Municipal Elections are happening across the province on October 26! This is the perfect time to speak publicly about the importance of municipal and regional government support for people on social assistance and to ask…
ISAC Staff Lawyer Robin Nobleman was recently interviewed by Press Progress about the inadequacy of OW rates, problems with the low earnings exemption and clawbacks, ODSP application denial rates, and other issues facing social assistance…
On August 13, 2026, the Ontario government made changes to the rules about social assistance eligibility that may affect people with temporary status or no immigration status in Canada. Ontario Works (OW) and the Ontario…
ISAC’s 2026 Ontario Works (OW) & Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) Rates and Ontario Child Benefit (OCB) Rates Sheet is now available. The Rates Sheet includes: Download the rates sheet by clicking here. Download the…
ISAC recently released a new policy report called In Their Own Words: The State of Social Assistance in Ontario. You can read more about the report here. Join us for the online community launch of…
In 2020, Ontario began to introduce a host of changes to the administration of social assistance, including rolling out a new Centralized Intake model with the purpose of modernizing access to social assistance. With this…
ISAC’s Policy and Research Analyst Asif Khan is quoted in this important Trillium story on the failed Ontario Poverty Reduction Strategy, and what could be done to improve the next one. This article discusses the…
Ontario’s 2026 Budget arrives with a familiar promise of protection, but for whom? The province faces compounding pressures, including a deficit that has nearly doubled to $13.8 billion, ongoing U.S. tariff threats, and the ripple…
There are many reasons why someone may stop receiving social assistance. For example, a senior may turn 65 and begin receiving seniors benefits that are greater than their Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) income. A…
Turning 65 is often seen as a milestone, but for low-income seniors in Ontario, it can bring financial and health-related uncertainty. Many seniors turning 65 no longer financially qualify for Ontario Works (OW) or the…
Nearly one million Ontarians rely on social assistance programs like Ontario Works (OW) and the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) for survival. These are programs of last resort, a lifeline for those with nowhere else…
The Ontario government’s mandate is to protect the province, its communities, workers, and businesses. In the face of U.S. tariffs, rising costs, and ongoing economic uncertainty, the provincial budget must help Ontarians to withstand current…