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Income Security Advocacy Centre

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

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Media & Policy News: 6 July 2015

July 6, 2015

Top Stories

“Contrary to the government’s messaging, all the evidence indicates that the increase of the TFSA contribution limit to $10,000 will benefit only a very small proportion of Canadians,”
http://business.financialpost.com/personal-finance/tfsa/extra-tfsa-room-offers-little-for-lower-middle-earners-new-study-finds?__lsa=4224-8539

Canadian seniors are going bankrupt in soaring numbers:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/seniors-going-bankrupt-in-soaring-numbers-1.3129176

Ontario government contracts with same temp companies it cites for Employment Standards violations:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/06/24/ontario-government-spent-millions-on-contracts-with-law-breaking-temp-agencies.html

  • Fight for $15 and Fairness campaign on what you can do: http://us5.campaign-archive1.com/?u=8e3951a35d48e64f736884ea9&id=5a30f60e34
  • Workers rights violations not made public in Ontario: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/06/25/workers-rights-violations-not-made-public-in-ontario.html 

Ontario’s “eye popping” shift to low-wage work:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/06/15/ontarios-eye-popping-shift-to-low-wage-work.html

  • Op-Ed: Sheila Block on Ontario’s shift to low-wage work: http://www.thespec.com/opinion-story/5691854-the-quiet-limits-of-ontario-s-precariat/ 

Star editorial: Campaign to end homelessness deserves support:
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2015/06/21/support-a-bold-campaign-to-end-homelessness-editorial.html

  • Canada’s first Homeless Charter of Rights unveiled in Calgary: http://globalnews.ca/news/2063122/canadas-first-homeless-charter-of-rights-unveiled-in-calgary/
  • Right to Housing activists say feds raiding CMHC to balance deficit instead of building 30,000 homes:  http://www.thecarillon.com/provincial/Right-to-Housing-to-release-policy-paper-critical-of-Harper-government-309017991.html 

City of Hamilton still not out from under SAMS social assistance computer system crisis:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/news/city-still-doesn-t-know-who-got-incorrect-ow-payments-1.3123422

  • Hamilton wants more funds from province for resolution of SAMS problems: http://www.thespec.com/news-story/5687261-city-wants-province-to-pony-up-on-sams-costs/ 

Computer glitch withholds $1.7 million from EI claimants since 2007:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/computer-glitch-withholds-1-7m-in-ei-payments-to-struggling-families-1.3128168

Events, Reports, and Other Good Things

The second edition of Jim Stanford’s “Economics for Everyone” is available now – order here:
https://www.policyalternatives.ca/economics-for-everyone

Inter-clinic Migrant Workers Working Group Webinar: Migrant workers and access to social benefits in Ontario
http://yourlegalrights.on.ca/webinar/migrant-workers-and-access-social-benefits-ontario

CCPA Research Report: The Wealth Advantage: The Growing Wealth Gap Between Canada’s Affluent and the Middle Class:
https://www.policyalternatives.ca/wealth-advantage

  • Toronto Star coverage: http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/06/24/gap-between-canadas-affluent-and-middle-class-is-growing.html 

New IRPP Report: Why More Education Will Not Solve Rising Inequality (and May Make It Worse):
http://irpp.org/research-studies/aots5-foley-green/

Food security and Basic Guaranteed Income a coupled campaign for the federal election this fall:
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/06/28/eat-think-vote-campaign-focuses-on-food-policy.html

20 years after his election, CCPA-Ontario looks at The Long Shadow of Mike Harris:
https://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/Ontario%20Office/2015/06/OnPolicy_Spring2015.pdf

Ontario

Several investment and consultation announcements from the provincial government:

  • Consultation on financial protections – payday loans, cheque cashing, money transfer services and experiences with debt collection agencies:http://news.ontario.ca/mgs/en/2015/06/ontario-launches-consultation-on-new-financial-protections-for-consumers.html
  • Investments in Aboriginal post-secondary education: http://news.ontario.ca/tcu/en/2015/06/ontario-investing-in-aboriginal-postsecondary-education-and-training.html
  • Investments in post-secondary education for people with disabilities: http://news.ontario.ca/tcu/en/2015/06/ontario-increasing-funding-for-postsecondary-students-with-disabilities.html
  • Rent increase guideline set at 2.6%: http://news.ontario.ca/mah/en/2015/06/2016-ontario-rent-increase-guideline.html 

Rent increase guideline may have crippling effect on people in poverty in Chatham-Kent:
http://www.chathamdailynews.ca/2015/06/24/lack-of-affordable-housing-matched-to-income-an-issue

Star editorial: Treatment of temp worker fired after speaking out is disgraceful:
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2015/06/19/treatment-of-temp-worker-is-disgraceful-editorial.html

  • City of Toronto steps up enforcement, but the province’s work is lacking: http://us5.campaign-archive1.com/?u=8e3951a35d48e64f736884ea9&id=1803596bc8&e=f3bab51a7a 

Loblaw demands workers pay back thousands of dollars in compensation overpayments:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/loblaws-demands-workers-pay-back-thousands-after-payment-error-1.3119544

Around the Province

Kitchener activists pitch tent city to protest gentrification and make poverty visible:
http://www.therecord.com/news-story/5694534-annual-tent-city-in-victoria-park-makes-downtown-poverty-visible/

Peterborough activists rally for “better than food banks”:
http://www.mykawartha.com/news-story/5687164-peterborough-rally-calls-for-better-than-food-banks-to-help-the-hungry/

McMaster study shows more than half of jobs in Hamilton are insecure:
http://www.thespec.com/news-story/5692335-more-than-half-of-hamilton-jobs-insecure-study/

Toronto landlord evicts tenants, then goes after them for two months rent for not giving notice:
http://www.thespec.com/news-story/5688637-toronto-landlord-evicts-tenants-then-pursues-them-for-two-months-rent-for-not-giving-notice/

  • Housing Minister McMeekin commits to closing loophole: http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/06/22/ontario-commits-to-closing-eviction-debt-loophole.html
  • Edward Keenan on the “calculated bit of cruelty” and “wickedness” of the company involved: http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/06/24/widows-struggle-is-with-moral-deadbeats-keenan.html
  • Landlord agrees to forgive eviction debts: http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/06/26/landlord-agrees-to-forgive-eviction-debts.html 

Toronto releases TOProsperity, the City’s interim Poverty Reduction Strategy:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/06/23/toronto-releases-20-year-poverty-busting-plan.html

  • Mayor Tory says tackling poverty a “litmus test” for Toronto’s greatness: http://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2015/06/23/tackling-poverty-a-litmus-test-for-citys-greatness-tory-says.html
  • A link to the plan is here: http://pammcconnell.ca/toprosperity-interim-poverty-reduction-strategy/
  • Star Editorial: Toronto must move quickly on poverty reduction: http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2015/06/23/dont-let-anti-poverty-study-gather-dust-editorial.html

Across the Country

Man who is deaf files human rights complaint against BC ministry over income assistance delays:
http://www.theprovince.com/technology/Deaf+takes+social+development+ministry+Human+Rights+Tribunal+over+delays+income+assistance/11160948/story.html

Homelessness in Edmonton is down overall, but up among youth:
http://metronews.ca/news/edmonton/1406707/edmonton-youth-homelessness-spikes-as-overall-homelessness-falls-report/

Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson moves motion to make Vancouver a Living Wage employer:
http://www.mayorofvancouver.ca/livingwage

New Brunswick poverty reduction progress report shows improvements, but increase in deep poverty:
http://globalnews.ca/news/2075344/n-b-sees-an-increase-in-deep-poverty-launches-new-plan-for-2019/

  • More coverage: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/new-brunswick-poverty-report-missing-detail-says-social-justice-group-1.3128881 

Mi’kmaq leader in Nova Scotia calls for control over social services:
http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1295352-mi%E2%80%99kmaq-leader-calls-for-control-of-key-social-services

Newfoundland announces three-year plan to improve accessibility for people with disabilities:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/province-announces-plan-to-include-people-with-disabilties-1.3121115

National

Right to Housing Case: Supreme Court slams door shut on Canada`s housing crisis:
https://righttohousing.wordpress.com/2015/06/25/supreme-court-slams-door-shut-on-canadas-housing-crisis/

Threat of recession looming:
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/06/30/canada-gdp-april-recession_n_7695408.html

New online process launched for CPP applications:
http://www.labour-reporter.com/articleview/24761-new-application-process-for-cpp-launched

Harry Smith’s fight to defend the gains of his generation on social and economic justice:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/old-soldier-picks-a-new-fight-with-the-rich/article25042176/

International

UK man with progressive MS told he must attend Job Centre interview:
http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Man-walk-talk-feed-told-attend-Job-Centre/story-26738618-detail/story.html

In a better world, spending a lot on welfare would be considered a virtue:
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jun/19/in-a-better-world-spending-a-lot-on-welfare-would-be-considered-a-virtue

David Cameron hopes to reduce child poverty “by changing how it is measured”:
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/david-cameron-hopes-lower-child-poverty-by-changing-how-it-measured-1507680

People with disabilities attempt to storm UK Parliament over elimination of Independent Living Fund:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/police-clash-with-disabled-protesters-as-they-try-to-storm-house-of-commons-chamber-during-prime-ministers-questions-10342106.html

US multimillionaire says increasing the minimum wage is “supercharging the economy”:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/minimum-wage-increases-are-supercharging-economy-says-u-s-multimillionaire-1.3124917

The First National Church of Self-Help prevents more Americans from protesting inequality:
http://www.slate.com/articles/business/the_bills/2015/06/new_york_times_op_ed_on_why_the_poor_won_t_rise_up_give_credit_to_our_culture.html?wpsrc=sh_all_dt_fb_ru

Does legal aid reduce poverty?
http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/future-development/posts/2015/06/23-legal-aid-poverty-prettitore

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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.