Archive for the ‘Social Security Debates’ Category
What the new Ontario budget means for those on social assistance
Friday, March 24th, 2023
In this budget, as in all its previous changes to social assistance, the government did not introduce any new funding for the province’s nearly 400,000 Ontario Works beneficiaries. Ontario Works is social assistance for those who are not disabled but cannot work. The program provides a maximum of $733 per month for a single adult, an amount that has not changed since 2018, when the current government halved planned increases .
Tags: budget, disabilities, featured, ideology, jurisdiction, poverty, standard of living
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Getting a fuller picture of poverty in Canada: why the government’s official poverty measure is insufficient
Thursday, March 23rd, 2023
The material dimension of poverty is calculated by taking low-income and material deprivation indicators into account… Examples of these necessities include a pair of properly fitting shoes and at least one pair of winter boots; the ability to eat meat, fish or another protein equivalent every second day; and the ability to buy small gifts for family or friends once a year.
Tags: ideology, participation, poverty, standard of living
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Better income assistance programs are needed to help people with rising cost of living
Friday, September 30th, 2022
If the goal of temporary assistance is to help those in need, it must have broader coverage and better tapering. The only program that qualifies at present is the GST credit, but even these payments are modest and only delivered quarterly… A more generous income assistance program should also have more frequent regular payments… a guaranteed basic income for working-age Canadians, might provide better support for those in need.
Tags: ideology, jurisdiction, poverty, standard of living
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Boost social assistance
Thursday, September 22nd, 2022
The Doug Ford government raised ODSP payments by five per cent this month… and will index them to inflation. There was no increase to Ontario Works payments… It’s painfully clear that the base amounts for both programs are simply inadequate given the sharp rise in housing and food costs over the last year… More financial help is needed.
Tags: budget, disabilities, ideology, jurisdiction, participation, poverty, standard of living
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Why we need to care about single adults living in poverty
Friday, July 1st, 2022
… single adults made up more than 60 per cent of OW cases and nearly 80 per cent of ODSP cases in 2021. Together, they equal the population of Ontario’s fastest growing city… The social assistance system was intended to be an emergency system – a last resort when all else failed. Well, all else is failing. Our other social systems are not preventing single adults from living in poverty. Rather, these systems are pushing people into poverty and holding them there… our social safety net is a relic of another era, as is our notion of who needs it.
Tags: disabilities, featured, ideology, participation, rights, standard of living
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Liberals leave disability benefit bill in limbo as Parliament breaks for summer
Sunday, June 26th, 2022
When the bill was reintroduced… consultations were ongoing even as it took months for the government to bring the same bill back to the table for debate. The regulations will outline who would be eligible, the amount of the benefit, how often it will be paid and how, and an appeals process if applications are denied. There is also a big concern that the benefit might interact negatively with provincial programs resulting in clawbacks on other programs…
Tags: budget, disabilities, jurisdiction, participation, poverty, standard of living
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Inadequate disability supports make the message clear: Your government will help you die, but not live with dignity
Sunday, June 5th, 2022
The toxic combination of inadequate income supports and skyrocketing inflation means that people who rely on disability benefits can no longer afford to live. And some are choosing not to… Let’s ensure that Canadians with disabilities living in poverty are not forced to choose between paying the bills or applying for the right to die.
Tags: disabilities, featured, ideology, participation, standard of living
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A guaranteed basic income could end poverty, so why isn’t it happening?
Friday, May 13th, 2022
Ontario’s basic income trial illustrated that people with diverse needs reported better personal relationships with friends and family with basic income. In turn, their sense of social inclusion and citizenship improved… Recent cost-benefit analyses have demonstrated that carefully designed cash-based interventions can be cost effective and generate net savings for society. Recipients rely less on social services over time, meaning governments pay less to fund these programs.
Tags: economy, featured, ideology, participation, poverty, standard of living
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A basic income would be an unfair, complicated and costly way to eliminate poverty
Thursday, April 28th, 2022
There are many solutions we can work on to eliminate poverty and inequity in Canada. But a GBI should not be one of them. It’s time we abandoned this utopian dream for pragmatic, rigorously tested, targeted programs that will reduce poverty, provide skills and training and create an inclusive labour market.
Tags: budget, disabilities, economy, ideology, jurisdiction, participation, poverty, tax
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Food banks are a blessing, but they’re no fix for poverty
Monday, November 22nd, 2021
“Until we address the systemic chronic stressors that are producing and reproducing vast inequalities in our communities, we will never be resilient to the acute shocks that occasionally arise,” the report said. “The time to act is now. We urgently need to protect low-income households who continue to struggle with job losses, reduced employment hours and precarious housing.”
Tags: economy, featured, ideology, participation, poverty
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