Ontario is wrapping up its pre-budget consultations this week.
ISAC has made a submission to both the Minister of Finance and the Ontario Legislature’s Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs. Our submission includes recommendations on:
- Making social assistance incomes adequate, especially given rising food costs and other costs of living, and paying for identification for those recipients who must open bank accounts in order to receive their benefits
- Meeting the commitment to reduce child poverty by fully exempting child support payments, ending the requirement to pursue child support, increasing the Ontario Child Benefit, and ensuring that the new federal Canada Child Benefit is not clawed back from social assistance benefits
- Investing in people with disabilities, by ensuring that everyone in the family of someone on ODSP receives an increase to their benefits, supporting efforts to improve ODSP, and by recognizing the connection between improving ODSP, ending homelessness, and improving mental health
- Taking action on income security, by providing health benefits for all low-income Ontarians, enacting a Good Jobs Strategy, and increasing public revenues to support investments in poverty reduction
You can download our submission in either Word or PDF below: