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
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Hudak releases PC’s white paper on social assistance
Star picks up on proposed benefit reductions
Globe focuses on proposed downloading
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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
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Ontario Communities Uniting event in Hamilton today
I’m there speaking and participating in the discussions and mobilization. If you’re not attending, you can see the livestream here
And if you haven’t already, send an email to protest the decision here
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It’s not a frill: The province’s sickening decision on CSUMB
12 cities coming together in Hamilton on CSUMB this Friday (I’ll be there. Will you?)
Social services groups appeal to Waterloo regional council to save the CSUMB
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As before, please use this link to send an email to the ministers protesting the elimination of this critical benefit – and circulate it among your colleagues and friends
Northumberland County searching for solutions to CSUMB elimination and other funding cuts
Niagara Region raising taxes by 1.97%, in part to deal with loss of CSUMB
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Brighter Prospects, the final report of the Commission for the Review of Social Assistance in Ontario, was issued October 24, 2012. In this webinar, Jennefer Laidley of the Income Security Advocacy Centre (ISAC) provides an understanding of the content of the report and recommendations; an analysis of the impact of the recommendations; the policy and political context surrounding the report; and, thoughts on opportunities for action over the short, medium, and longer term.
Today marks the fourth anniversary of Ontario’s first-ever Poverty Reduction Strategy. The 25 in 5 Network for Poverty Reduction has issued its fourth annual progress report on poverty reduction – see below. The report notes that child…
The 25 in 5 Network’s fourth anniversary progress report on poverty reduction says
– poverty reduction is possible – child poverty declined between 2008 and 2010
– but government austerity is threatening to put the brakes on progress
– good policy, political leadership, and immediate action are required
– all Ontario’s political leaders should say what they’ll do to meet the 25in5 target and get the next five-year strategy underway
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