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Income Security Advocacy Centre

Income Security Advocacy Centre

ISAC works to address issues of income security and poverty in Ontario

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Short-Term OW and ODSP Rule Changes: 2010

March 1, 2010

The Social Assistance Review Advisory Council (SARAC) has issued a report to the Minister of Community and Social Services about changes to Ontario Works (OW) and Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) rules that could make life better for people relying on social assistance in Ontario. ISAC’s Director of Advocacy and Legal Services, Mary Marrone, is one of nine members of the Council.

SARAC’s mandate is to make recommendations to the Minister about the scope and terms of reference for a review of Ontario’s social assistance system, and to advise the Minister about possible short-term changes that could improve the programs for the people who rely on them, without adding substantial costs.

The report outlines the 13 recommended rule changes, which are:

  1. Increase asset limits
  2. Extend asset exemptions to registered savings plans i.e. Registered Retirement Savings Plans, Tax‐Free Savings Accounts
  3. Let friends and families give Ontario Works recipients casual gifts
  4. Treat Employment Insurance Benefits as earnings for people receiving Ontario Disability Support Program
  5. Extend Ontario Works eligibility to persons disqualified from Ontario Student Assistance Program
  6. Charge social assistance rent scale to Ontario Works / Ontario Disability Support Program recipients with higher earnings ‐ increase Social Housing Reform Act thresholds
  7. Retain eligibility for recipients using windfalls to reimburse Government
  8. Do not reduce assistance for sharing accommodation / boarding
  9. Do not treat loans to recipients as income
  10. Change Ontario Works suspensions for non‐participation
  11. Do not stop payments to dependent children leaving school
  12. Allow parents to keep partial child support
  13. Increase medical transportation rates
  • You can download the report here
  • The report is available in Word format here
  • La version française est disponible ici

Policy Advocacy, Social Assistance Reform

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1500 – 55 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5J 2H7
Tel: (416) 597-5820 • Toll Free: 1-866-245-4072 • Fax: (416) 597-5821

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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.