Lower taxes for the poor, TD Bank says
Friday, November 26th, 2010
Nov 25 2010.
… Ottawa should consider cutting taxes for low-income Canadians who are being hit by both economic restructuring and an inequitable tax system that “discourages people from participating in the workforce,” says TD Bank President Ed Clark… Lower income Canadians already face much higher marginal tax rates than higher-income Canadians, he noted, adding that high employment taxes also hit lower-income earners harder… “We should not always assume that fiscal stimulus means more government spending. It could also mean lower taxes for lower income Canadians.”
Tags: economy, featured, ideology, participation, poverty, standard of living, tax
Posted in Inclusion Debates | No Comments »
Ottawa needs plan to fight poverty
Thursday, November 18th, 2010
Nov 17 2010
Ottawa needs a comprehensive plan and dedicated funding to ease the plight of 3.1 million Canadians living in poverty, including more than 600,000 children and 700,000 working poor households, says a landmark parliamentary report… Six provinces have anti-poverty laws or plans that are beginning to make a difference, the report notes… Liberals on the committee said “limited resources… cannot be an excuse for inaction.”
Tags: poverty
Posted in Social Security Debates | No Comments »
The case for adoption subsidies in Ontario
Sunday, November 14th, 2010
Nov 14 2010
Adoption subsidies were one of the key recommendations of the province’s 2009 Expert Panel on Infertility and Adoption. Foster parents receive an average $18,000 a year, and all medical, dental and therapy costs are covered for a child in their care. But if they or anyone else wants to adopt, they get nothing. Only if the child has an identified disability can they receive a small subsidy. The OACAS, which represents 51 of the province’s 53 local societies, and the Adoption Council of Ontario, which provides education, support and advocacy on the issue, are also pressing Queen’s Park to act.
Posted in Child & Family Policy Context | 2 Comments »
Ontario’s rent supplement program to change
Thursday, September 16th, 2010
Sep 15 2010
Ontario is quietly tweaking its $185 million rent supplement program for low-income families because not enough people signed up for the 2007 initiative… The program, called ROOF (Rental Opportunity for Ontario Families), was aimed at helping 27,000 low-income working families with children. But just $135 million has been spent and only 21,500 families have signed up for the $100-a-month benefit… The remaining $50 million will be spent on a new program that will allow monthly benefits of up to $300 and serve a broader range of vulnerable people
Tags: poverty, standard of living
Posted in Social Security Debates | No Comments »
Big bang for full-day learning buck
Monday, August 30th, 2010
August 30, 2010
The province has opted to fund the school-day portion of all-day kindergarten, but has left it up to school boards to plan extended-day programs that will be paid for by parents. As a result, few schools in Ontario will be offering extended-day programs when the first phase of full-day kindergarten begins next month for 35,000 children in about 600 schools. There will be none in Toronto… “If full-day learning becomes stuck at full-day kindergarten, and the transitions between school and ad hoc child care arrangements persist, many of the child development advantages will also be reduced, particularly for children with development risks.”
Tags: child care, standard of living
Posted in Child & Family Debates | No Comments »
Fix welfare rules, panel urges provinceFix welfare rules, panel urges province
Monday, August 16th, 2010
Aug 16 2010
The panel’s mandate was to identify changes that wouldn’t cost the government much money in advance of a long-awaited broader review of the system expected this fall. Social Services Minister Madeleine Meilleur made four of the changes in March. But… [Ontario’s Social Assistance Review Advisory Council] are still waiting for action on the remaining nine. The panel is publicly releasing its February report Monday to turn up the heat.
Tags: poverty, standard of living
Posted in Social Security Debates | No Comments »
Low-income Ontarians need help to conserve energy
Thursday, July 8th, 2010
Jul 07 2010
Ontario’s electricity supply planner and energy industry regulator have been told to design, implement and fund an energy efficiency and conservation program for low-income residents by January 2011… The program should include province-wide customer service policies such as rules governing security deposits, arrears management and disconnection; emergency financial help for customers facing short-term crises; and conservation and energy efficiency retrofits… The Low-Income Energy Network, a group of tenant, environmental and anti-poverty advocates, welcomed the move.
Tags: poverty, standard of living
Posted in Child & Family Debates | No Comments »
Ontario should adopt bold vision for welfare reform
Monday, June 14th, 2010
Jun 14 2010
Ontario should adopt a bold vision for welfare reform that includes new income supports and services for all low-income residents, says a government-appointed panel in a report being released Monday. “We are currently investing billions into federal and provincial programs that too often trap people in poverty and fail to offer alternatives to social assistance,” said Gail Nyberg of the Daily Bread Food Bank who chaired the panel of anti-poverty experts. “Tinkering with a broken system will not lead to different outcomes. It’s time to unleash a bold review,” she said.
Tags: featured, standard of living
Posted in Social Security Debates | 1 Comment »
Daycare system near collapse, advocates say
Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010
March 22, 2010
The loss of $63.5 million in federal child care cash next month and the fall launch of all-day kindergarten for 4- and 5-year olds is creating the “perfect storm” in Ontario’s child care system, advocates warn. If Queen’s Park doesn’t pick up the loss in Thursday’s budget, at least 7,600 child care subsidies will disappear, fees will rise and parents may not be able to work, they say.
Posted in Child & Family Debates | No Comments »
Welfare special diet allowance at risk
Saturday, March 13th, 2010
Mar 13 2010
Today, more than 162,000 people on welfare, including 108,000 on the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) and about 54,000 on Ontario Works receive the allowance, or roughly 1 out of every 5 people on welfare…
…rumours that the government may axe the allowance in favour of a 3-per-cent or 4-per-cent welfare increase for everyone are particularly alarming. An extra $18 for a single person on welfare and $31 for someone on disability supports would be welcome, says Laidley. But not at the expense of cuts to those who rely on the special diet allowance.
Posted in Social Security Debates | No Comments »
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