Food is a Right! Freeze the Rent! Raise the Rates! Raise Wages!
On Thursday, October 23, starting at 11 a.m., a coalition of organizations focused on disability justice, food security, workers’ rights, renters’ rights, income security, poverty reduction, and improved social services will arrive at Queen’s Park in Toronto to put Queen’s Park ON NOTICE!
Where: Front Lawn, Queen’s Park (111 Wellesley St. W.), Toronto
When: Thursday, October 23, 11 am – 2 pm
All are invited to join and hear from speakers about the impacts of food insecurity, housing insecurity, income insecurity, and more. Lunch will be served by Weston King Neighbourhood staff and volunteers.
There are also several buses leaving from locations around the city:
- Albion Library Food Space
- Oriole Community Food Space
- Lawrence Heights Community Food Space
- Bathurst Finch Community Food Space
- Weston King Neighbourhood Centre
To request support with TTC tickets, or to get details about when the buses are leaving/returning, visit this North York Harvest Food Bank link for organizer contact info.
Live just outside of Toronto? Get on a bus to Queen’s Park!
Brampton Bus details: Pick up at 9:00 A.M. at Brampton City Hall (2 Wellington St. W.)
Mississauga Bus details: Pick up 9:45 A.M. at the Square One Starbucks (189 Rathburn Rd. W.)
Buses will leave Toronto at 2:00 P.M. and return to these same locations. Seats can be saved through this RSVP link. Questions about the buses can be sent to Ontario@acorncanada.org.
Looking for Solidarity Rallies outside of the GTA?
Some organizations have also organized solidarity rallies at the same time as the event at Queen’s Park. ACORN Ontario has organized the following solidarity rallies:
Ottawa rally: Meet at 11 A.M. at 347 Preston St (Preston Square) to deliver a demand letter to the Ottawa regional office for the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services. FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1124835843137566
London/St. Thomas rally: Meet at 12 P.M. at the Food Basics at 780 Talbot St., St. Thomas, before marching over to Housing Minister Rob Flack’s constituency office. London ACORN is coordinating a carpool from London so if you live in the city and can offer a ride (or need one) email londonfo@acorncanada.org. More details at the FB event page here.
Join ISAC’s Fix OW Campaign and Send a Letter to the Premier Now
ISAC is proud to support and participate in the Queen’s Park ON NOTICE rally, and hopes to draw attention to the many challenges that social assistance recipients face due to insufficient rates and an overall system that is stacked against them.
Many OW recipients do not receive enough income through social assistance, forcing them to rely on food banks, meal programs, friends, and family for food. Or, they simply go without, having to choose between food, rent, bills, transportation, medicine, and many other necessary expenses. Ontario should not force people who receive social assistance deeper into poverty.
Whether or not you join us at Queen’s Park this week, you can make your voice heard by sending a letter to the Premier and to your local rep calling on them to fix Ontario Works (OW) now!
Click here to learn more about what’s wrong with OW and to send a letter to the Premier!