Top Story: Community Start-Up and Maintenance Benefit Cut
Niagara:
- Loss of CSUMB a “horror show”:http://www.niagarathisweek.com/news/article/1496830–horror-show-looms-for-poor
- Niagara expects to lose $4.2 million with CSUMB cut and fund consolidation:http://www.wellandtribune.ca/2012/09/04/region-faces-42-million-homeless-cut
- The cuts will further disadvantage poorest citizens:http://www.niagarathisweek.com/news/article/1495978–poorest-could-get-hit
- The cuts will mean people will die on the streets, activists say:http://www.bulletnewsniagara.ca/2012/09/05/cuts-to-provinces-homless-budget-mean-people-will-die-on-niagaras-streets-regional-politicians-told/
- CHCH TV news reports on the implications of the cuts:http://chch.com/index.php/home/item/9458-province-set-to-slash-help-for-homeless
Kingston:
- Kingston Council struggles with the news of the cut:http://www.ckwstv.com/news/kingston/story.aspx?ID=1767789
- Kingston press release says the city will create a “replacement Residency Benefit for social assistance recipients” that will “be funded at a level equivalent to 70% of the previous CSUMB funding level in Kingston”:http://www.cityofkingston.ca/cityhall/press/release.asp?mode=show&id=3596
Vaughan:
- Press release on CSUMB from activists:http://www.businessreviewcanada.ca/press_releases/poverty-must-be-on-agenda-for-vaughan-by-election
Owen Sound:
- An opinion column from last April!:http://www.owensoundsuntimes.com/2012/04/05/this-government-doing-very-little-to-help-poor-folks
Northern Ontario
- Northern Ontario Service Deliverers Association met with Minister Milloy at the recent Association of Municipalities of Ontario meeting – told him that “The issues that led to the CSUMB eligibility expansion have not been remedied; in fact the situation is more dire.”: http://www.netnewsledger.com/2012/09/05/minister-milloy-meets-with-northern-ontario-service-deliverers-association/
Resources:
- Toronto Drop-In Network distributes information:http://www.tdin.ca/new/show_news.cfm?id=36
- A petition has been started to save CSUMB:http://www.landlordconnect.ca/news/show_full.cfm?ID=6895
- Marilyn’s Story at this link describes the importance of CSUMB for women leaving abuse: http://aware.on.ca/moms-matter/moms-stories
- Remember – use this link to send an email to government today!http://sareview.ca/isac-news/act-now-to-save-housing-supports-for-people-on-ow-and-odsp/
Ontario Politics – it’s By-Election Day
NDP may win in Kitchener-Waterloo; Libs leading in Vaughan:
http://www.therecord.com/news/local/article/792956–poll-suggests-ndp-on-track-for-stunning-upset-in-k-w-byelection
KW byelection “down to the wire”:
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1251586–hudak-shrugs-off-poll-suggesting-tories-will-squander-kitchener-waterloo-in-by-election
Other Items
Labour Day reminder from the Asian Canadian Labour Alliance about implications of recent EI changes for racialized and immigrant communities:
http://rabble.ca/news/2012/09/harpers-ei-changes-hit-immigrant-communities-hardest
47% of Canadians live paycheque to paycheque:
Globe: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/personal-finance/household-finances/situation-improving-but-47-of-canadians-still-live-paycheque-to-paycheque/article4522904/
Star: http://www.thestar.com/business/article/1252053–situation-improving-but-47-of-workers-still-live-paycheque-to-paycheque
Resources for retirement planning for people on low income:
http://openpolicyontario.com/retiring-on-a-low-income-3/
Resources for understanding structural racism and white privilege:
http://unfaircampaign.org/about-us/f-a-q/
International
Struggling to make ends meet in the UK:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/sep/05/save-the-children-child-poverty-maria?newsfeed=true
The UK’s minimum wage does not meet the basic cost of raising children:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9522896/Child-poverty-minimum-wage-does-not-meet-basic-costs-of-raising-children.html