To contribute to the Commission’s first consultation: 1) Complete the Workbook Groups and individuals can either complete the workbook and mail it back, or do it online. – The printable version of the workbook (either Word…
These are powerful stories, interwoven with themes of fear and desperation, of shame and frustration, of dignity and resilience. The stories raise the need for more appropriate education and training, for more sensible treatment of income, and for rules that are easy to understand and designed to encourage people rather than break their spirits. They highlight the punitive nature of the current social assistance system, and the need to break down the systemic barriers that keep people trapped in poverty.
Are you a woman in Ontario struggling to make ends meet? Are you a mother raising kids on your own? ISAC and Ontario Campaign 2000 have partnered on the “Bringing In Women’s Voices From the…
Ending Poverty Project (2008-2010) The Ending Poverty Project was initiated by ISAC and Ontario Campaign 2000 to work with low-income people in 10 communities to share ideas for what’s needed to end poverty in Ontario…
Windsor Our partner, Legal Assistance of Windsor, decided to focus the project initially in two low-income neighbourhoods. Following our workshop in June 2008, they continued meeting with social housing residents in the two neighbourhoods and…
The media in your community is an important way to get the message out. Local newspapers and radio stations are read and listened to by many people in your community. The stories they cover –…
The government has made a commitment to poverty reduction. And all of the political parties in the Ontario Legislature voted in favour of poverty reduction legislation. They can now demonstrate their commitment – by setting up a Review…
On December 4, 2008, the Ontario government released Breaking the Cycle: Ontario’s Poverty Reduction Strategy. In this Strategy, the province has committed to reducing child and family poverty in Ontario by 25% in the next…
Starting in 2008, the Back-to-school and Winter Clothing allowances provided through OW and ODSP will no longer be paid out in lump sum payments, as the provincial government starts to move benefits for children out…
ISAC used the Ontario election in 2007 to push all of the parties to make concrete commitments to reduce poverty across the province. We created a list of “key demands” and put together a kit…
The Sudbury-based Committee to Remember Kimberly Rogers has launched a province-wide campaign to bring an end to the province’s lifetime ban for welfare fraud and press for reforms to the social assistance system. Called Justice…
ISAC is undertaking a major consultation on the income security system to identify priority concerns for litigation and generate new ideas for law reform. We are seeking to involve those most affected by income security…