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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: 15 September 2017

September 15, 2017

Top Stories

Canadian incomes jump, Ontario residents hit by manufacturing downturn: Statistics Canada:
https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2017/09/13/canadian-incomes-jump-but-ontario-residents-hit-by-manufacturing-downturn-statistics-canada.html

  • Census: Children make up one quarter of 4.8 million Canadians living in poverty:
    http://toronto.citynews.ca/2017/09/13/census-children-make-up-one-quarter-of-4-8-million-canadians-living-in-poverty/
  • 2 million Canadian children living in poverty: http://globalnews.ca/news/3739960/canadian-census-children-poverty/
  • Hennessy: CCPA Ontario: Seven things the Census teaches us about income inequality: http://behindthenumbers.ca/2017/09/13/7-things-the-census-teaches-us-about-income-inequality-in-canada/#.WbmFAp7sWYg.facebook
  • McInturff: CCPA: Sense of the Census: Income, wage gaps, and poverty: http://behindthenumbers.ca/2017/09/13/sense-of-the-census/
  • Income grows in resource-rich provides, Ontario and Quebec lag behind: https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/economy/census-2016-statscan-income/article36242392/?ref=http://www.theglobeandmail.com&
  • Fewer young kids, more seniors in low-income households: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/census-2016-income-1.4285527
  • Percentage of children living in low-income housing highest in the Maritimes: http://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/percentage-of-children-living-in-low-income-housing-highest-in-the-maritimes-stats-canada-1.3588763
  • Average household income climbed $7,000 in a decade: https://www.sudbury.com/local-news/census-2016-average-household-income-climbed-7k-in-a-decade-716029
  • Highlights from the latest report on Canadian income levels: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/statistics-canada-census-2016-income-hightlights-1.4287179
  • Census data shows London’s median household income is 2nd-lowest among big Ontario cities:
    http://www.lfpress.com/2017/09/13/census-data-shows-londons-median-household-income-is-second-lowest-among-big-ontario-cities
  • New census income data conceals the scars of the oil crash: http://www.macleans.ca/economy/economicanalysis/new-census-income-data-conceal-the-scars-of-the-oil-crash/
  • Armine Yalnizyan on rising incomes: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/programs/metromorning/armine-yalnizyan-on-rising-incomes-1.4289131
  • Stats Can The Daily: Household income in Canada: Key results from the 2016 Census: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/170913/dq170913a-eng.htm?CMP=mstatcan

Undercover in Temp Nation:
http://projects.thestar.com/temp-employment-agencies/

  • Ontario must toughen law to protect temporary workers: Editorial:
    https://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2017/09/11/ontario-must-toughen-law-to-protect-temporary-workers-editorial.html
  • NDP slams Liberals on temp work: https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/09/12/ndp-slams-liberals-on-temp-work.html
  • Temp work growth is ‘alarming’ and changes are coming, says Ontario labour minister:
    https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2017/09/11/temp-work-growth-is-alarming-and-changes-are-coming-says-ontario-labour-minister.html
  • Fiera Foods pleads guilty to Labour Ministry charges in death of temp worker: https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2017/09/14/fiera-foods-pleads-guilty-in-death-of-23-year-old-temp-worker.html

Ontario’s minimum wage hike could cost 50,000 jobs: provincial watchdog:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/ontario-minimum-wage-jobs-1.4285443

  • Financial Accountability Office report: http://www.fao-on.org/en/Blog/Publications/minimum_wage
  • New report warns of minimum wage hike dangers: https://www.insauga.com/new-report-warns-of-minimum-wage-hike-dangers
  • The headline you didn’t see: $15 an hour will have big net benefit: http://www.progressive-economics.ca/2017/09/12/the-headline-you-didnt-see-15-per-hour-will-have-a-big-net-benefit/
  • Sobeys parent company sees employees as a competitive advantage; looking at ways to handle minimum-wage hikes: https://www.thestar.com/business/2017/09/14/empire-looking-at-ways-to-handle-minimum-wage-hikes.html
  • Minimum wage increase could hurt Parry Sound, local chamber: https://www.parrysound.com/news-story/7549181-minimum-wage-increase-could-hurt-parry-sound-local-chamber/
  • Minimum wage hike: The new higher cost of doing business in Sudbury: https://www.sudbury.com/local-news/head-new-cost-of-doing-business-716834
  • Raise for employees, price hike for customers: Toronto business owner implements $14 minimum wage: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/true-north-climbing-14-an-hour-1.4290371
  • On minimum wage debate, analysts are missing the forest for the trees:
    https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/rob-commentary/analysts-are-missing-the-forest-for-the-trees-on-minimum-wages/article36222700/

Ontario labour reforms nothing to fear, some small-business owners say:
https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/small-business/sb-managing/some-small-business-owners-speak-out-in-favour-of-ontario-labour-reforms/article36222996/

  • Minimum wage hike, labour law changes “nutso” and “heartbreaking” says Ontario Chamber of Commerce: https://www.yorkregion.com/news-story/7546078-minimum-wage-hike-labour-law-changes-nutso-heartbreaking-chamber/
  • Metro talks: Ontario labour minister on precarious work, minimum wage, and degrees that don’t get jobs: http://www.metronews.ca/news/toronto/2017/09/14/metro-talks-ontario-labour-minister-on-precarious-work-minimum-wage-and-degrees-that-don-t-get-jobs.html
  • Minister of Labour Kevin Flynn: Brown’s got it all wrong: http://www.torontosun.com/2017/09/13/browns-got-it-all-wrong-labour-minister
  • The real cost of unpaid internships:
    http://www.queensjournal.ca/story/2017-09-14/features/the-real-cost-of-unpaid-internships/
  • Inside the conditions migrant workers face in Niagara-on-the-Lake:
    https://this.org/2017/09/13/inside-the-conditions-migrant-workers-face-in-niagara-on-the-lake/

 

Trudeau: “Wealthy folks” who would be affected by tax changes “making a lot of noise”:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/prime-minister-pierre-trudeau-interview-1.4286195

  • Fair tax system down the drain if loopholes aren’t closed: https://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2017/09/11/Fair-Tax-System-Down-Drain/
  • The rich are set to go to war over Trudeau’s tax changes: Here’s what they are: https://news.vice.com/story/the-rich-are-set-to-go-to-war-over-trudeaus-tax-changes
  • Canada’s unions welfare plans to start closing tax loopholes: http://canadianlabour.ca/news/news-archive/canada%E2%80%99s-unions-welcome-plans-start-closing-tax-loopholes
  • Which tax, what middle class? Debunking the income splitting debate: http://behindthenumbers.ca/2017/09/14/who-are-the-income-splitters/
  • Proposed tax changes could drive doctors out of country, physician warns: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/federal-tax-changes-doctors-income-investments-reduced-cape-breton-1.4284501
  • Doctors’ fury over proposed federal tax changes could affect provincial health budgets: http://nationalpost.com/news/politics/doctors-fury-over-proposed-federal-tax-changes-could-affect-provincial-health-budgets
  • Trudeau government stands firm on tax changes: https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2017/09/12/trudeau-kicks-off-cabinet-retreat-in-newfoundland-with-nafta-and-economy-briefings.html
  • Coyne: The tax system can’t possibly do what people want it to do: http://nationalpost.com/news/andrew-coyne-the-tax-system-cant-possibly-do-what-people-want-it-to-do
  • Tone-deaf rollout of Liberal tax reforms a lesson in how good ideas go sour: Editorial: https://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2017/09/15/tone-deaf-rollout-of-liberal-tax-reforms-a-lesson-in-how-good-ideas-go-sour-editorial.html
  • Walkom: Will Liberals fold again on difficult tax reform?: http://thechronicleherald.ca/opinion/1501314-walkom-will-liberals-fold-again-on-difficult-tax-reform
  • Take Action!: Tell Morneau to Hold Firm on closing private corporation tax loophole: http://www.taxfairness.ca/en/action/hold-firm-closing-private-corporation-tax-loophole

Toronto to get 2,000 market-rent and affordable units:
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/09/13/toronto-to-build-2000-market-rent-and-affordable-units.html

  • Government release: Ontario unlocking surplus land to create more affordable housing: https://news.ontario.ca/mho/en/2017/09/ontario-unlocking-surplus-land-to-create-more-affordable-housing.html

BC budget hikes taxes on rich to pay for social spending:
http://www.timescolonist.com/news/local/ndp-budget-hikes-taxes-on-rich-to-pay-for-social-spending-1.22628778

  • BC budget funds 3,500 teachers, homes for homeless; hikes taxes on rich: http://www.bnn.ca/b-c-budget-funds-3-500-teachers-homes-for-homeless-hikes-taxes-on-rich-1.853667
  • BC raising taxes for high earners and corporations to help pay for $51.9B balanced budget:
    http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/2017-bc-budget-update-1.4284778
  • Tax hike in BC for wealthy, more money for education, housing, overdose crisis:
    http://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/ndp-budget-increases-takes-on-wealthy-spends-money-on-education-housing
  • Iglika Ivanova and Alex Hemingway: Budget update investments a positive first step for BC: https://www.straight.com/news/963106/iglika-ivanova-and-alex-hemingway-budget-update-investments-positive-first-step-bc
  • Expect tax changes for $150K earners, carbon footprint, and small businesses: http://globalnews.ca/news/3735492/b-c-budget-tax-changes-for-british-columbians/
  • BC budget has two sides: http://www.langleyadvance.com/opinion/our-view-budget-has-two-sides/
  • Housing for homeless among social commitments from NDP: http://www.timescolonist.com/news/local/housing-for-homeless-among-social-commitments-from-ndp-1.22629358

Here’s another reason why voting matters: http://www.burnabynow.com/opinion/editorial/our-view-here-s-another-reason-why-voting-matters-1.22653474

$15 minimum wage might come to BC faster than expected:
https://thetyee.ca/News/2017/09/14/Minimum-Wage-Increase-Might-Come-Faster/

 

Ontario

Is workplace bullying compensable? Ontario expanding workers’ compensation law to include emotional stress:
http://www.cos-mag.com/psychological-health-safety/columns/is-workplace-bullying-compensable/

Create stand-alone ministry for mental health and addictions, Ontario NDP urges:
https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2017/09/13/create-stand-alone-ministry-for-mental-health-addictions-ontario-ndp-urges.html

Want free university? Changes to OSAP, Canada Student Grants could help:
http://www.macleans.ca/education/university/want-free-university-changes-to-osap-canada-student-grants-could-help/

Editorial: End unjust and ineffective practice of academic streaming:
https://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2017/09/08/end-unjust-and-ineffective-practice-of-academic-streaming-editorial.html

Government release: More than one-third of college and university students receiving free tuition:
https://news.ontario.ca/maesd/en/2017/09/more-than-one-third-of-college-and-university-students-receiving-free-tuition.html

 

Reports, Events, Campaigns and Other Good Things

Take Action! Over 30 organizations from across Canada call for a fair EI appeal process:
http://us4.campaign-archive1.com/?e=78146ddbd7&u=095b12c98935ecaadd327bf90&id=85046877de

Stats Can: Employer pension plans (trusteed pension funds), fist quarter 2017:
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/170914/dq170914c-eng.htm?CMP=mstatcan

Webinar on Employment Rights and Responsibilities: Important information for Ontario newcomers: https://events-na11.adobeconnect.com/content/connect/c1/1114987542/en/events/catalog.html

Parental-leave rich and parental-leave poor: Inequality in Canadian labour market based leave policies:
http://www.andreadoucet.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Doc-10_McKay-Mathieu-Doucet-2016-JIR-FINAL.pdf

 

Around the Province

Former Sears employee waited to hear Sudbury store’s closure was a “mistake”:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/former-sears-home-employee-sudbury-1.4287989

  • Sears Canada pension saga “is not over yet”: https://www.therecord.com/news-story/7553993-sears-canada-pension-saga-is-not-over-yet-/

Job fair takes over North Bay City Hall:
https://www.baytoday.ca/local-news/job-fair-takes-over-city-hall-716526

Windsor Assembly Plant to shut down this fall for five weeks:
http://windsor.ctvnews.ca/windsor-assembly-plant-to-shutdown-this-fall-for-five-weeks-1.3587543

Average cost of one-bedroom rental in Toronto hits $2,000:
http://www.blogto.com/city/2017/09/average-cost-one-bedroom-rental-toronto-hits-2000/

Low wages leave Londoners caught in a housing crunch:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/london-ontario-low-income-high-rent-home-values-1.4287867

Chatham-Kent Legal Clinic expands to include help for employment law issues:
https://chathamvoice.com/2017/09/13/legal-aid-clinic-expands-to-include-help-for-employment-law-issues/

Anishnabek Family Well-Being program brings wellness to First Nations:
http://anishinabeknews.ca/2017/09/13/family-well-being-program-brings-wellness-to-first-nations/

Protesters rally after talk of anti-loitering bylaw in downtown Leamington:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/protestors-anti-loitering-bylaw-downtown-leamington-1.4283409

Ottawa sees surge in welfare fraud as province eases eligibility rules:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ontario-works-welfare-fraud-ottawa-1.4278873

Woodstock town hall meeting will focus on solving problems of poverty and food insecurity:
http://www.woodstocksentinelreview.com/2017/09/11/town-hall-meeting-will-focus-on-solving-problems-of-poverty-food-insecurity

Street Eats program combines cooking and community in Toronto:
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/09/14/street-eats-combines-cooking-and-community.html

 

Across the Country

Living wage for Whitehorse lowered between 2016 and 2017:
https://www.yukon-news.com/news/living-wage-for-whitehorse-lowered-between-2016-and-2017/

Complaints of fruit pickers living in derelict North Okanagan house investigated by regional district:
http://infotel.ca/newsitem/complaints-of-fruit-pickers-living-in-derelict-north-okanagan-house-investigated-by-regional-district/it45907

No matter who governs, $15 an hour minimum wage is likely here to stay in Alberta:
http://calgaryherald.com/opinion/columnists/breakenridge-no-matter-who-governs-15-an-hour-minimum-wage-is-likely-here-to-stay

Calgary Election: Advocacy group pushes council to introduce living wage for city workers:
http://globalnews.ca/news/3729947/calgary-election-2017-advocacy-group-pushes-council-to-introduce-living-wage-for-city-workers/

Saskatchewan NDP leadership candidate calls for $15 minimum wage:
http://leaderpost.com/news/politics/ndp-leadership-candidate-meili-calls-for-minimum-wage-increase-to-15-per-hour

Median incomes up in Manitoba, but percentage living in poverty unchanged:
https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/median-incomes-up-in-manitoba-but-percentage-living-in-poverty-unchanged-444192253.html

Fighting for the rights of the poor and disabled in Nova Scotia – for free:
http://thechronicleherald.ca/opinion/1502370-demont-fighting-for-rights-of-the-poor-disabled-.-.-.-for-free

Businesses on PEI raise concerns about federal budget changes:
http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/business/2017/9/13/businesses-on-p-e-i–raise-concerns-about-federal-budget-changes.html

Research group suggests EI model that helps Atlantic workers save for retirement:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/nb-aims-ei-report-changes-1.4279977

 

National

Catholic advocates turn up the heat on Canada’s poverty reduction strategy:
https://www.catholicregister.org/item/25986-advocates-turn-up-heat-on-poverty-strategy

Hunger in Canada a complex problem:
http://www.sarniathisweek.com/2017/09/08/hunger-in-canada-a-complex-problem

Liberals weighing new language to fix sexist Indian Act, says Sen. Sinclair:
http://www.hilltimes.com/2017/09/13/liberals-likely-looking-new-language-fix-sexist-indian-act/118603?mc_cid=b478dad625&mc_eid=e23a377433

Aboriginal Legal Services launches charter challenge on mandatory minimum sentences:
http://globalnews.ca/news/3742998/mandatory-minimum-sentence-charter-challenge/

Editorial: How Canada can help those fleeing Myanmar:
http://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-how-canada-can-help-those-fleeing-myanmar

Opinion: Trudeau’s promise of a renewed relationship with Indigenous Peoples seems to be all talk:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/opinion/renewed-relationship-indigenous-1.4286699

Former federal cabinet minister Allan MacEachen dies at 96:
https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2017/09/13/former-federal-liberal-cabinet-minister-allan-maceachen-dies-at-96.html

  • Editorial: MacEachen a canny reformer: http://thechronicleherald.ca/editorials/1502576-editorial-maceachen-a-canny-reformer

 

International

The unspoken link between income, occupation and suicide:
http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/mind/the-unspoken-link-between-income-occupation-and-suicide/news-story/c3cffb1e268e2457fef8a334979bde36

US Census Bureau: Median incomes rose and poverty levels fell in 2016:
http://waer.org/post/census-bureau-median-incomes-rose-and-poverty-levels-fell-2016

  • US incomes and poverty rate bounce back to pre-recession levels: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-poverty/u-s-incomes-poverty-rate-bounce-back-to-pre-recession-levels-in-2016-idUSKCN1BN1VN?il=0
  • Poverty rate is down to 12.7%, but probably not for long: https://www.forbes.com/sites/eriksherman/2017/09/12/poverty-rate-is-down-to-12-7-but-probably-not-for-long/#5398fc313776
  • More and more older Americans are slipping into poverty: http://uk.businessinsider.com/americans-65-and-up-slipping-into-poverty-2017-9
  • The USA – and especially California – has a major poverty problem: http://www.latimes.com/opinion/readersreact/la-ol-le-income-levels-census-poverty-20170915-story.html
  • US child poverty declines, still surpasses adults: http://www.aappublications.org/news/2017/09/13/Poverty091317

I’ve watched my patients die of poverty for 40 years. It’s time for single payer health care in the US:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/posteverything/wp/2017/09/12/i-watched-my-patients-die-of-poverty-for-40-years-its-time-for-single-payer/?utm_term=.12109e147828

Concern in Ireland over gap between minimum wage and living wage:
http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/concern-over-gap-between-minimum-wage-and-living-wage-805432.html

  • New higher minimum wage still 20% below living wage: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/new-higher-minimum-wage-still-20-below-living-wage-1.3216110

Fears Ireland’s social welfare policy making young adults homeless:
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/fears-that-social-welfare-policy-making-young-adults-homeless-1.3216295

China’s unconditional cash program: Implications for basic income:
http://basicincome.org/news/2017/09/chinas-unconditional-cash-program-implications-basic-income/

Welfare drug testing in Australia punishes those “least able to change”:
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/sep/13/welfare-drug-testing-punishes-those-least-able-to-change-former-afp-commissioner-says

Increase in homelessness in the UK “likely to have been driven by welfare reforms”:
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-41241021

Labour reform plans in France face first big test: A strike:
http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/11/europe/macron-reforms/index.html

Progress on global poverty and disease at risk, says Bill Gates:
https://in.reuters.com/article/health-global-gates/progress-on-global-poverty-and-disease-at-risk-gates-says-idINKCN1BO0JE

 

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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.