“This budget puts money in the pockets of low-income Ontarians and starts the process of social assistance reform that will create greater security and opportunity for low-income Ontarians,” said Sarah Blackstock, 25in5 spokesperson. “We are eager to work with all of the parties to ensure Ontario’s efforts to reduce poverty continue and that all Ontarians are supported to access opportunity and live with dignity.”

The 25in5 Network for Poverty Reduction had been encouraging Ontario’s political leaders to increase the Ontario Child Benefit to $1310/year per child in this budget to help ensure Ontario meets its poverty reduction target set in the province’s first Poverty Reduction Strategy. (The province committed to reduce child poverty by 25% by the end of 2013.) “We are disappointed that Ontario’s political leaders have failed to increase the Ontario Child Benefit to its maximum. We are hopeful that in the coming days, the government and opposition parties will reach an agreement to fully implement the OCB in 2013, a crucial step to meeting our poverty reduction target,” said Blackstock.

The budget increases social assistance rates by 1%, with an additional top up of $14/month for singles on Ontario Works without children. “It is significant that the Government has recognized that incomes for singles for people on Ontario Works require immediate attention. While we are eager to see further increases because the rates are still dangerously low. We are pleased that the Government has announced that it will work with stakeholders to establish benchmarks and a rational methodology for setting rates,” said Blackstock.

Other important changes include:
• allowing people on social assistance to earn $200/month before deductions
• allowing high-school students in families receiving social assistance to work part-time and keep their income
• increasing the amount of money people on Ontario Works can have in the bank when they apply for social assistance
• allowing people on Ontario Works to keep their primary vehicle, as people on ODSP can
• allowing people on Ontario Works to receive gifts of up to $6000 without penalty, as people on ODSP can
• increased funding for Employment Standards enforcement

The 25in5 Network was also disappointed that the budget did not announce a much-needed increase to the minimum wage. The Network maintains the minimum wage should be poverty-proofed.

“Investing in poverty reduction is essential to building a prosperous and fair Ontario – and this budget recognizes that,” Blackstock said. “We are pleased the Government has announced its intention to work with diverse stakeholders to develop Ontario’s next Poverty Reduction Strategy.”

For more information, contact Sarah Blackstock at 416-892-6845.

In 2008, Ontario made a bold commitment to reduce child and family poverty by 25% by the end of 2013. All parties supported this move. The deadline is coming quickly. Ontario can be the first province to set – and meet – a poverty reduction target by investing in the well-being of low-income Ontarians in this year’s budget.

Meeting the target requires more than token gestures – it requires specific, targeted investments in Ontario’s most vulnerable people.

25 in 5’s submission to the province’s pre-budget consultations urges all parties to put fairness back in the budget and allow low-income Ontarians to Earn More, Keep More and Restore Incomes.

What can you do?

Check out our submission here.

Join 25in5’s call to put Fairness in the Budget by sending this letter to our political leaders.

Visit the information pages to find out more.

And sign the e-action today!

Ontario is facing an historic opportunity to invest in poverty reduction in the 2013 budget. 

We can’t let this opportunity to pass us by.

The 2013 Budget can allow Ontarians living on low-incomes to Earn More, Keep More and see benefits Restored.

A recent letter (see below) sent by the 25in5 Network for Poverty Reduction urges all political parties to make minority government work for all Ontarians by investing in poverty reduction initiatives.

Take Action!

Get more info and sign the petition urging government to take strong action against poverty in this budget. Click here to get started.

Removing barriers to exiting poverty in Ontario means allowing low-income Ontarians to Earn More, Keep More and see benefits Restored!

February 14, 2013

Dear Premier Wynne, Mr. Hudak and Ms Horwath,

The 25in5 Network for Poverty Reduction is a multi-sectoral network of groups and individuals working province wide to eliminate poverty in Ontario. We are writing to urge that you invest in poverty reduction initiatives in the 2013 provincial budget.

You can make minority government work for Ontarians by allowing low-income people to earn more from employment, keep more assets, earnings and child support payments and restore benefits that have been frozen or eliminated.

Earn More:  Work should be a path out of poverty, not a trap into it.

The minimum wage has been frozen for the past three years, but the cost of basic items, such as food, have not. A full time job should not leave anyone struggling to pay the rent. We ask that you raise the minimum wage to $11.50/hour in 2013 to ensure that it pays to work.

Safe and affordable child care is another way to help make work pay. We encourage you to invest in affordable child care and early learning so that adults with children can afford to go to work with the peace of mind that their children are safe.

Rules that claw back earned income are a barrier for people making the transition from welfare to work. We ask that you implement the Social Assistance Review Commission’s recommendation to increase the earnings exemptions to $200/month before claw backs begin. This will help people living on low incomes move out of poverty. But this should not be accompanied by a reduction or elimination of the Work-Related Benefit for people receiving ODSP. Government needs to make positive changes that eliminate poverty rather than redistribute it.

Keep More: For people on assistance, it’s impossible to get ahead when the little you have is taken away.

Current rules require Ontarians in need of assistance to totally impoverish themselves before they can receive help. Our experience working with low-income Ontarians tells us that this becomes a barrier to exiting poverty down the road. The next budget must increase the amount of assets people are allowed to have to qualify for social assistance.

In a single parent family, any child support received is fully deducted from social assistance income. Children can’t get a head start when there is barely enough money for food and no money for anything else that makes childhood a fun and enriching time. The coming budget must change the rules surrounding child support and allow single parents to keep at least half of every child support dollar they are entitled to receive. Furthermore, we must give single parents more autonomy in determining what is right for their families by allowing single parents to decide whether or not to pursue child support.

Restore: It’s hard to reach your full potential on an empty stomach or in inadequate housing.

The promise to increase the Ontario Child Benefit (OCB) to $1310/year by 2013 has been delayed, leaving too many children living in poverty. This year’s budget must honour the original commitment of the poverty reduction strategy and raise the OCB to $1310 by July 2013. The OCB must also be indexed to inflation.

People receiving social assistance benefits have not seen an increase in their real income since 1993. Bringing the rates back up to 1993 levels would take a 56% increase. The 2013 budget should implement the Social Assistance Review Commission’s recommendation to make a down payment on income adequacy by increasing the rate for single people receiving assistance by $100/month. This down payment must be accompanied at least a cost of living increase for all people receiving OW and ODSP. This increase will inevitably be redirected into local economies while simultaneously helping recipients make ends meet.

Increases to basic benefits must not be funded by eliminating the Special Diet Allowance, which is intended to help recipients already struggling to afford nutritious food to meet the special requirements of many debilitating illnesses.

Finally, Budget 2012 significantly cut the support available to help social assistance recipients secure or keep appropriate housing. One-time funding to municipalities to provide similar supports in 2013 will not address the need of people on the brink of homelessness beyond the current year. This year’s budget must commit to contribute permanent, annualized funding to municipalities tasked with providing housing stabilization support to their residents. Even with such investment, many critical aspects of CSUMB will still be lost.

The 2009 Poverty Reduction Act marked a turning point in Ontario. The Act passed unanimously through the legislature and all parties agreed to work together to continuously reduce poverty in Ontario. The first 5-year poverty reduction strategy “Breaking the Cycle” focused on children setting a goal of reducing child poverty by 25% before December 2013. That strategy recognized the “heightened risk” of living in poverty “among groups such as immigrants, women, single mothers, people with disabilities, aboriginal peoples and racialized groups.”

Since then, serious action to eradicate poverty has led to results. Early initiatives, like the Ontario child benefit, helped to reduce the number of children living in poverty by over 6% between 2008 and 2010. Acting on the recommendations identified above will build on this progress. Allowing Ontarians living on low-incomes to earn more and keep more while simultaneously restoring the benefits that have served our province well in the past will keep us on track to achieving Ontario’s poverty reduction target.

We call on each of you to remove the barriers people face in meeting basic needs, finding sustainable employment and maintaining the dignity that every citizen deserves.

Make minority government work for Ontarians in the 2013 budget and implement changes that will reduce poverty and inequality in our province. Ensure sustaining employment, livable incomes, and strong and supportive communities for us all.

For the 25 in 5 Network for Poverty Reduction,

Greg deGroot-Maggetti

Mennonite Central Committee Ontario

Sarah Blackstock

YWCA Toronto

Jean has cancer and can’t afford to eat properly. Many people want to help. But does individual charity mask the poverty of our welfare policy?

Jean has cancer. She is my age. She knows what the future holds. She shrugs.

Read more here

Liberal Candidates pledge action against poverty, 25 in 5 Network survey shows

TORONTO, Jan 22, 2013 – Liberal candidates vying to become Ontario’s next premier are committing to step up the province’s fight against poverty. Results from a questionnaire released today by the 25 in 5 Network for Poverty Reduction reveal that most candidates, including both front-runners, are pledging action on income security, affordable housing and good jobs.

“We are encouraged that poverty reduction has been front and centre in this leadership contest,” said Sarah Blackstock of YWCA Toronto. “The specific commitments made by the majority of candidates are crucial if we are going to continue to build on Ontario’s Poverty Reduction Strategy, including reducing child poverty by 25% by the end of 2013.”

In 2008 the Liberal government introduced Ontario’s groundbreaking Poverty Reduction Strategy aimed at reducing child and family poverty by 25% by the end of 2013. The 25 in 5 Network’s recent annual progress report on Ontario’s five-year Poverty Reduction Strategy showed that between 2008 and 2010 Ontario made a number of important investments that helped reduce child poverty by more than 6%, lifting 29,000 children and their families out of poverty. However, the report also points out that the recent scaling back of investments, such as the slowed implementation of the Ontario Child Benefit, threatens to undermine progress and drive more Ontarians further into poverty.

As part of ongoing engagement with all parties, the 25 in 5 Network asked all Liberal leaderships candidates what they would each do to advance a poverty reduction strategy in Ontario, including meeting the 2013 commitment.

The candidates’ answers revealed that the majority see the development and implementation of Ontario’s next poverty reduction strategy as a priority.

The two front-runners – Kathleen Wynne and Sandra Pupatello – both made significant commitments in the areas of income security, welfare reform, and affordable housing. Eric Hoskins and Gerard Kennedy stood out as the candidates with the most comprehensive approaches to poverty reduction, vowing to increase minimum wage, reform social assistance and increase access to affordable housing. Charles Sousa also prioritized poverty reduction as part of his platform.

“We have seen how strong leadership and government action can and does reduce poverty,” said Kaylie Tiessen of the Mennonite Central Committee Ontario. “It is crucial that the next Premier makes the fight against poverty a priority, beginning with the next budget. The 25 in 5 Network will be meeting with all parties to provide our input to that budget.”

The candidate questionnaire results are available at: http://25in5.ca/?attachment_id=1022

- 30 -

For more information, contact:

Sarah Blackstock, Director of Advocacy & Communications, YWCA Toronto

Phone: 416.961.8101 x 350 | Mobile 416.892.6845

The 25 in 5 Network for Poverty Reduction is a non-partisan, multisectoral network comprised of more than 100 provincial and Toronto based organizations and individuals working on eliminating poverty in Ontario. For more information and to read the 25 in 5 Progress Report, visit www.25in5.ca.

Anti-poverty target in peril: Ontario’s aspiring political leaders called to action

Toronto (Dec 4, 2012) – Ontario’s political leadership hopefuls are being warned that the province will fall short of its goal to reduce child and family poverty by 25% in 2013 unless urgent action is taken.

As the Ontario Liberals choose a new leader and Opposition parties eye a spring election, a progress report by the 25 in 5 Network for Poverty Reduction is calling for immediate investments to support those who are struggling.

“On the fourth anniversary of Ontario’s poverty reduction strategy, we have seen how strong leadership and government action can and does reduce poverty,” said Greg deGroot-Maggetti, Co-Chair of the 25 in 5 Network. “But we have also seen how scaling back investments threatens to undermine progress and drive more Ontarians further into poverty.”

Meeting the Poverty Reduction Target: Strong Leadership and Good Policy Required is the 25 in 5 Network’s fourth annual progress report on Ontario’s five-year Poverty Reduction Strategy. It shows that between 2008 and 2010 Ontario made a number of important investments that helped reduce child poverty by more than 6%, lifting 29,000 children and their families out of poverty.  However, the report also points to recent backtracking on child benefits, social assistance, housing, and other areas that can stall earlier progress.

“In these tough times with costs always rising, the Ontario Child Benefit has helped many low income Ontarians buy healthy food for their kids,” said Mike Creek, Co-Chair of the Network. “But there is so much more to be done to reduce and eliminate poverty and inequality in Ontario. Ontario needs leadership that ensures more good jobs with living wages, a social safety net for the unemployed, and equitable programs that build healthy communities.”

With an eye to the 2013 provincial budget – the final budget before the end of the first Poverty Reduction Strategy – the Network is calling for a number of investments, including:

• Increasing the Ontario Child Benefit to $1,310 for low income Ontario families in July 2013, as originally promised by the government;
• Making a downpayment on social assistance reform, including a $100 rate increase, raising asset limits and reducing clawbacks on earned income, and appointing a commissioner and community-based advisory committees; and,
• Ensuring that work pays by increasing the minimum wage and investing in employment standards enforcement.

The report also calls on all parties to articulate their vision and plan for creating Ontario’s second five-year Poverty Reduction Strategy, which the Poverty Reduction Act requires be released by the end of 2013.

Download the PDF version here.
Download the Word version here.

Take Action!

Ask the Liberal party’s leadership candidates and the Opposition leaders what they plan to do to address poverty in Ontario. Tell them the 25 in 5 report calls for action – what’s their plan? Will they endorse the report’s recommendations?

If you are on Email:

Send emails using these links / email addresses:

• Eric Hoskins: http://ericforleader.ca/contact-us/
• Gerard Kennedy: http://www.gerardkennedy.ca/
• Glen Murray: contact@renewliberal.ca
• Sandra Pupatello: http://signup4sandra.ca/contact/
• Charles Sousa: info@VoteSousa.ca
• Harinder Takhar: (no email address found – website is: http://votetakhar.com/)
• Kathleen Wynne: contact@kathleenwynne.ca
• Tim Hudak, PC Leader: tim.hudakco@pc.ola.org
• Andrea Horwath, NDP Leader: ahorwath-co@ndp.on.ca

If you are on Twitter:

Ask the question: “25in5 report calls for action. What’s your plan?”

Use the hashtags: #olpldr, #poverty, #25in5

Tweet to the Liberal leadership candidates and Opposition leaders at these Twitter handles:

• Eric Hoskins: @DrEricHoskins
• Gerard Kennedy: @GKennedyOLP
• Glen Murray: @Glen4ONT
• Sandra Pupatello: @SandraPupatello
• Charles Sousa: @SousaCharles
• Harinder Takhar: @harindertakhar
• Kathleen Wynne: @Kathleen_Wynne
• Tim Hudak, PC Leader: @timhudak
• Andrea Horwath, NDP Leader: @andreahorwath

See the letter below for the message that was sent today. And check out these campaigns to take action on poverty today:

• Save Housing Benefits for People on Social Assistance – this campaign is calling for a reversal of the provincial government’s elimination of the Community Start-Up and Maintenance Benefit and the Home Repairs Benefit.
• Ontario Needs a Minimum Wage Workers Can Live On – the Workers’ Action Centre wants you to help build a campaign for a more livable minimum wage.
• Take a Stand Against Poverty – Dignity for All calls on all Canadians to show support for ending poverty in Canada.

October 17, 2012

Dear Premier McGuinty, Mr. Hudak, and Ms. Horwath,

On this the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, we are writing to you to remind you of the urgent need to develop a new and updated strategy to eradicate poverty in Ontario.

In 2009, each of your parties voted unanimously for the Poverty Reduction Act. The Act requires Ontario’s Government to update and renew the Poverty Reduction Strategy and set new targets for progress at least every 5 years.  Ontario’s first Poverty Reduction Strategy was launched in 2008.

We are calling on all Ontario political parties to commit to creating a new and updated strategy to eradicate poverty and reduce inequality in our province. The new strategy needs to engage Ontarians across every community to contribute to a plan that not only addresses child poverty, but adult poverty and growing inequality as well.

Serious action to eradicate poverty leads to results. The first strategy, “Breaking the Cycle” focused on children. Early initiatives – like the significant investment in the Ontario Child Benefit  and continued increases in the minimum wage – helped reduce the number of children living in poverty by over 6% between 2008 and 2010. Government policies were beginning to bear fruit.
But we are deeply concerned that current political realities in Ontario have shifted attention away from continued implementation of the current poverty reduction strategy.

The minimum wage has been frozen for two years and planned increases to the OCB have been deferred. Social Assistance incomes have stagnated, with rate adjustments that fall short of the rise in the cost of living. Significant cuts have been made to emergency supports aimed at keeping people on assistance from becoming homeless.

Poverty among adults has actually increased. By 2010, 54,000 more adults found themselves living in poverty. And inequality continues to rise. More and more people in communities all across Ontario – many for the first time in their lives – are finding themselves without good paying jobs, unable to make the rent, and relying on food banks and emergency shelters to meet their basic needs. Poverty remains racialized, as members of racialized communities continue to face inequities in the labour market; similar inequities are faced by women and people with disabilities. This at a time when the highest income earners in Ontario continue to enjoy the largest income gains of any group.

Growing inequality and poverty affect us all.  Economic instability results in higher health care costs and more reliance on emergency supports. Income inequality erodes social cohesion and ultimately destabilizes entire communities.
A consensus has emerged across all sectors of Ontario society that eradicating poverty and reducing inequality make social and economic sense.

A new and improved poverty reduction strategy would allow all Ontarians a liveable income, promote high quality employment for all Ontario workers, and build strong and supportive communities. And it would work for all Ontarians, whether they are children or adults, low-income workers or people receiving social assistance benefits, so that we all have access to a higher quality of life.
We believe in an inclusive Ontario, where everyone can develop their talents and contribute to thriving communities. We want a province with a vibrant economy that works for everyone and shared prosperity across economic lines.

That’s why we are calling on you and your party to commit to creating a stronger strategy to eradicate poverty and reduce inequality in Ontario.

For the 25 in 5 Network for Poverty Reduction,

Mike Creek
Voices From the Street

Greg deGroot-Maggetti
Mennonite Central Committee – Ontario

Jennefer Laidley
Income Security Advocacy Centre (ISAC)

How will we tell if the report passes the test? How will we know if the recommendations will resolve the problems in the social assistance system?

A number of groups and organizations have created Five Tests for others across Ontario to use to assess the success of the Commission’s report.

• Does the report provide a clearly articulated vision for a social assistance system that reflects the real cost of living and promotes dignity, equity, opportunity, and good health for all?
• Does the report recommend incomes adequate to support the dignity of the people on social assistance?
• Does it promote opportunity through improved employment and training programs, provide for involvement in community life, and create greater chances to move forward?
• Does it recommend a system that puts people first, in both the program and benefit structures?
• And does it ensure that, at the end of the day, after reform takes place, everyone is better off as a result?

Download the full Five Tests document here to find out more about how the report can and should respond to these questions.

And read an Op-Ed in the Toronto Star that outlines the Five Tests.

Common Ground: A Strategy for Moving Forward on Poverty Reduction, tracks the government’s progress at the third anniversary of the Province’s poverty reduction promise. The report shows that while some progress has been made, it’s critical that all three parties work together to lift 90,000 Ontario children out of poverty by 2013. The report also identifies ten areas of common ground that emerged across parties during the 2011 election campaign, and urges government to work with the opposition parties to take action on these commitments right away.

“The commitment to poverty reduction expressed across party lines during the election campaign shows that there is common political will to take action here,” said Greg DeGroot-Maggetti of the Mennonite Central Committee. “A minority parliament must not be seen as an impediment to taking bold action to tackle poverty in this province.”

The 25 in 5 report finds that since 2008, a combination of good policies and government investment have had a positive impact – child poverty in Ontario has dropped slightly, as compared with significant increases in child poverty in provinces where no action was taken. By contrast, adult poverty rates continued to climb in the absence of strong government commitments. More can and must be done.

“Given the slow recovery from the recession and growing income inequality, now is not the time for the provincial government to sit on its laurels,” said Mike Creek, of Voices From the Street and chair of 25 in 5. “Targeted action is urgently needed, including expanding poverty reduction targets to include adults – especially singles – and addressing equity for groups more at risk of poverty, particularly at this time of fiscal restraint.”

“If the province reins in spending while seeking to protect healthcare and education, the health and social costs of doing nothing to tackle poverty will be too great to ignore,” said Jennefer Laidley of the Income Security Advocacy Centre. “If we don’t make investments to reduce poverty now, inequality will continue to grow, health care costs will continue to rise, and people in particular groups and communities will continue to be left behind.”

25 in 5 urges the provincial government to act, particularly where there is common ground across provincial parties. This includes introducing a new housing benefit, reforming social assistance, reducing earned income deductions for people on social assistance, raising the Ontario Child Benefit, taking action on minimum wage, and making the early learning vision a reality.

Recommendations for concrete action in these and other areas are outlined in the report. Click here for a PDF of the report, and click here for a Word version of the report.

See coverage of the report in the Toronto Star at: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1096936–child-poverty-easing-in-ontario-report-says

1. Quote of the Day
2. Political Parties Called to Act on Poverty: Political Commitments Grid Released

Toronto, September 27, 2011 –Ontario’s political parties offer limited solutions to child and family poverty that should be of priority this election, a new report from Ontario Campaign 2000 has found.

The “Political Commitment Grid” released today by Ontario Campaign 2000 evaluates each of Ontario’s four major political parties’ plans on poverty reduction and eradication. Most party platforms mention poverty reduction strategies, but some parties still fail to make extensive commitments on critical issues that affect people living on low income and in poverty.

“All political parties committed to poverty reduction in their unanimous support for the 2009 Poverty Reduction Act, but their political commitments so far this election are underwhelming,” said Mike Creek, co-Chair of the 25 in 5 Network for Poverty Reduction. “Now more than ever we call upon all political parties to act to build an Ontario where everyone lives in dignity.”

The Grid informs a Call to Action letter from the 25 in 5 Network for Poverty Reduction, which spearheaded the call for poverty reduction in 2007. The letter calls on party leaders to act on their commitment to poverty reduction, and to pursue strong and comprehensive policies aimed at achieving an equitable and inclusive Ontario and a province free from poverty. The Call to Action has received endorsement from over a hundred organizations and individuals across Ontario.

“As communities work hard to remove barriers and provide supports for our most vulnerable residents, now is the time for all parties to demonstrate their leadership by outlining a clear plan of action on eradicating poverty, said Adam Vasey, Director of Pathway to Potential in Windsor. “Nearly 1.7million Ontarians – one in ten of us – live in poverty. Ontarians are counting on their political leaders to clearly articulate their vision for an equitable, inclusive province that ensures opportunity and dignity for everyone.”

“We not only want all parties to acknowledge these issues, we want them to bring in policies and set comprehensive targets now for achieving poverty eradication in the future,” said Alizeh Hussain, Interim Coordinator of Ontario Campaign 2000. “It should be unacceptable that 4 in 5 children in Ontario do not have access to licensed affordable child care, over 150,000 households are on waiting lists for non-profit housing, and 40% of food bank users say they go hungry at least one day a week. We need to know what the parties will do about these critical issues.”

“Now more than ever we need parties to address poverty, as it affects everyone and it’s the right thing to do for our social and economic well being,” said Greg deGroot-Maggetti of Mennonite Central Committee in Kitchener. “Firm commitments on poverty eradication would give everyone a secure foundation and strengthen Ontario’s economic outlook. It can’t be stressed enough how crucial it is that all parties act on eradicating poverty in Ontario.”

• Read the Detailed Party Commitments Grid 
• Read the Short-form Grid 
• Read the 25 in 5 Call to Action 
• Read the Call to Action Endorsers List 
• This press release is also available in PDF

1. Quote of the Day
2. 25 in 5 Comments on 2011 Ontario Budget
3. Take Action on the new Social Housing Legislation: HNO
4. Bringing In Women’s Voices From the Margins

1. Quotes of the Day: TCHC
2. 25 in 5 on the Minimum Wage
3. Hunger Crisis: Report of the Hunger Inquiry
4. Take a Stand Against Wage Theft
5. Judging the Poor: Canadians’ Attitudes
6. Upcoming Events Around the Province: 

• Hunger Situation Critical: Put Food in the Budget!
• A Community Forum on Poverty – It’s Time for the Federal Government to Do Its Part
• Canada’s Colour Coded Labour Market

1. Quote of the Day
2. 25 in 5 Network and Partners on the Budget
3. Valentines for Dwight Duncan: Put Food in the Budget!
4. Ontario Can’t Work Without Child Care
5. Welcome to Ontario: But Please Don’t Get Sick!
6. Upcoming Events Around the Province: 

• Action for Affordable Housing Forum: Toronto
• Anti-Poverty Forum for Frontline Social Workers: Brant / Brantford
• Pathway to Potential: Windsor
• Breaking Out: Real Voices, Real Change – Save the Date!

The economy is on the mend, but recovery remains fragile. The threat of Ontario dipping back into a slowdown is very real. Ontario faces a serious challenge in creating a healthy economy sustained by good paying, secure, equitably accessible jobs to replace the hundreds of thousands of manufacturing jobs lost in the last decade.

To make Ontario a prosperous jurisdiction in a competitive global context will take a substantial investment by the public for the public. Ontario will pay a steep price if we take a political road that favours some Ontarians while leaving others behind. We will pay a steep price if we allow a generation of formidable minds to waste away on the sidelines.

In the coming budget, Ontarians are looking to their provincial government to implement and fund smart policies that achieve four core goals during this next period of economic recovery.

Click here to download the 25 in 5 Prebudget Submission for 2011, “Building a Resilient Ontario: From Poverty Reduction to Economic Opportunity”

1. Quote of the Day
2. 25 in 5 Welcomes Social Assistance Review; Recommends Interim Steps
3. Ontario’s Proposed Affordable Housing Plan Fails to Meet Five Basic Tests set by Housing Network of Ontario

“We’re very pleased with the broad terms of reference for this review. It will provide recommendations not only on how to transform social assistance but on how it should connect to other income security programs that many of us need to rely on at some point in our lives, such as disability support programs and Employment Insurance,” said Jacquie Maund, Coordinator of Ontario Campaign 2000.

“This is the right thing to do for poverty reduction and for a strong Ontario economy. We want everyone to be able to achieve their full potential to contribute to our economy and society. Our income security system needs to be re-equipped to respond to economic pressures and support people through rough times – it’s not doing that now. ”

The broad terms of reference for the review of social assistance show that the Ontario government listened to the advice of the Social Assistance Review Advisory Council. They reflect the call for revamped income security programs to ensure that people receiving social assistance can live in dignity and be provided the supports and opportunities they need to move into the workforce if they are able to work.

“We are pleased with the choice of commissioners, Frances Lankin and Munir Sheikh. These are people with integrity who know the value of listening to the community and developing policy recommendations based on solid evidence. We encourage them to hear directly from people who are on the Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Programs about the changes needed,” said Mike Creek, Co- Chair of 25 in 5.

This review will start in January and continue for 18 months. It will be supported by a commission of civil servants and poverty advisors. “An 18 month review gives the commissioners time to do the job right – but that should not stop the government from taking interim measures to respond to people’s immediate needs. People across Ontario are struggling now to survive on extremely low social assistance rates. A single person receives only $592/month. The 25 in 5 Network is calling for an immediate increase of $100 a month for adults on social assistance,” said Jacquie Maund. “We also urge the Government to move forward on creating an Ontario Housing Benefit.”

Government also announced that it is looking to the 2008 Special Diets Expert Review Panel’s report to improve the Special Diet allowance Program as an interim measure until the Social Assistance Review is complete.

“We see the Government’s decision to include the Special Diet Allowance in the broader Social Assistance Review as a positive step,” says Mike Creek.

The 25 in 5 Network for Poverty Reduction is a coalition that is endorsed by 1500 groups and individuals from across Ontario committed to a strong and effective Ontario poverty reduction plan.

1. Quote of the Week
2. 25 in 5 Releases Second Year Poverty Reduction Progress Report
3. Ontario’s Long-Term Affordable Housing Strategy Released
4. ‘Roll It In’: Coalition Urges Government to Delay Special Diet Decision

TORONTO (Nov 29, 2010) – A coalition of poverty reduction advocates urges the Ontario government to redouble its efforts to cut poverty by 25% by 2013 or risk falling short of the goal.

 In a report marking the second anniversary of the province’s poverty reduction promise, the 25 in 5 Network for Poverty Reduction says recession has put even more heat on the Ontario government to put its commitment on the front burner.

“The 2008-09 recession hit Ontarians hard, plunging many into poverty and making it more challenging for those already in deep poverty to climb out,” says Greg deGroot-Maggetti, co-chair of 25 in 5.

“The post-recession reality is that many Ontarians need help getting back on their feet, with additional supports, training, education and job opportunities.

The 25 in 5 report, Building a Resilient Ontario, concludes Ontario was smart to stay the course on poverty reduction during the worst of the recession, but the true test of the government’s commitment comes post-recession and into recovery. 

“Some would prey on the public’s fears about slow economic growth, using them as an excuse to walk away from the promise to reduce poverty,” deGroot-Maggetti says. “But periods of slow growth are exactly when governments should redouble their efforts. The province must put poverty reduction on priority status or its 2013 goal won’t be met.”

“Poverty reduction is smart economic and social policy because it’s about building resilient communities that can bounce back from tough times,” says Mike Creek, 25 in 5 co-chair. “As Ontario nears the halfway point of its poverty reduction timeline, the mission is to stay focused on the goal. The clock is ticking.”

 The report urges the provincial government to make a clear and bold investment in its poverty reduction promise in the 2011-12 budget; to review income security programs; to invest in good jobs and core social supports such as early learning, affordable housing, and programs that ensure Ontarians have access to livable incomes.

Click here to download the Building a Resilient Ontario report in PDF format

Click here to download the Building a Resilient Ontario report in Word format

Click here to download this Press Release in PDF format

1. Quote of the Week
2. 25 in 5 Community Briefing: Year Two of Government’s Progress on Poverty Reduction
3. Ontario Campaign 2000: 2010 Report Card
4. “Zero Dollar Linda”: New Report from Metcalf
5. ISARC Social Audit: Poverty Persists
6. Housing as a Human Right: Community and Legal Action to End Homelessness
7. Save the Census Campaign Update

Click here to read the e-Bulletin.