Archive for the ‘Social Security Policy Context’ Category
Did free cash drive people to quit work? Not according to a new study of Ontario’s basic income experiment
Thursday, March 5th, 2020
Three-quarters of people who were employed before joining Ontario’s ill-fated basic income pilot project continued to work while receiving the no-strings-attached monthly stipend, according to a new study. And more than one-third of those low-wage workers were able to move to higher paying and more secure jobs… The findings shatter the belief among skeptics that basic income discourages people from working.
Tags: economy, ideology, participation, poverty, standard of living
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What poverty reduction advocates should know about the updated poverty measure
Friday, February 28th, 2020
… the basket now includes the cost of cell phone services… actual rents… updated in line with inflation… Under the new measure poverty has fallen from 14.5% in 2015 to 11.0% in 2018… it’s designed to show the overall level of poverty across a population rather than determine if a particular household is in poverty… to track how poverty is changing in different regions and for different groups. It’s best used to inform poverty reduction efforts… the data shows that single working-age adults have one of the highest poverty rates.
Tags: ideology, poverty, standard of living
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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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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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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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Ontario to spend $90M yearly on free dental care for low-income seniors
Thursday, November 21st, 2019
The Doug Ford government says it will spend $90 million annually to provide free routine dental care to low-income seniors in Ontario…about 100,000 seniors will benefit from the program when it is fully implemented… the program aims to reduce emergency room visits by seniors suffering from dental problems and it is a part of a comprehensive provincial plan to end “hallway health care.”
Tags: budget, Health, ideology, poverty, standard of living
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Good advice on fixing Ontario’s welfare system
Monday, November 4th, 2019
“Low benefit rates leave people in deep poverty, and program rules create barriers to their participating in the labour force and improving their lives,” the report says… In short, a focus on cuts rather than results has not only made the lives of the poor more miserable, but it has worked against efforts to get people back into the labour force.
Tags: budget, disabilities, economy, featured, ideology, jurisdiction, participation, poverty
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