Archive for the ‘Social Security’ Category
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Changes to social assistance could harm, not help, people living in poverty
Wednesday, February 26th, 2020
The government is hoping to integrate employment and training services provided to social assistance recipients with Employment Ontario. Currently, municipalities are responsible for delivering these services for social assistance recipients, but the proposed reforms would transfer responsibility to Service System Managers across 15 regions in the province. These organizations can be municipalities or non-profit or for-profit entities, and they will be selected through a competitive process… similar reforms in Australia and the UK have been riddled with problems.
Tags: budget, ideology, participation
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Canada’s poverty rate declines, but strides less apparent for single people
Monday, February 24th, 2020
Canada’s poverty rate declined to a new low in 2018 as the number of low-income people has fallen by more than one million over a three-year period… The percentage of Canadians in poverty was 8.7 per cent, down from 9.5 per cent in 2017 and the lowest under the current formula, which is soon to be replaced… Statscan pointed to gains in market income – that is, income from employment, private pensions and investments – with making an impact… a government focus on child benefits – both at the federal and provincial levels – has also helped
Tags: budget, economy, housing, ideology, participation, poverty
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To fight crime, Canada has to fight poverty, inequality and despair
Tuesday, February 11th, 2020
Liberal politicians want to talk about locking up guns and Conservatives want to talk about locking up people… both approaches are reasonable. But they are narrow in focus. They’re designed to appeal to each party’s base, and as such do not come close to addressing the complex issues behind gun and gang violence… How hard is it for politicians to understand that the most effective policies for reducing youth violence are ones that cut poverty
Tags: corrections, crime prevention, ideology, participation, poverty, standard of living, youth
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Canada can end poverty and shrink inequality by adding an annual basic income of $22K, new report says
Thursday, January 23rd, 2020
“Basic income in Canada is not a question of possibilities, but of priorities… It is clear from child and seniors’ benefits that basic income works for many Canadians already. The federal government’s priority now must be to take leadership to make it work for everybody”… “We say we want to do something about poverty. And yet we give away $122 billion worth of tax expenditures every year to people who aren’t anywhere close to the poverty line…”
Tags: budget, economy, featured, Health, homelessness, ideology, jurisdiction, participation, poverty, standard of living, tax
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People live in fear’: What the auditor general’s report could mean for disability support in Ontario
Friday, January 10th, 2020
Ordering tests and specialist reports, particularly for conditions that are not expected to improve, places a burden on the health-care system, as well as causing stress for recipients… People are constantly worried — it contributes to your mental health. We’ve had clients who were unsuccessful at a medical review, and it caused a relapse in their condition.”
Tags: budget, disabilities, Health, ideology, mental Health, poverty
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System transformation in Ontario Works: Considerations for Ontario
Thursday, January 9th, 2020
… until better outcomes are precisely defined, funding mechanisms developed to facilitate a more integrated system, and policy goals and purposes outlined that put people at the centre of reform, a strong case has not yet been made for the government’s proposed reforms.
Tags: budget, featured, ideology, jurisdiction, poverty, standard of living
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ODSP needs support, not criticism
Friday, January 3rd, 2020
Understood properly, ODSP is growing at the same rate as Ontario’s aging population… Given cuts to other disability benefit programs, the reality is that ODSP should be increasing in numbers and cost more than it has…. ODSP benefits have declined by approximately 1 per cent per year to inflation over the last 25 years.
Tags: budget, disabilities, featured, ideology, pensions, poverty, standard of living
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Bump in low-income rates expected as Statistics Canada set to redraw poverty line
Monday, December 23rd, 2019
The measure calculates the minimum a person or family would have to earn to afford a basket of goods and services needed to reach a modest or basic living standard… federal officials would decide “on the actions to be taken” with Statscan’s recommendations, including which to implement, and which to send for more research when it comes to making the changes. A final report from Statscan is expected in February.
Tags: ideology, poverty, standard of living
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Can we ensure everyone has an affordable life?
Wednesday, December 11th, 2019
Health is the great equalizer. No matter where we’re from, what our values are, what our age or our political beliefs, we all want to have a healthy and long life. And if we agree on that, then we can say affordability is about the amount and type of resources we need to live a healthy and thriving life… Individual income is only one component of a broader social safety net that supports a thriving population; employers, government and community all play pivotal roles too.
Tags: budget, Health, ideology, participation, standard of living
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10 Things to Know About Poverty Measurement in Canada
Friday, November 22nd, 2019
Use of the Low Income Measure (LIM) would suggest that poverty in Canada has seen mild fluctuations since the mid-1990s… The LIM is useful for international comparisons…Use of the Market Basket Measure (MBM) suggests that Canada has seen a major decrease in poverty over the past decade… If you’re poor according to the MBM, it’s because experts believe you could not afford that basket of goods in your community.
Tags: budget, ideology, jurisdiction, participation, poverty, standard of living
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