• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Income Security Advocacy Centre

Income Security Advocacy Centre

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

  • Our Work
    • Litigation
    • Policy
    • Community Organizing
    • Public Education
  • Campaigns
  • Publications
  • About Us
    • Mission, Vision & Mandate
    • Staff
    • Members
    • Board Members
    • Annual Reports
    • Contact Us
  • Updates
  • Resources
  • Twitter
  • en English
    zh-CN 简体中文en Englishfr Françaisit Italianopt Portuguêses Español

Media & Policy News: 18 December 2015

December 18, 2015

Top Stories

This will be the last Media & Policy News until the new year! Happy Holidays everyone!

  • And ISAC is moving today! – more info here: http://incomesecurity.org/general/were-moving/

Later today, Campaign 2000 will be making public a letter to federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau and Families, Children and Social Development Minister Jean-Yves Duclos about the Canada Child Benefit. Campaign 2000 partners have written to them in advance of the federal-provincial-territorial Finance Ministers meeting on Sunday and Monday to urge them to make sure that the new Canada Child Benefit is not clawed back from provincial social assistance / income assistance benefits.

  • Check back later today for a copy of that letter, to which ISAC is a proud signatory: http://www.campaign2000.ca/

Sally Ann clients in say thanks for the Christmas Turkey, but much more is needed to end poverty:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/more-help-needed-break-poverty-chain-salvation-army-1.3366160

  • Banks steal the show at the CBC’s annual food bank charity drive: https://nowtoronto.com/news/big-profit-banks-steal-show-at-CBC’s-annual-food-drive/
  • A roundup from PFIB of stories of people challenging food banks to act on social justice, not charity: http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/51055/t/0/blastContent.jsp?email_blast_KEY=1338225

Sun column: Canada’s low income families are in trouble – especially in Ontario:
http://www.torontosun.com/2015/12/13/economic-strategy-needed-for-low-income-families

Ontario’s minimum wage leaves workers 16% below the poverty line:
http://johnb98.tumblr.com/post/135145220744/ontario-minimum-wage-leaves-workers-16-below-the

Food prices are rising:
http://www.ctvnews.ca/ctv-national-news/video?clipId=767599

  • Canada’s tanking petro dollar costs us all more to eat: http://www.lfpress.com/2015/12/09/cut-the-loonie-with-falling-oil-prices-and-voila-a-food-price-souffle
  • CBC Video: http://www.cbc.ca/news/thenational/food-prices-to-rise-1.3360279

Mi’kmaq leaders relieved the federal government is nixing welfare rate cuts on First Nations:
http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1326949-n.s.-first-nations-hail-welfare-decision

Walkom: Will Trudeau really implement bold and ambitious Truth and Reconciliation recommendations:
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/12/17/truth-and-reconciliation-report-goes-well-beyond-residential-schools-walkom.html

Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath calls for creation of Ontario Anti-Racism Secretariat:
http://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2015/12/16/anti-racism-secretariat-needed-in-ontario-says-ndp.html

Couple on ODSP wants to change the full clawback on CPP benefits:
http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/2015/12/09/i-know-the-rules-i-want-to-change-the-rules

Calgarians call for change to arrangement between CPP-D and private insurance companies, leaving sick and dying patients in the lurch:
http://www.cbc.ca/m/touch/canada/calgary/story/1.3361009

Public servants blow the whistle on tax system shortfalls, political meddling and CRA boondoggles:
http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/public-servants-blow-the-whistle-on-the-tax-system-shortfalls

  • Meanwhile, the CRA is going after low-income Indigenous women for back taxes, reinterpreting the Indian Act: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/12/14/canada-revenue-agency-seeks-back-taxes-from-aboriginal-employees.html

Injured workers protest denied claims at the Windsor WSIB office:
http://windsorstar.com/news/local-news/injured-workers-protest-outside-wsib-office

Ending child poverty is the top of this writer’s holiday wish list:
http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/doreen-nicoll/2015/12/ending-child-poverty-top-my-holiday-wish-list

OFL statement on International Migrants Day, December 18:
http://ofl.ca/index.php/migrantsday2015/

 

Ontario

Pre-budget consultations starting soon:
http://www.ontario.ca/page/pre-budget-consultations

Ontario investing in 1000 supportive housing units:
https://news.ontario.ca/mohltc/en/2015/12/ontario-investing-in-1000-supportive-housing-units.html

Almost half of Ontario government jobs last year were temporary positions:
http://www.metronews.ca/news/toronto/2015/12/12/almost-half-ontario-government-hiring-temporary-positions.html

Workers should be able to stay home if they’re sick – but 1.6 million Ontarian workers can’t:
http://www.thespec.com/opinion-story/6180609-workers-should-be-able-to-stay-home-if-sick/

List of all Local Poverty Reduction Fund grants made this year:
http://www.ontario.ca/page/local-poverty-reduction-fund-successful-applicants

 

Reports, Events, Campaigns

Every Ninth Child in Ontario: A cost-benefit analysis for investing in the care of special needs children and youth in Ontario:
http://openpolicyontario.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/every-ninth-child-report-final.pdf

CCPA report: New study reveals the most and least expensive Canadian cities for child care:
https://www.policyalternatives.ca/newsroom/news-releases/new-study-reveals-most-and-least-expensive-canadian-cities-child-care

CCPA report: Addressing core housing need in Canada:
https://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/addressing-core-housing-need-canada

Caledon Institute report: Welfare in Canada 2014:
http://www.caledoninst.org/Publications/Detail/?ID=1086

Oxfam report: Extreme wealth is not merited:
https://www.oxfam.org/en/research/extreme-wealth-not-merited

Ontario Electricity Support Program information:
http://www.ontarioenergyboard.ca/oeb/Consumers/Consumer%20Protection/Help%20for%20Low-Income%20Energy%20Consumers/Ontario%20Electricity%20Support%20Program%20%28OESP%29

New Statistics Canada reports:

  • Income of Canadians, 2000-2013: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/151217/dq151217c-eng.htm
  • Low Income Lines, 2013-14: Update: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/75f0002m/75f0002m2015002-eng.htm
  • Revisions to 2006-2011 income data: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/75f0002m/75f0002m2015003-eng.htm

 

Around the Province

From Niagara: Hear the voices of what housing actually means, from five formerly homeless individuals:
http://startmeupniagara.ca/home-at-last-home-to-stay/

Waterloo Region politicians examining free transit for people on Ontario Works and others on low income:
http://www.therecord.com/news-story/6198553-region-floats-free-transit-for-poor/

What 1,000 good paying jobs mean for Windsor-Essex:
http://windsorstar.com/business/local-business/what-1000-good-paying-jobs-mean-for-windsor-essex

CMHA Sudbury to offer more rent supplements “because we know that, for people living on Ontario Disability Support or Ontario Works, it’s not enough money to live on”:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/cmha-rent-supplements-sudbury-1.3370221

Hamilton’s CHCH cuts dozens of staff to be “free of old Union employees and their demands”:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/news/chch-had-to-get-free-from-old-union-employees-and-their-demands-sales-rep-1.3366041

  • Meanwhile, Vice Canada is unionizing: http://www.cmg.ca/en/2015/12/15/why-we-are-unionizing-at-vice-canada/

Toronto civic leaders push for $75 million for poverty reduction in Council’s 2016 budget:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/12/14/civic-leaders-push-75-million-poverty-busting-plan.html

  • Press release on letter from civic leaders: http://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/widespread-support-for-bold-action-and-new-investments-in-budget-2016-561766501.html
  • Toronto’s mayor says poverty reduction needs to be among the top three spending priorities: http://www.insidetoronto.com/news-story/6194588-mayor-john-tory-advises-budget-committee-to-keep-increase-to-rate-of-inflation-plus-0-5-per-cent-su/
  • Toronto City Budgetwatch: Three recommendations from the CCPA: http://behindthenumbers.ca/2015/12/14/toronto-city-budget-watch-three-recommendations/

 

Across the Country

Wait times on BC’s welfare phone line soar to almost one hour:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/welfare-wait-times-1.3361973

The 30/30/30 plan to tie affordable housing to accessible transit in Vancouver:
http://thetyee.ca/News/2015/12/08/Affordable-Housing-Accessible-Transit/

Vancouver Courier blog: Poverty persists, despite more money for meals for kids:
http://www.vancourier.com/opinion/blogs/12th-and-cambie-1.391144/more-meals-for-kids-but-poverty-persists-1.2131456

Op-Ed: BC needs a poverty reduction strategy:
http://www.peacearchnews.com/lifestyles/361577841.html

BC man who is homeless wins the lottery but can’t claim the prize because he doesn’t have identification:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/steve-borik-homeless-man-wins-lotto-1.3369155

Alberta premier says $15 minimum wage a “notional” target that may not be reached:
http://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/premier-says-15-an-hour-minimum-wage-a-notional-target-suggests-it-may-not-proceed-due-to-economy

Newfoundland & Labrador stops collection of pension overpayments:
http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Local/2015-12-17/article-4379089/Province-cancels-process-to-collect-pension-overpayments/1

Upstream Saskatchewan: Living wages make communities resilient:
http://www.thinkupstream.net/livingwage_resilience

From Manitoba: Community-based solutions critical to beating poverty:
http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/views-expressed/2015/12/community-based-solutions-represent-our-best-chance-to-beat-p

EI numbers in Calgary and Alberta more than double:
http://calgaryherald.com/business/local-business/employment-insurance-numbers-in-calgary-and-alberta-more-than-double

Dump existing programs and replace them with the family allowance, says the Victoria Times Colonist:
http://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-raise-benefits-to-fight-poverty-1.2131749

Plan to wipe out poverty in Edmonton is closer to taking effect:
http://globalnews.ca/news/2403365/plan-to-wipe-out-poverty-in-edmonton-inches-closer-to-taking-effect/

 

National

Federal government poised to restore refugee health benefits:
http://www.therecord.com/news-story/6180064-liberals-to-restore-refugee-health-benefits/

  • Statement: The federal government is abandoning its refugee health care appeal: http://news.gc.ca/web/article-en.do?mthd=tp&crtr.page=1&nid=1025029&crtr.tp1D=980
  • Governments must increase funding to guard against unintended consequences: http://www.torontosun.com/2015/12/12/syrias-refugees-who-pays

CPP reform up for debate at federal / provincial / territorial finance ministers talks this weekend:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/cpp-reform-may-not-garner-enough-provincial-support-at-federal-meeting/article27773970/

Are Trudeau’s tax cuts really for the middle class?
http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/karl-nerenberg/2015/12/trudeau-cuts-taxes-six-figure-members-middle-class

Federal government rebuilding EI; premium reductions scheduled but timeline unsure:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-liberals-ei-premiums-1.3369657

Shoal Lake 40 First Nation to get all-weather road:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/isolated-reserve-without-clean-water-to-get-all-weather-road-minister/article27778736/?utm_source=facebook.com

 

International

Day care costs in the US can drive a family into poverty before a child reaches kindergarten:
http://www.thenation.com/article/day-care-costs-can-drive-a-family-into-poverty-before-a-child-reaches-kindergarten/

There is no skills gap”. Employers are just cheapskates:
http://careers.workopolis.com/advice/there-is-no-skills-gap-employers-are-just-cheapskates/?CID=EM|B2C|NetworkNews|20151217|EN

A French MP wants basic income to replace all welfare. Is he right:
http://www.basicincome.org/news/2015/12/french-mp-wants-basic-income-to-replace-all-welfare-is-he-right/

Four mistakes that prove New Zealand’s premier is “clueless” about poverty:
http://www.nbr.co.nz/opinion/four-mistakes-prove-key-clueless-about-poverty

Vermont considers fee on hotel rooms to pay for services to help people who are homeless:
http://www.wcax.com/story/30777097/anti-poverty-advocates-call-for-new-fees-to-help-homeless

Media and Policy News E-list Archive

Primary Sidebar

Blog sidebar

Subscribe

"*" indicates required fields

Name

Income Security Advocacy Centre

Footer widget

1500 – 55 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5J 2H7
Tel: (416) 597-5820 • Toll Free: 1-866-245-4072 • Fax: (416) 597-5821

  • Contact

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.