Watch for 25 in 5’s Accountability Report to be released the week of November 30.

In this week’s eBulletin:

• Quotes of the Week
• Communities Speak: Housing Network of Ontario Report
• New Brunswick Announces Big Changes to Social Assistance! When Will Ontario Act?
• Take Action: What Can You Do?

Quotes of the week

“We know the existing model [of social assistance] has not produced the results that New Brunswickers expect…It has hindered people from entering into a life without poverty.”

Who said it? Premier Shawn Graham of New Brunswick, announcing significant immediate and longer-term reforms to that province’s social assistance system.
Read the coverage.

“When the price of healthy food remains out of reach for so many people, we are faced with serious health threat that is within the power of government to prevent.”

Who said it? Dr. David McKeown, Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health, about why government must significantly increase the incomes of people on social assistance.
Read the coverage.

Communities Speak: Housing Network of Ontario

Leadership now. That’s what people across the province called for during nearly 40 community consultations across Ontario on the government’s upcoming Long-Term Affordable Housing Strategy.

And the Housing Network of Ontario was listening. On Monday, November 16, the HNO released a report entitled Communities Speak: A Summary of the 2009 Provincial Housing Consultations, which summarizes the core messages and recommendations made by communities at both the government’s official consultations and locally-organized meetings between June and November.

The main messages that emerged from these consultations were:

• Ontarians need a comprehensive, fully-funded long-term affordable housing strategy with bold targets.
• Housing insecurity, homelessness and poverty are inseparably linked.
• People with lived experience of housing insecurity and housing related poverty should be at the centre of any housing strategy.

Thousands of people have participated in consultations to let the province know what they have to do to properly address the affordable housing crisis in Ontario. The report brings all their input together.

And now it’s time for the province to act.

Visit www.stableandaffordable.com to learn more about the HNO.

Read coverage in the Toronto Star.

Read coverage in the Ottawa Sun.

New Brunswick Announces Big Changes to Social Assistance: When will Ontario Act?

The government of New Brunswick has just announced big changes to social assistance in that province.

These changes come as part of New Brunswick’s new five-year Poverty Reduction Strategy that aims to reduce income poverty by 25% and deep income poverty by 50% in that province by the year 2015.

In a two-track process, New Brunswick aims to make a series of immediate changes to improve incomes, assist in the transition to work, and eliminate punitive rules. Longer-term changes will see a more significant overhaul of social assistance in New Brunswick.

What has Ontario done? While a commitment was made in December 2008 to review Ontario Works and the Ontario Disability Support Program, as yet nothing has happened.

25 in 5 continues to press government to meet this commitment, and to institute a Social Assistance Review that fundamentally transforms social assistance in Ontario. Government should follow these five benchmarks to make sure a Social Assistance Review does the job.

* The review must be grounded in a bold vision: economic security and opportunity for all Ontarians.
* The review must be proactive. Immediate changes must be made to unfair and counterproductive rules that deny people supports they need to get ahead.
* A timely process to launch deep reforms must be part of the review package.
* Providing decent, adequate income supports must be a stated outcome of the review.
* People who have had to rely on Ontario Works and the Ontario Disability Support Program must have a leading role in shaping the review’s recommendations.

New Brunswick has recognized that old ways of providing support through outdated social assistance programs just don’t work. When will Ontario follow suit?

See the government’s commitment to review social assistance programs in Ontario.

For more details about 25 in 5’s Five Benchmarks, read 25 in 5’s recent editorial in the Toronto Star.

Take Action! What Can You Do?

As the one-year anniversary of the government’s Poverty Reduction Strategy nears, 25 in 5 is working toward releasing a report that tracks government’s progress over the past year.

What can you do? Take the actions below to remind government of their commitment to reduce child and family poverty by 25% by 2013.

A) Book a meeting NOW with your MPP

** If you are planning to meet with your MPP on December 4, please contact us at info@25in5.ca! We’ll be in touch to provide resources and help you organize a delegation. We’ve had lots of people contact us – so send an email and count yourself in!

Communities across Ontario are gearing up to meet with their MPPs to send the message that poverty reduction must be a top priority for government.

MPPs will be in their local offices for a “constituency day” on December 4 – the one year anniversary of the government’s Poverty Reduction Strategy, called Breaking the Cycle.

Call your local MPP now and book a meeting for December 4 to discuss the steps they’ll take to ensure the government’s commitment to Poverty Reduction continues.

To find your MPP and their contact information, check the Ontario legislature’s MPP contact webpage or the Elections Ontario electoral district lookup.

It’s especially important to speak to members of the provincial government’s Results Table, so if you live in the riding of one of the following Liberal MPPs, make sure to call and book your appointment today.

* Minister Laurel Broten – Etobicoke-Lakeshore – 416-259-2249
* Minister Madeleine Meilleur – Ottawa-Vanier – 613-744-4484
* Minister John Milloy – Kitchener Centre – 519-579-5460
* MPP Carol Mitchell – Huron-Bruce – 519-396-3007
* Minister Gerry Phillips – Scarborough-Agincourt – 416-297-6568
* Minister Kathleen Wynne – Don Valley West – 416-425-6777

B) Keep Up the Pressure on the Social Assistance Review

Government has made some headway towards their commitment to reduce child and family poverty by 25% by 2013.

But they haven’t met their commitment to review Social Assistance. A system that provides opportunity for all Ontarians will be critical to meeting the 25% target.

Send an email TODAY to urge government to meet their commitment to a Social Assistance Review.

Complete the form on the 25 in 5 site and send a message to the Premier, Minister Meilleur, and Minister Broten – the new Minister Responsible for Poverty Reduction.

Now, more than ever, Ontario needs the province to show leadership and ensure everyone can contribute to and benefit from the province’s prosperity.

C) Plan a Poverty Reduction Anniversary Action in your community!

Hold a Poverty Reduction event – a rally, a breakfast, a letter-writing campaign, or any other activity that will keep poverty reduction on the radar in your community.

Make sure to include local government and religious leaders, people living in poverty, social service providers, and the media in your efforts.

Let us know your plans at info@25in5.ca.

We can share resources and tips with you, and we’ll let everyone know what you’re doing in an upcoming e-bulletin.