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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: 30 March 2017

March 30, 2017

Top Stories

You shouldn’t have to do your taxes to get benefits:
https://maytree.com/publications/you-shouldnt-have-to-do-your-taxes/

Brantford City Council votes to van use of temp agencies to hire City workers:
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/03/29/brantford-city-council-bans-use-of-temp-agencies-to-hire-workers.html

Bankruptcy study points to worsening income inequality in Ontario:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/bankruptcy-study-points-to-worsening-income-inequality-in-ontario/article34429488/

OPSEU: Basic income summary ignores human touch in anti-poverty work:
https://opseu.org/news/basic-income-summary-ignores-human-touch-anti-poverty-work

  • Ontario Works and ODSP aren’t enough to live on, Toronto residents say:  www.insidetoronto.com/news-story/7167836-ontario-works-and-odsp-aren-t-enough-to-live-on-toronto-residents-say/

Rent asunder: Landlords using evictions, hikes to circumvent rent control, Toronto tenants say:  https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/real-estate/toronto/toronto-rental-landlord-eviction/article34414723/

  • One family’s struggle to find decent housing in Toronto: https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/03/24/one-familys-struggle-to-find-decent-housing-in-toronto.html
  • Private members’ bill to expand rent control gets big boost from Toronto City Council: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/private-member-s-bill-to-expand-rent-control-gets-big-boost-from-toronto-city-council-1.4046681
  • Pressure builds on Ontario Liberals for urgently-needed rent controls: http://torontoist.com/2017/03/rent-control-little-support-ontario-liberals/

Ontario workers deserve a wage-theft protection program with teeth:
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/vince-wong/ontario-employee-wage-protection-program_b_15586700.html

  • Woman claims company fired her after she complained about unpaid wages: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/sandra-starr-hard-at-work-1.4042767 

How can Ontario tame Toronto’s ‘dizzying’ housing market?:
https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/real-estate/the-market/how-ontario-can-tackle-torontos-soaring-home-prices/article34418644/

  • Housing affordability measures in the spring budget: Ontario finance minister: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/business/housing+affordability+measures+spring+budget+ontario+finance+minister/13207155/story.html
  • Upcoming Ontario budget to address red-hot GTHA market, finance minister confirms: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/upcoming-ontario-budget-to-address-red-hot-gtha-market-finance-minister-confirms-1.4043075
  • Reducing Greenbelt area not an option as Ontario tackles housing shortage: Wynne: http://www.cp24.com/news/reducing-greenbelt-area-not-an-option-as-ontario-tackles-housing-shortage-wynne-1.3346336

More on last week’s federal budget:

  • Caledon Institute: The 2017 Farewell Budget: http://www.caledoninst.org/Publications/PDF/1111ENG.pdf
  • Wellesley Institute: Housing in the 2017 federal budget: The Broad Picture: http://www.wellesleyinstitute.com/housing/housing-in-the-2017-federal-budget-the-broad-picture/
  • Canadian Coalition for the Rights of Children: http://rightsofchildren.ca/monitoring/2017-federal-budget-analysis/
  • Liberals 18-month parental leave a disservice to women, says critic: http://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/the-current-for-march-27-2017-the-current-1.4040102/liberal-s-18-month-parental-leave-a-disservice-to-women-says-critic-1.4040118
  • Canada introduces 18-month parental leave, but what’s the catch? http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/canada-introduces-18-month-parental-leave-but-what-s-the-catch-1.3337772
  • ACORN Members disappointed in Federal Budget’s Affordable Internet Access Program: No Money for Low Income People: http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/acorn-members-disappointed-federal-budgets-affordable-internet-access-program-no-money-2205108.htm

 

Ontario

Five things you need to know about Ontario’s groundbreaking anti-racism plan:
http://www.ctv.ca/YourMorning/Articles/March-2017/Things-you-need-to-know-about-Ontario-s-ground-bre

  • Government release: Ontario introduces anti-racism legislation:
    https://news.ontario.ca/ard/en/2017/03/ontario-introduces-anti-racism-legislation.html

Alberta government eyeing Ontario, New Brunswick “free tuition” models:
http://www.metronews.ca/news/calgary/2017/03/24/alberta-government-looking-free-tuition-models-during-review.html

  • Government release: Free tuition for hundreds of thousands of Ontario students:
    https://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2017/03/free-tuition-for-hundreds-of-thousands-of-ontario-students.html

More clients eligible for legal services with funding boost: http://windsorstar.com/news/local-news/more-clients-eligible-for-lawyers-with-legal-aid-funding-boost

  • Government release: Ontario providing improved access to legal services:
    https://news.ontario.ca/mag/en/2017/03/ontario-providing-improved-access-to-legal-services.html

Government release: Ontario increasing minimum wage this fall to support workers and families:
https://news.ontario.ca/mol/en/2017/03/ontario-increasing-minimum-wage-to-support-workers-and-families-1.html

  • Time for $15 and Fairness, not a 20 cent raise: http://us5.campaign-archive1.com/?u=8e3951a35d48e64f736884ea9&id=67bb205733&e=f3bab51a7a

Government release: Province releases 2016 Poverty Reduction Strategy annual report:
https://news.ontario.ca/prs/en/2017/03/ontario-building-a-better-future-for-people-living-in-poverty.html

Column: Wynne’s “go-bold” re-election strategy:
https://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2017/03/29/wynnes-go-bold-re-election-strategy-hepburn.html

 

Reports, Events, Campaigns and Other Good Things

Dignity for All campaign: Contribute to Canada’s Anti-Poverty Plan:
https://dignityforall.ca/contribute-to-canadas-anti-poverty-plan/

IRPP: Lessons from the Past on a National Housing Strategy:
http://policyoptions.irpp.org/magazines/march-2017/lessons-from-the-past-on-a-national-housing-strategy/

Homeless Hub newsletter:
http://us1.campaign-archive2.com/?u=61233be4a0bcc87d8977b631e&id=1a2b54ad37&e=6da7d6f883

 

Around the Province

Hard work long hours little pay: Building super paid $1.18 an hour:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/hard-work-long-hours-little-pay-building-super-says-she-was-paid-1-18-an-hour-1.4044433

New role for shelters as Kitchener-Waterloo region strives to end homelessness:
http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/waterloo-region-homeless-shelters-strategy-1.4039267

Province gives London $41 million over four years to fight homelessness:
http://www.lfpress.com/2017/03/17/province-gives-41-million-over-four-years-to-london-to-fight-homlessness-mpp-deb-mattews-announced

Brantford study looks at poverty and education:
http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/2017/03/28/study-looks-at-poverty-and-education

Toronto’s monthly transit pass the 5th most expensive in the world, study finds:
http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/toronto/toronto-expensive-public-transportation-1.3963426

CIBC Toronto staff losing jobs to outsourcing:
http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/business/cibc-outsourcing-jobs-india-1.4045759

Niagara MPPs say Ontario must invest in mental health services:
http://www.forterietimes.ca/2017/03/27/ontario-must-invest-in-mental-health-services-mpps

 

Across the Country

PEI forum shines light on migrant workers’ rights:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/migrant-workers-rights-forum-charlottetown-fay-faraday-1.4042600

Foreign workers at risk on PEI with no protection:
http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/news/local/2017/3/28/foreign-workers-at-risk-on-p-e-i–where-no-protection-exists.html

Nova Scotia’s “sins of thy father” approach blasted after family loses income assistance:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/income-social-assistance-sparks-department-community-services-leaf-legal-aid-1.4042487

Indigenous youth in Saskatchewan finish building their first house:
http://aptnnews.ca/2017/03/28/saskatchewan-youth-finish-building-their-first-house/

Homelessness in Regina isn’t just downtown:
http://leaderpost.com/opinion/letters/homeless-not-just-downtown

Saskatchewan chops funding for special needs daycare workers:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/sask-funding-daycare-workers-special-needs-1.4044848

Saskatchewan’s Brad Wall pounds a stake into conservative fiscal fantasy:
https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/brad-wall-pounds-a-stake-into-conservative-fiscal-fantasy/article34398620/

BC’s working poor: Low wage jobs keep many living paycheque to paycheque:
http://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/b-c-s-working-poor-low-wage-jobs-keep-many-living-paycheque-to-paycheque

BC’s working poor: Affordability crisis hits low-income earners hardest:
http://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/working-poor-series-affordability-crisis-hits-low-income-earners-hardest

“So why BC politicians’ salaries rise with inflation, while social assistance rates do not?”:
http://www.abbynews.com/opinion/417034694.html

City of Vancouver’s affordable housing strategy to link affordable housing access to income:
http://www.news1130.com/2017/03/23/affordable-housing-vancouver-linked-income/

 

National

The Debt Trap: Many young Canadians are relying on payday loans to clear their outstanding debt:
https://news.vice.com/story/millennials-are-trapped-in-debt

Case of two BC men tests limits of workplace discrimination legislation:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/supreme-court-canada-workplace-discrimination-schrenk-1.4044446

 Monthly Employment Insurance numbers drop slightly in January:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/january-2017-employment-insurance-1.4037465

 

International

Populism is the result of global economic failure:
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/mar/26/populism-is-the-result-of-global-economic-failure   

13 million live below the poverty line in the UK:
http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2017/03/27/515760/Britain-below-poverty-line

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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.