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Media & Policy News: 7 April 2017

April 7, 2017

Top Stories

Ontario ends onerous reviews for disabled people on welfare:
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/04/05/ontario-ends-onerous-reviews-for-disabled-people-on-welfare.html

  • ISAC: New ODSP medical reviews start this month: https://incomesecurity.org/policy-advocacy/new-odsp-medical-reviews-start-this-month/
  • Ministry of Community and Social Services update: http://mcss.gov.on.ca/en/mcss/programs/social/odsp/income_support/odsp_medical.aspx

Advocate says Ontario’s social assistance programs need to do more:
http://www.contextwithlornadueck.com/2017/03/30/poverty-advocate-john-deacon/

Toronto’s ‘gig economy’ fueled by young workers starved for choice:
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/04/07/torontos-gig-economy-fueled-by-young-workers-starved-for-choice.html

  • Sharing economy workers tend to be young, well-educated, finds survey:
    http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/toronto-sharing-economy-study-1.4058447
  • CCPA Report: “Sharing economy” work in the GTA is more than just a gig: https://www.policyalternatives.ca/newsroom/news-releases/%E2%80%9Csharing-economy%E2%80%9D-work-gta

Business group discovers being good is good for business:
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/04/04/business-group-discovers-being-good-is-good-for-business.html

  • Better Way Alliance: http://betterwayalliance.ca/
  • The role of business in poverty reduction:
    http://www.thespec.com/news-story/7220084-the-role-of-business-in-poverty-reduction/

Conference Board of Canada says Canada needs to lower poverty and inequality:
http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2017/04/05/canada-needs-to-lower-poverty-inequality-says-think-tank/

  • Report: http://www.conferenceboard.ca/press/newsrelease/17-04-05/canada_needs_to_lower_poverty_and_income_inequality_to_boost_social_performance_relative_to_peer_countries.aspx?pf=true

Hard at Work: How do students live on unpaid internships?:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/hard-at-work-internships-students-1.4045672

  • Big changes considered for Ontario workplaces: http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/toronto/ontario-changing-workplaces-review-labour-law-1.3994571
  • Minister says report on workplace rules is “4 to 6 weeks away”: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/labour-minister-dwight-drummond-1.4049378
  • Cornwall lawyer advocating for taxi driver protections under Employment Standards Act: http://www.standard-freeholder.com/2017/04/05/cornwall-community-police-service-board-asked-to-look-at-taxi-industry

Ontario Liberals reject fast-tracking of rent control bill:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/rent-control-1991-loophole-ndp-bill-1.4058260

  • Soaring rents may expose flaws in longtime economic theory: http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/business/home-prices-economic-theory-1.4054764

Hamilton pitches $50 million spending plan to fight poverty:
http://www.thespec.com/news-story/7217473-hamilton-pitches-50-million-spending-plan-to-fight-poverty/

  • Council shifts $50 million anti-poverty plan into an affordable housing initiative: http://www.thespec.com/news-story/7228007-council-shifts-50m-anti-poverty-plan-into-an-affordable-housing-initiative/
  • Hamilton politicians approve “historic” poverty strategy to invest $50 million into affordable housing: https://www.hamiltonnews.com/news-story/7228498-hamilton-politicians-approve-historic-poverty-strategy-to-invest-50-million-into-affordable-housing/

What homelessness looks like for women in Canada:
https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/life/what-homelessness-looks-like-for-women-in-canada/article34482334/

April 1 marked 10 years since welfare rates were raised in BC:
http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/british-columbia/today-marks-10-years-since-welfare-rates-were-raised-in-b-c-1.4051490

  • Time to raise welfare rates: Debunking the BC government’s sorry excuses for inaction: http://www.policynote.ca/time-to-raise-welfare-rates/
  • Decade of frozen welfare rates leave families in deepening poverty: https://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2017/03/30/Frozen-Welfare-Families-Poverty/
  • Ten year welfare rate freeze hurts BC: Report: http://www.metronews.ca/news/vancouver/2017/04/03/10-year-welfare-rate-freeze-hurts-british-columbia.html

Alberta government announces additional $25-a-day daycare spots across 22 centres:
http://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/premier-notley-set-to-unveil-centres-picked-for-affordable-daycare-program

Calgary’s unique $5.05 monthly bus pass for city’s poorest now available:
http://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/calgarys-unique-5-05-monthly-bus-pass-for-citys-poorest-now-available

More on the federal budget:

  • First Nations housing advocate says federal budget ‘disappointing’: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/first-nations-housing-advocate-says-federal-budget-disappointing-1.4039314
  • For future gender budgets, we need good data at the intersections: http://www.broadbentinstitute.ca/angellamacewen/gender_budgets_good_data

Canada added 19,400 jobs in March, unemployment up slightly:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/jobs-statistics-canada-march-2017-1.4060044

 

Ontario

Olive: How we implement basic income will define our future:
https://www.thestar.com/business/2017/03/24/how-we-implement-basic-income-will-define-our-future-olive.html

  • Basic income a complex issue, summit hears: https://www.pressreader.com/canada/the-hamilton-spectator/20170407/281578060517349

Private dental care fails millions in Ontario:
http://www.troymedia.com/2017/04/05/private-dental-care-fails-millions-in-ontario/

Ontario’s economy is second worst for young people. But it’s the worst on one thing:
http://globalnews.ca/news/3360458/ontario-economy-young-people-generation-squeeze/

NDP bill would allow unmarried parents to seek support for disabled adult children:
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/03/30/ndp-bill-would-allow-unmarried-parents-to-seek-support-for-disabled-adult-children.html

NDP  bill to make it easier to join a union will help Ontario workers, says OFL:
http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/ondp-bill-to-make-it-easier-to-join-a-union-will-help-ontario-workers-says-ofl-2207763.htm

NDP MPP wants gender lens applied to the Ontario budget:
http://torontoist.com/2017/04/cheri-dinovo-wants-gender-lens-applied-ontario-budget/

Crown Ward class action lawsuit certified by the courts:
http://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/court-gives-green-light-and-certifies-crown-ward-class-action-against-the-province-of-ontario-617784393.html

Government release: Province announces employment and modernization fund projects for adults with developmental disabilities:
http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=d404ae37d73eb59e125333262&id=3706964d76&e=0618ef477d

Liberals could win as few as seven seats in 2018 election: Poll:
https://www.cp24.com/news/liberals-could-win-as-few-as-seven-seats-in-2018-election-poll-1.3348908

 

Reports, Events, Campaigns and Other Good Things

Tax Preparation Clinics in Ontario:
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/ndvdls/vlntr/clncs/on-eng.html

April 13 webinar: Who is vulnerable to household food insecurity and what does this mean for policy and practice?:
http://proof.utoronto.ca/upcoming-webinar-who-is-vulnerable-to-household-food-insecurity-and-what-does-this-mean-for-policy-and-practice-april-13/

April 13 event, Toronto: Leap Manifesto: Public Debate on Basic Income:
https://leapmanifesto.org/event/toronto-on-public-debate-on-basic-income/

Homeless Hub Newsletter: Youth Without Home:
http://us1.campaign-archive2.com/?u=61233be4a0bcc87d8977b631e&id=113359821e&e=6da7d6f883

Stats Can: Payroll employment, earnings and hours, January 2017:
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/170331/dq170331b-eng.htm

Stats Can: Labour force survey, March 2017:
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/170407/dq170407a-eng.htm

April Newsletter: Canadian Doctors for Medicare:
http://us9.campaign-archive2.com/?u=e170feda454bf1510d78b5ae7&id=6a9569ff72

Consumer Alert: What you need to know when getting help to pay off your debt or repair your credit:
https://www.canada.ca/en/financial-consumer-agency/services/debt/debt-help/alert-debt-credit-repair.html

 

Around the Province

Local Hamilton business leaders seek to make a difference:
http://www.thespec.com/news-story/7225041-local-business-leaders-seek-to-make-a-difference/

Residents of Toronto Community Housing to shape its future: City considers independent corporation:
http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/toronto/toronto-community-housing-1.4054116

Toronto Mayor’s roundtable less about affordable housing, more about real estate as low-income advocates not invited:
http://torontoist.com/2017/04/mayors-roundtable-less-affordable-housing-real-estate/

  • What’s driving Toronto house prices through the roof?: http://thechronicleherald.ca/canada/1457013-whats-driving-toronto-house-prices-through-the-roof-experts-weigh-in

Special committee meeting hears from frustrated tenants, experts in Toronto:
http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/toronto/no-fixed-address-special-committee-meeting-hears-from-frustrated-tenants-experts-1.4053860

One year later, Toronto health officials still battling strep outbreak at men’s shelter:
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/03/30/a-year-later-health-officials-still-battling-strep-outbreak-at-mens-shelter.html

Northeastern Ontario a hotbed for bad health:
http://www.saultstar.com/2017/04/03/northeastern-ontario-a-hotbed-for-bad-health

 

Across the Country

Reporting on poverty in PEI:

  • Social assistance turned me away when I needed it most: http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/news/elections-2015/2017/4/5/teresa-wright–social-assistance-turned-me-away-when-i-needed-it.html
  • Charlottetown woman goes on social assistance to raise grandchildren: http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/news/elections-2015/2017/4/6/charlottetown-woman-goes-on-social-assistance-to-raise-grandchil.html
  • Islanders in poverty say PEI supports, programs don’t go far enough: http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/news/elections-2015/2017/4/5/islanders-in-poverty-say-p-e-i–supports–programs-don-t-go-far-.html
  • Trying to break the cycle of poverty in a family: http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/news/elections-2015/2017/4/6/working-to-break-the-cycle-the-poverty-in-a-family.html
  • Being poor in today’s society: http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/opinion/2017/4/6/chris-clay–being-poor-in-todays-society.html
  • Root of the problem: http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/news/elections-2015/2017/4/6/community-groups-in-p-e-i–see-different-causes-for-people-livin.html
  • A disability means poverty: http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/opinion/letter-to-the-editor/2017/4/6/letter–a-disability-means-poverty.html
  • Poverty dominates agenda at PEI legislature Thursday: http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/news/local/2017/4/6/poverty-dominates-agenda-at-the-p-e-i–legislature-thursday.html
  • Mundy says PEI government developing poverty reduction strategy:
    http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/news/elections-2015/2017/4/5/mundy-says-p-e-i–government-developing-poverty-reduction-strate.html
  • Why are social assistance mileage rates half what PEI MLAs receive?: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/social-assistance-mileage-pei-1.4059459

Articles from BC:

  • Jean Swanson: Homelessness in BC a problem that just keeps growing: http://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/jean-swanson-homelessness-a-problem-that-just-keeps-growing-and-growing
  • BC’s working poor: Education essential to better opportunities: http://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/b-c-s-working-poor-education-essential-to-better-opportunities
  • BC’s working poor: Reducing poverty is expensive but possible: http://www.timescolonist.com/news/b-c/b-c-s-working-poor-reducing-poverty-expensive-but-possible-1.13758661
  • Thousands of low-income housing units in BC at risk to convert to market rental: http://www.metronews.ca/news/vancouver/2017/04/04/thousands-of-low-income-housing-units-to-convert-to-rental.html
  • CCPA-BC study: Many BC seniors are living in poverty: https://www.kelownanow.com/watercooler/news/news/Provincial/17/04/06/Many_B_C_seniors_are_living_in_poverty/
  • Mincome is pro-health and against poverty: http://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/columnists/trevor-hancock-mincome-is-pro-health-and-against-poverty-1.14103500

Minimum wage increases in the Maritimes:

  • Minimum wage in Nova Scotia increases by 15 cents: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/nova-scotia-minimum-wage-2017-1.4051364
  • Minimum wage in New Brunswick goes up 35 cents: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/minimum-wage-increase-hike-nb-1.4050563
  • Modest minimum wage raises has many Maritime workers wanting more:
    http://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/modest-minimum-wage-raise-has-many-maritime-workers-wanting-more-1.3350737

PEI wages falling against Canadian average:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-average-weekly-wages-1.4052512

Nova Scotia Food banks: We cannot feed our way out of this crisis, but maybe couponing will help: https://nsadvocate.org/2017/04/04/food-banks-we-cannot-feed-our-way-out-of-this-crisis-but-maybe-couponing-will-help/

New Brunswick Medical Society launches guide to help doctors assess patient poverty risk:
http://globalnews.ca/news/3361731/medical-society-launches-guide-to-help-doctors-assess-patient-poverty-risk/

MLA alleges discrimination after NB mother denied social assistance:
http://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/mla-alleges-discrimination-after-n-b-mother-denied-social-assistance-1.3346568

Quebec government hints at basic income guarantee:
http://basicincome.org/news/2017/03/quebec-canada-governments-hints-at-guaranteed-minimum-income-in-new-budget/

 

National

Advocates challenge false claims about Canadian refugee income:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/advocates-challenge-false-claims-about-canadian-refugee-income-1.4054240

Indigenous Affairs Minister announces funding for Ontario First Nations children:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/ontario-first-nations-child-families-services-funding-1.4047658

10 things to know about the federal government’s role in poverty reduction:
http://vibrantcanada.ca/blogs/nick-falvo/federal-role-poverty-reduction

With more refugees pouring in, Toronto advocates ringing alarms about federal funding:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/legal-aid-ontario-refugee-funding-1.4052426

Liberals urged to think twice about ‘Seniors’ Price Index’:
http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/liberals-urged-to-think-twice-about-seniors-price-index-1.3351294

 

International

Neoliberalism is killing us: Economic stress as a driver of global depression and suicide:
http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/40064-neoliberalism-is-killing-us-economic-stress-as-a-driver-of-global-depression-and-suicide

Once middle class, she hung on as long as she could. Now she and her dogs live in a car in Carlsbad:
http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-lopez-carlsbad-senior-20170402-story.html

Rural Americans turn to disability as jobs dry up:
https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2017/04/07/rural-americans-turn-to-disability-as-jobs-dry-up.html

Two child benefits limit could push 200,000 children to poverty, charities say:
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/uk/twochild-benefits-limit-could-push-200000-children-to-poverty-charities-say-35598553.html

  • Why UK charities are refusing to administer the new Child Tax Credit rape clause:
    http://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/jean-swanson-homelessness-a-problem-that-just-keeps-growing-and-growing
  • Poor families to lose up to 7000 pound a year under Tory welfare cuts: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/tory-welfare-cuts-cost-7000-a-year-april-is-the-cruellest-month-farron-osborne-legacy_uk_58e1f926e4b0c777f78874bd
  • Poverty in the UK is not a deficit of life skills:
    https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/apr/04/ministers-not-helping-jams-struggling-families

UK’s Centrelink inquiry told “income averaging” creating incorrect welfare debts:
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/apr/06/centrelink-inquiry-told-income-averaging-creating-incorrect-welfare-debts

One in five Brits have no pension savings and face retirement poverty:
https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/3249022/shocking-study-reveals-one-in-five-brits-have-no-pension-savings-while-many-dont-know-how-much-they-already-have/

Australia’s needless rush into power poverty:
http://www.afr.com/opinion/columnists/australias-needless-rush-into-power-poverty-20170404-gvd3vt

Number of Russians in poverty hits decade high:
https://www.rferl.org/a/recession-sanctions-left-20-million-russians-living-poverty-2016-up-300000-2015/28413387.html

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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.