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Income Security Advocacy Centre

Income Security Advocacy Centre

ISAC works to address issues of income security and poverty in Ontario

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Media & Policy News: 13 March 2015

March 13, 2015

Top Stories

It’s nearly tax time – an important time to let people with low incomes know how they can benefit from filing their taxes. Use and/or pass along this calculator about tax-delivered credits and benefits:
https://www.ontario.ca/taxes-and-benefits/ontario-tax-credits-and-benefits

  • Chartered Accountants’ free tax preparation services for people with low incomes:http://www.cpaontario.ca/Public/apps/TAxClinics/taxClinics.aspx

BC makes big social assistance policy change for single parents: eligibility continues with 12 months free tuition and childcare while training for a “high demand” job, extended medical for first year of work, and increased earned income exemption:
http://www.vancouversun.com/life/Free+tuition+child+care+single+parents+welfare/10880844/story.html

  • More coverage: http://www.aldergrovestar.com/news/295989651.html
  • Critique of the earned income exemption change: http://www.thetyee.ca/News/2015/03/12/BC-Family-Welfare/

A call to halt the forced mass exodus of Canada’s migrant farm workers on April 1:
http://www.guelphmercury.com/opinion-story/5462699-halt-mass-exodus-of-canada-s-migrant-workers/

The looming federal election appears to be having an impact on the CPP-Disability backlog:
http://metronews.ca/news/canada/1303565/cpp-disability-cheques-finally-arriving/

Campaign 2000 urges feds to put new national poverty pledge into action:
http://www.ourwindsor.ca/news-story/5470553-ottawa-urged-to-put-child-poverty-pledge-into-action/

Pushing for a basic income guarantee – with numbers and a plan:
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2015/03/08/national-income-floor-for-troubled-times-goar.html

Reports, Publications, Events

Fiscal Capacity: CCPA-Ontario’s Kaylie Tiessen shows “How to fix Ontario’s revenue problem”:
https://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/fixing-ontarios-revenue-problem

Broadbent Institute’s Press Progress Summit: March 26-27, Ottawa:
http://www.broadbentinstitute.ca/en/summit2015/

IMF study shows the rise of income inequality linked to the decline of unionization:
http://www.pressprogress.ca/en/post/rise-income-inequality-linked-decline-unions-new-imf-study

Ontario

From International Women’s Day: Women’s roller coaster ride in Ontario’s labour market:
http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/behind-numbers/2015/03/womens-roller-coaster-ride-ontarios-labour-market

Another computer glitch leads to privacy violation of social assistance recipients:
http://www.torontosun.com/2015/03/02/welfare-computer-glitch-violates-privacy-of-recipients

Ombudsman blasts Hydro One for threatening to leave customers out in the cold:
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/03/11/hydro-one-blasted-for-threatening-to-cut-off-customers-power-in-winter.html

Class action lawsuit launched on behalf of Crown Wards:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/class-action-suit-launched-on-behalf-of-crown-wards-1.2507073

Around the Province

Chatham-Kent report details problems with the province’s new social assistance computer system:
http://www.chathamdailynews.ca/2015/03/09/social-assistance-management-system-causes-issues

Legal clinic helps people in  Toronto who are homeless fight unpayable nuisance tickets:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/03/09/toronto-legal-clinic-helps-homeless-fight-unpayable-nuisance-tickets.html

Hamilton’s lack of childcare is an economic drain:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/news/hamilton-s-lack-of-childcare-is-costing-taxpayers-advocate-1.2987828

Here’s the latest on legal clinic “transformation” in the GTA:
http://torontoist.com/2015/03/legal-aid-clinics-dodge-closures/

London leaders take part in “poverty simulation”:
http://www.am980.ca/2015/03/06/community-leaders-to-participate-in-initiative-aiming-to-reduce-poverty/

Radio homelessness marathon talks poverty in Waterloo Region:
http://rabble.ca/podcasts/shows/awl/2015/03/its-matter-social-justice-alliance-against-poverty-waterloo-region

Port Hope dental clinic for people on low incomes shows need for systemic expansion of dental services:
http://www.northumberlandnews.com/news-story/5459505-getting-to-the-root-of-dental-care-at-port-hope-clinic/

Across the Country

Newfoundland and Labrador Poverty Summit covers common ground:
http://www.vocm.com/newsarticle.asp?mn=2&id=53290&latest=1

Women hit hardest by Alberta government’s austerity measures:
http://medicinehatnews.com/commentary/opinions/2015/03/10/women-likely-to-feel-biggest-budget-pinch/

National

CIBC study shows employment quality in Canada is at an all time low:
http://www.ctvnews.ca/business/employment-quality-in-canada-at-all-time-low-cibc-1.2265484

Unifor thinks the federal government has shelved its controversial targeted benefit pension proposal:
http://www.thestar.com/business/personal_finance/retirement/2015/03/11/has-ottawa-shelved-its-target-pension-plan.html

Is the Bank of Canada quietly moving to the left?:
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2015/03/03/is-the-bank-of-canada-quietly-moving-to-the-left.html

Walkom: How to save Canadian capitalism from itself:
http://www.insidebrockville.com/opinion-story/5453136-how-to-save-canadian-capitalism-from-itself-walkom/

University contract faculty frustrated by low wages and no job security:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/andrew-robinson-carleton-university-instructor-rips-wages-job-security-1.2977700

International

Seattle lowers transit fares for low income riders:
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/dailybrew/low-income-transit-plans-aim-to-put-the-brakes-on-214225391.html

Half of people in Ohio are one paycheque away from poverty:
http://www.marionstar.com/story/news/local/2015/03/11/report-half-ohioans-one-paycheck-away-poverty/70170336/

Australia warned against importing New Zealand’s new welfare model:
http://www.probonoaustralia.com.au/news/2015/03/think-carefully-importing-kiwi-welfare-model#

UK churches call government welfare sanctions “inhumane and unchristian”:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/02/churches-call-government-welfare-sanctions-inhumane-and-un-christian

Families with children and people with disabilities hardest hit by UK welfare reforms:
https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/politics/holyrood/505639/families-and-disables-hardest-hit-by-welfare-reform/

One in four Europeans at risk of poverty:
http://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/irish-news/poverty-trend-extremely-worrying-31051890.html

Study shows government programs could reduce poverty in NYC by 69%:
http://blogs.wsj.com/metropolis/2015/03/09/government-programs-could-reduce-poverty-in-nyc-by-up-to-69-study/

Beyoncé, Lady Gaga and other celebs sign “poverty is sexist” in advance of key UN summit:
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/mar/07/povert-sexist-letter-women-equality-gaga-sandberg-beyonce

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This site contains general legal information for people in Ontario, Canada. It is not intended to be used as legal advice for a specific legal problem. ISAC is a not-for-profit, non-partisan organization. ISAC is funded by Legal Aid Ontario (LAO). The funding for this website is also provided by LAO. The views expressed in any of ISAC’s publications (including written, oral, or visual) are the views of the clinic and do not necessarily reflect those of LAO.