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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: 27 March 2015

March 27, 2015

Top Stories

Use this online tool to send a letter asking government to Save the ODSP Work-Related Benefit: http://www.odspaction.ca/action/save-the-wrb

  • ODSP Action Coalition’s March Kit includes other actions you can take: http://www.odspaction.ca/resource/march-action-kit-save-work-related-benefit
  • Review the Coalition’s survey of over 500 people getting the Benefit for their thoughts on the what it means to them and what they’ll do without it: http://www.odspaction.ca/resource/why-are-they-taking-it-away-us-results-survey-odsp-recipients-work-related-benefit

Government announces creation of Ontario Energy Support Program:
http://news.ontario.ca/mei/en/2015/03/ontario-to-remove-debt-retirement-charge-and-launch-low-income-electricity-support-program.html

  • Low-Income Energy Network advocated long and hard for such a program – here’s their press release:http://www.lowincomeenergy.ca/news-events/2015/03/advocates-working-to-reduce-energy-poverty-in-ontario-welcome-new-electricity-bill-affordability-program-for-low-income-consumers/

Ottawa set to enforce four year limit on temporary foreign workers:
http://www.vancouversun.com/life/Ottawa+enforce+four+year+limit+temporary+foreign+workers/10907316/story.html

  • April 1 mass deportation deadline looming:http://www.leaderpost.com/life/Deadline+looms+temporary+foreign+workers/10908542/story.html

Workers welcome minimum wage indexation, but say the minimum wage is still not high enough:
http://www.workersactioncentre.org/updates/workers-welcome-indexation-announcement-but-say-minimum-wage-still-not-high-enough/

  • York Region advocate says this minimum wage hike won’t do much to help the working poor: http://www.yorkregion.com/news-story/5517685-minimum-wage-hike-won-t-help-working-poor-york-region-anti-poverty-advocate-says/
  • Editorial: Minimum wage hike will do little: http://www.intelligencer.ca/2015/03/20/editorial-wage-increase-does-little

Outrage spurs feds to extend program, find alternate work for people with disabilities in Ottawa:
http://news.nationalpost.com/2015/03/19/federal-government-shutting-down-plant-that-employed-50-people-with-developmental-disabilities-for-35-years/

  • But, as Andre Picard says, “ending the contract was bad; extending it was worse”: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/you-dont-help-disabled-workers-by-hiding-them/article23584592/
  • Op-Ed: “Paying people $1.15 an hour is wrong”: http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/paying-people-an-hour-wrong
  • Op-Ed: government disability policies operate at cross purposes:  http://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/columnists/government-disability-policies

Ontario’s legal clinic system gets some much-needed investment:
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2015/03/22/ontarios-legal-aid-system-gets-some-well-targeted-help-editorial.html

  • More funds for London legal clinic: http://www.lfpress.com/2015/03/22/province-hikes-funding-for-local-legal-clinic-threshold-to-receive-aid
  • Orillia-based clinic “the backbone” of the community in central Ontario: http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/2015/03/26/agency-sees-funding-increase
  • Peel clinics get funding boost: http://www.mississauga.com/news-story/5527788-peel-legal-clinics-get-almost-400k-in-additional-funding/
  • Goar: Legal Aid is making progress: http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2015/03/26/against-all-odds-legal-aid-ontario-is-getting-better-goar.html

Reports, Publications, Events and Other Good Things

First-time author publishes residential school memoir:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books-and-media/residential-school-survivors-memoir-details-decade-of-utter-cruelty/article23556082/

For a more accessible Ontario, use this toll-free line to report AODA violations:
http://www.aodaalliance.org/strong-effective-aoda/03232015.asp

WAC report launch March 31: “Still working on the edge: Rebuilding decent work from the ground up”:
http://www.workersactioncentre.org/updates/report-launch-still-working-on-the-edge-rebuilding-decent-work-from-the-ground-up/

April 17 Forum: “Needed: A Tommy Douglas for Dental Care”:
http://aohc.site-ym.com/events/event_details.asp?id=597336&lang=en

May 5 – One Day Workshop in Belleville: “Bridges Out of Poverty”:
https://www.facebook.com/CommunityLegalCentre/photos/a.248225495197311.67491.184030281616833/941190539234133/?type=1

Online petition on a national Pharmacare program:
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/canada_pharmacare_b/?bzWieab&v=55477

New Stats Can report on food insecurity in Canada:
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-624-x/2015001/article/14138-eng.pdf

Newly updated Citizens for Public Justice’s Advocacy Toolkit – order one here (note: cost associated):
http://cpj.ca/advocacy-toolkit

Canada Without Poverty’s next four-week Economic and Social Rights Education online course:
http://www.eventbrite.ca/e/economic-and-social-rights-online-course-spring-2015-tickets-14065218447?aff=erelexporg#

“The Price We Pay” documentary explores corporate tax avoidance schemes and pushback in Canada:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/canadian-documentary-probes-corporate-tax-avoidance-schemes-1.2994246

Ontario

More coverage of problems with the new social assistance computer system:

  • Ontario puts $5 million more into fixing SAMS problems: http://www.thespec.com/news-story/5516479-ontario-pours-5-million-more-into-troubled-welfare-computer-system/
  • MCSS shreds 500,000 tax forms after SAMS mistake: http://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2015/03/20/500000-ontario-tax-forms-shredded-after-errors-linked-to-computer-system.html
  • Implementation of SAMS a big problem, says Ottawa, anticipating $4M in costs: http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/0324-sums
  • Union accuses Ottawa of not caring about impact on caseworkers: http://www.ottawasun.com/2015/03/23/union-accuses-city-of-not-caring-about-welfare-staff
  • More coverage from Ottawa: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/social-assistance-software-a-headache-for-city-staff-clients-1.3002128
  • NUPGE release says computer system is a disaster: http://nupge.ca/content/12177/ontario%E2%80%99s-welfare-caseload-computer-system-disaster-says-thomas
  • Collection of overpayments, which may be entirely appropriate, takes a back seat:http://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2015/03/27/recouping-ontario-welfare-overpayments-not-a-critical-priority-government-memo-says.html#

Premier Wynne appoints Special Advisor on Community Hubs, as part of poverty reduction strategy:
http://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2015/03/premier-wynne-appoints-special-advisor-on-community-hubs.html

Ontario Crown wards to get free tuition for four years:
http://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2013/06/25/crown_wards_will_get_free_tuition_for_four_years_to_attend_university_or_college.html?fb_ref=Default

Around the Province

North Bay pushes for more affordable housing: “I made $12,426 last year on Ontario Disability Support Program, but my rent receipt was $7,756. This is why we’re going to the food banks”
http://www.nugget.ca/2015/03/23/north-bay-pushes-for-affordable-housing

City of Ottawa says MCSS computer system has been “a costly failure”:
http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/ontarios-welfare-computer-system-a-costly-failure-says-city-report

Toronto’s poverty reduction efforts discussed at Urban Alliance on Race Relations forum:
http://pridenews.ca/2015/03/25/tackling-poverty-and-unemployment-in-toronto/

Possible move to online housing system a good move, but not a full answer:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/councillor-bailao-looks-to-move-torontos-social-housing-system-online/article23576101/?cmpid=rss1&click=sf_globe

London has the third highest percentage of people with low incomes among Ontario cities:
http://www.lfpress.com/2015/03/26/london-in-top-3-for-low-incomes

Residents in Toronto’s Parkdale neighbourhood battle back-to-back  rent increases:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/03/22/parkdale-tenants-battle-back-to-back-rent-increases.html

  • Tenants fight back with local protest: http://www.torontosun.com/2015/03/23/tenant-rally-against-toronto-landlord
  • Video coverage on CBC: http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Canada/Toronto/ID/2660360073/

University of Toronto Prof David Hulchanski sounds the alarm on income inequality in Toronto:
http://www.torontolife.com/informer/people/2015/03/24/qa-david-hulchanski-u-t-professor-sounding-alarm-income-inequality/

Across the Country

Vancouver’s mayor pledged to end street homelessness by March 2015. Unfortunately, he failed:
http://www.theprovince.com/life/Vancouver+mayor+Robertson+fails+homelessness+pledge+with/10910816/story.html

BC government’s announcement of new initiatives for single parent families (as reported here last week):
http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/2015/03/significant-changes-announced-to-support-single-parents-on-assistance.html

The high cost of childcare in Newfoundland and Labrador is preventing return to work for many women:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/women-losing-job-experience-can-t-get-back-in-workforce-because-of-childcare-costs-1.3007958

Stats Can report on food insecurity (see above) finds fully one-third of Nunavut households insecure:http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/03/25/food-insecurity-canada_n_6940384.html?ir=Canada

PEI increases social assistance “personal comfort allowance” for first time since 2002 :
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/social-assistance-community-groups-get-970k-extra-funding-1.3009069

New Brunswick family says employers must be educated on the benefit of hiring people with disabilities:
http://globalnews.ca/news/1903476/educate-employers-on-the-benefits-of-hiring-persons-with-disabilities-ability-n-b/

EI claims on the rise in Alberta:
http://calgaryherald.com/business/local-business/employment-insurance-claims-on-the-rise-in-alberta

National

NHS-based Stats Can study examines low-income by country of origin and the factors at work:
http://www.insidehalton.com/news-story/5517590-government-studies-immigrant-incomes-by-where-they-come-from/

Canada’s economy could actually contract in the first quarter of this year:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/top-business-stories/canadas-economy-could-actually-shrink-in-the-first-quarter/article23573902/

International

Welfare systems should be about human rights, not just benefits:
http://www.theguardian.com/social-care-network/2015/mar/17/welfare-human-rights-benefits-social-work

One in ten Scots live in “severe” poverty:
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-31908888

Stephen King calls for higher taxes on the wealthy, like him:
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/may/01/stephen-king-tax-the-rich

Sunday Times book review: “The Age of Acquiescence: The Life and Death of American Resistance to Organized Wealth and Power”:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/22/books/review/the-age-of-acquiescence-by-steve-fraser.html?_r=0

New Zealand Minister Paula Bennett says irresponsible parenting is to blame for child poverty:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/67483679/paula-bennett-says-irresponsible-parenting-is-to-blame-for-child-poverty

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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.