In November 2014, Ontario’s new social assistance computer program went live. The computer program caused wide-spread problems, including recipients receiving the wrong benefit amounts, getting faulty suspension letters and not receiving health-related benefits.
The union representing ODSP workers started a court application arguing that the computer system is resulting in violations of the Charter rights of social assistance recipients. ISAC and Parkdale Community Legal Services were allowed to intervene in order to ensure the Court considered the perspectives of social assistance recipients.
On April 15, 2015, the Superior Court threw out the case on the grounds that the case concerned the union’s collective agreement and could only be dealt with through union’s grievance process.
