Here’s a very abbreviated “top stories” version for today. We’re out of town tomorrow, but will return as soon as possible after Budget – ed.
Top Stories
Budget
- Ontario budget 2017: What to expect: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-budget-2017-preview-1.4079997
- Six things you need to know before the Ontario budget: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/six-things-you-need-to-know-ahead-of-ontario-budget/article34818793/
- CCPA: Ontario provincial budget signals pre-election fever:
http://behindthenumbers.ca/2017/04/21/ontario-provincial-budget-signals-pre-election-fever/#.WPoCbZobCZw.facebook - Why the budget might be Kathleen Wynne’s last chance: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/why-next-week-s-ontario-budget-might-be-kathleen-wynne-s-last-chance-robert-fisher-1.4079780
Basic Income
- Star: Ontario launches basic income pilot for 4000 in Hamilton, Thunder Bay and Lindsay:
https://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/2017/04/24/ontario-launches-basic-income-pilot-for-4000-in-hamilton-thunder-bay-and-lindsay.html - Globe: Ontario to roll out basic income in three cities: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/three-ontario-cities-to-test-basic-income-in-three-year-pilot-project/article34795127/
- ISAC Q&A Backgrounder: Ontario’s Basic Income Pilot Project: What it could mean for people on social assistance: http://incomesecurity.org/public-education/ontarios-basic-income-pilot-project-what-will-it-mean-for-people-on-social-assistance/
- Five questions on basic income as Ontario launches its experiment: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/5-questions-on-basic-income-as-ontario-launches-its-experiment-1.4084967
- Ontario to select First Nation for Basic Income Pilot Program in fall: http://theturtleislandnews.com/index.php/2017/04/26/ontario-select-first-nation-basic-income-pilot-program-fall/
- Income pilot project delays action on social assistance: Northumberland poverty groups:
http://www.northumberlandtoday.com/2017/04/25/income-pilot-project-delays-action-poverty-groups - Basic income finds support on right as “most transparent” form of redistribution: http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/business/basic-income-ontario-right-political-economic-1.4083630
- Walkom: Wynne’s basic income plan is bread without circuses: https://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2017/04/26/kathleen-wynnes-basic-income-plan-is-bread-without-circuses-walkom.html
- Four more arguments against real-world basic income: http://rozworski.org/political-eh-conomy/2017/04/25/four-more-arguments-against-real-world-basic-income/
- Want to end poverty? Let’s talk about a maximum income for Ontario: http://torontoist.com/2017/04/anti-poverty-groups-seek-turn-tables-wealthy/
- Government release: Giving more people an opportunity to get ahead and stay ahead: https://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2017/04/giving-more-people-an-opportunity-to-get-ahead-and-stay-ahead.html
- Government backgrounder: Ontario’s Basic Income Pilot: https://news.ontario.ca/mcss/en/2017/04/ontarios-basic-income-pilot.html
- Premier’s Statement: Premier lays out plan for fairness and security in uncertain times: https://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2017/04/premier-lays-out-plan-for-fairness-and-security-in-uncertain-times.html
Child Care
- Daycare boost in Ontario budget a boon for parents: https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2017/04/26/daycare-boost-in-ontario-budget-a-boon-for-parents.html
- Government news release: Helping Ontario families access affordable child care:
https://news.ontario.ca/mof/en/2017/04/helping-ontario-families-access-affordable-child-care.html
Energy
- OEB: Ontario Electricity Support Program to benefit more low-income consumers, increase credits by 50% – takes effect May 1: https://www.oeb.ca/newsroom/2017/oesp-benefit-more-consumers-increase-credits-50
- Hydro One extends no-disconnection policy to June: https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2017/04/25/hydro-one-extends-no-disconnection-policy-to-june.html
- City of Toronto launches ads to dispel myths about people who are homeless:
http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/toronto/homelessness-campaign-1.4083017
Fair Taxation
- Canadian businesses pull money out of tax havens: https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2017/04/27/canadian-businesses-pull-money-out-of-tax-havens.html
- Why the CRA is using this simple tactic to get you to pay your taxes: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/canada-revenue-agency-taxes-nudge-1.4081292
Housing and Homelessness
- Geordie Dent: A win for tenants:
https://briarpatchmagazine.com/blog/view/a-win-for-tenants - What Ontario’s new housing plan means for renters: http://www.metronews.ca/news/toronto/2017/04/20/what-ontarios-new-housing-plan-means-for-renters.html
- Government news release: Ontario introduces bill to protect tenants from unfair rent increases:
https://news.ontario.ca/mho/en/2017/04/ontario-introduces-bill-to-protect-tenants-from-unfair-rent-increases.html - Federal liberals set homelessness reduction targets ahead of provincial talks:
http://www.timescolonist.com/liberals-set-homeless-reduction-targets-ahead-of-provincial-talks-1.16471917 - Government of Canada takes historic action to create new rental housing:
https://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/corp/nero/nere/2017/2017-04-20-1000.cfm - Planned closure of hundreds of Toronto’s social housing units called failure of governments as waiting list grows: https://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2017/04/25/planned-closure-of-hundreds-of-social-housing-units-called-failure-of-governments-as-waiting-list-grows.html
- Toronto activists say millions meant to fight homelessness sitting unused:
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/04/25/activists-say-millions-meant-to-fight-homelessness-sitting-unused.html - OCAP: New report: Toronto robs from the poor: The Misuse of the Housing Stabilization Fund: https://ocaptoronto.wordpress.com/2017/04/25/new-report-toronto-robs-from-the-poor/
- Anti-poverty activists camp outside John Tory’s home: http://www.cp24.com/news/anti-poverty-activists-camp-outside-john-tory-s-home-1.3380843
- Toronto needs immediate solutions to ongoing homelessness crisis: http://torontoist.com/2017/04/toronto-needs-immediate-solutions-to-ongoing-homelessness-crisis/
- Solutions to homelessness require community engagement:
http://torontoist.com/2017/04/solutions-homelessness-require-community-engagement/ - New approach must tackle root causes of homelessness:
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/new-approach-must-tackle-root-causes-of-homelessness-419110604.html
Pharmacare
- Ontario NDP says $475 million pharmacare plan could cover 125 drugs: http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/ontario-ndp-says-475m-pharmacare-plan-could-cover-125-drugs-1.3382776
- Ontario NDP promising provincial pharmacare if elected in 2018: http://www.chroniclejournal.com/life/health/ontario-ndp-promising-provincial-pharmacare-if-elected-in/article_0d78fd29-0918-565d-a05e-27e59e4bbfe4.html
- Star editorial: Horwath’s pharmacare proposal makes good sense:
https://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2017/04/24/andrea-horwaths-pharmacare-proposal-makes-good-sense-editorial.html