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