"The need in our communities is great and we expect the response from government to be up to the task," says Yutaka Dirks. "We don't want to come out of this recession worse off. There are ways to make housing more affordable so losing your job doesn't mean losing your home."
- $45M dental-care boost protects poorest children
October 1, 2010Ontario is expanding free dental services for poor children to include preventative care such as check-ups, cleanings, X-rays and fillings, the Star has learned.
Health Minister Deb Matthews will announce Friday that the “healthy smiles” program — costing taxpayers $45 million annually — is designed to help 130,000 kids aged 17 and under.
- Big bang for full-day learning buck
August 30, 2010Ontario is missing out on a significant economic payoff by offering a scaled-down version of full-day learning this fall, says a report being released Monday. A new economic analysis of the initiative outlined by the premier’s early learning adviser last spring shows an immediate return of $2.02 for every dollar invested in operations and $1.47 for every dollar spent on new classrooms, says the report, obtained by the Star.
- Funding shortages for home services are staggering
August 27, 2010ARCH Disability Law Centre, dedicated to advancing the rights of people with disabilities, says its campaign was prompted by “an alarming and growing trend of adults with intellectual disabilities being unable to afford vital supports that would facilitate their development, independence and participation in the community. “This crisis is growing and we need your help,” ARCH says.
- Radical change for Ont. mental health urged
August 26, 2010A new report says a “radical transformation” of mental health and addiction care is needed in Ontario if people are to receive the help they need.
- Windsor area food bank use spikes, paycheques shrink, report finds
August 24, 2010One in 10 Windsor-Essex families live in poverty, causing a huge jump in demand at local food banks and lineups for social assistance, according to a new United Way report.
- 25 in 5 Supports Call for Income Security Review
- Message to Deb Matthews: Nutritional Supplement Must Address Needs
- Five Principles for a New Nutritional Supplement Program
- Premier McGuinty Responds to 25 in 5
- Open Letter to Premier McGuinty from the 25 in 5 Network for Poverty Reduction
- Budget throws Ontario’s poor in limbo
- Budget 2010 Must Link “Open Ontario” to Poverty Reduction
- Making Good on the Promise: Evaluating Year One of Ontario’s Poverty Reduction Strategy
A year ago, as Canada plunged into one of the sharpest recessions since the Great Depression, the Ontario government assumed long-awaited leadership to tackle poverty.
On December 4, 2008, it promsied to enact a plan to reduce child and family poverty by 25 per cent by 2013.
Making good on that promise would lift more than 90,000 Ontario children and their families out of poverty within five years.
This is the first in a series of annual reports from 25 in 5 that tracks the Ontario government’s progress on their Poverty Reduction commitment.
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