Key takeaways: What is the state of welfare in Canada?
Monday, October 28th, 2024
… overall, adequacy is still a problem. And there are two components…: the actual amount of the benefit, federal and provincial components, and indexation… it’s terrific that more jurisdictions have indexed their benefits or part of their benefits, but this should be a given without any question… maybe it’s time for an income supplement for lower-income families… And third, if there is any increase in any federal benefits, we have to make sure that there is no clawback.
Tags: jurisdiction, participation, poverty, standard of living
Posted in Social Security Debates | No Comments »
What COVID-19 has taught us about caring for our elders
Wednesday, January 5th, 2022
A recent survey by the National Institute on Aging found that almost 100 per cent of Canadians aged 65 and older planned to live in their own home for as long as possible. Yet Canada spends 87 per cent of long-term care dollars on institutionalizing people in nursing homes rather than at-home assistance.
Tags: budget, disabilities, Health, housing, ideology, mental Health, Seniors
Posted in Child & Family Debates | 6 Comments »
Financial security for the missing middle will be needed post pandemic
Wednesday, April 22nd, 2020
The shortcomings of EI became starkly clear during the frantic rush to create an emergency benefit to assist the millions of Canadians with no coverage… Canada will survive the crisis. But when we’re on the other side, we will need more than lifeboats to keep the missing middle afloat. We will need to shore up the system of “adult benefits” that had long been sinking and is in need of major repair.
Tags: economy, ideology, participation, poverty, standard of living
Posted in Equality Debates | No Comments »
Home-care crunch coming
Sunday, October 21st, 2012
… the community care system is drastically underfunded. The supply of services needs to increase in order to meet current and future demand. Improved wages and working conditions must improve to help attract and retain good people. Canada should explore new forms of financing, such as social insurance for long-term care, possible tax-assisted savings plans or a new type of social financing mechanism.
Tags: budget, disabilities, Health, ideology, poverty, standard of living
Posted in Child & Family Delivery System | No Comments »
Home-care crunch coming
Saturday, October 6th, 2012
October 05, 2012
We need to figure out how to build a robust system of community-based care. The home-care sector is drastically underfunded relative to its many challenges. Most important is the need to increase the supply of services in order to meet heavy demand both now and in future. Improved wages and working conditions are also essential so that the home-care sector can attract and retain good people.
Tags: budget, disabilities, Health, housing, mental Health, poverty, standard of living
Posted in Child & Family Delivery System | No Comments »
Saving Welfare Incomes and Poverty Profile
Friday, June 29th, 2012
June 29, 2012
Information is under attack in Ottawa… Social Security Statistics: Canada and Provinces, a treasure trove of information on federal, provincial/territorial and municipal government programs, has simply disappeared. In June 2012, Ottawa jettisoned the Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics (SLID) which gathered priceless information on changes experienced by individuals over time, such as movement in and out of poverty… The Caledon Institute of Social Policy will take over the task of gathering and analyzing the welfare and low income data… This vital information will form the first elements of a new Caledon product, the Canada Social Report.
Tags: budget, disabilities, homelessness, housing, pensions, poverty, rights, standard of living
Posted in Social Security Delivery System | No Comments »
65 Shades of Grey [health care costs]
Tuesday, June 5th, 2012
June 5, 2012
Population aging has fuelled fears of skyrocketing health care costs… But often missing from the conversations are the factors that can have the biggest impact on health care spending because they have the largest impact on health. The most profound levers for change include reduced poverty, active living and home care. Paying attention to these factors will lead to more significant health care reform than any of the discussions that keep focusing solely on the existing system.
Tags: Health, poverty, tax
Posted in Health Policy Context | 4 Comments »
Old Age Insecurity?
Monday, February 27th, 2012
Feb.27, 2012
Low-income seniors will be hardest hit by increasing the age of entitlement for Old Age Security, since they rely on that program for most of their income and they have a lower lifespan than middle- and upper-income Canadians. If the federal government goes ahead with that ill-considered change, then at least it should provide an income benefit to poor seniors aged 65 and 66 so that they do not have to keep working or remain on welfare for two more years.
Tags: budget, pensions, poverty, standard of living
Posted in Social Security Policy Context | No Comments »
Caledon Submission… on National Finance [Tax Credits]
Tuesday, December 13th, 2011
Dec. 12, 2011
We were pleased to see recognition of caregiver needs in Bill C-13. But we do not support the design of the new measure, which will deny assistance to lower-income families and provide tax assistance to non-poor families, including the well-off. Similarly, the Children’s Arts Tax Credit, while important acknowledgement of the value of arts and cultural activities, will do nothing for lower-income families but will help the rest, including the relatively well-off. We also raise general concerns regarding tax expenditures as a means of financing social needs.
Tags: budget, ideology, poverty, standard of living, tax
Posted in Child & Family Debates | No Comments »
Inequality Is Not Inevitable
Thursday, December 8th, 2011
Dec. 8, 2011
The paper… considers the many economic and social factors that contribute to high poverty and rising inequality… Poverty and inequality are complex problems that require a set of linked interventions related to affordable housing, early childhood development and child care, education and skills training, and decent employment opportunities that pay a living wage. This paper focuses, however, upon the crucial redistributive role of the federal government through income security programs and a progressive income tax system.
Tags: child care, economy, ideology, standard of living, tax
Posted in Equality Policy Context | No Comments »
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