Keeping more earnings would help mom on OW; Wynne’s social justice commitment must ensure poverty reduction trumps deficit reduction
Wynne says she won’t be like McGuinty; names social programs as priorities
The UK’s employability test for people with disabilities: Not a good model for Ontario
In October 2012, the Commission for the Review of Social Assistance in Ontario issued its final report, complete with 108 recommendations. That report is suddenly getting a lot of attention. Ontario Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak…
Kathleen Wynne says social assistance reform will be a priority for her government
Similar story in the Sun
Star Editorial calls for three quick reforms to social assistance
[…]
In her first press conference after being elected Liberal Party leader, Kathleen Wynne said social assistance reform will be among her top priorities as Premier
“We have a social assistance system in this province that penalizes people, that does not support people getting into jobs and keeping them there, so I’m going to be looking for ways to do that because ultimately, it’s in the best interests of the economy.”
Here’s some coverage
[…]
The Canada Revenue Agency is no longer mailing personalized tax packages, and the simplified form has been discontinued
Anti-poverty rally at Liberal leadership convention tomorrow
More on PC’s “Welfare to Work” white paper
[…]
Toronto Star endorses Sandra Pupatello for Liberal leader
Sandra Pupatello vows to transform social assistance
Kathleen Wynne wants to be the “social justice Premier”
[…]
Star editorial: Hudak’s position on welfare “reflects a profound ignorance about the depth of poverty in this rich province”
More thoughts on the PC’s white paper
ISAC and ACTO have prepared an update on CSUMB, along with a one-stop info centre and impact tracking tool
[…]
Hudak releases PC’s white paper on social assistance
Star picks up on proposed benefit reductions
Globe focuses on proposed downloading
[…]
ISAC has partnered with the Wellesley Institute to create an online tool to track the impact on individuals across Ontario of the loss of the Community Start-Up and Maintenance Benefit (CSUMB). The tool allows for the collection of information about individuals’ circumstances, what expenses were required, the availability and adequacy of municipal replacement programs, and the outcomes and impacts. A geographic mapping function will show the impacts graphically.
On December 27, 2012, the provincial government announced $42 million in one-time funding for local housing and homelessness initiatives. The announcement says that the money “will assist eligible municipalities as they develop and implement their Community Homelessness Prevention Initiative (CHPI) plans. Funds will be allocated to meet the needs of the most vulnerable Ontarians – including social assistance recipients – to ensure their stability through this period of transition as plans are developed.” The funds will be provided to municipalities for the period January 1, 2013 through March 31, 2014. What does this announcement mean?
This page provides links to a number of documents and pieces of information about CSUMB, the transfer of partial CSUMB funding to municipalities, the creation of local housing and homelessness plans, and the struggle to reinstate this benefit within social assistance.
On December 27, the Ontario government announced a last-minute, $42 million fund to “ease the transition” to consolidated housing and homelessness funding
CBC coverage
Note that ISAC will be circulating information about the impact of the transition fund in the coming days
[…]