUEEN’S PRINTER Copyright©2022