poverty « Social Policy in Ontario

Posts Tagged ‘poverty’

Social assistance poverty gap skyrocketed

Tuesday, May 10th, 2016

In 2014, despite modest adjustments to social assistance rates and other supports such as the Ontario Trillium Benefit implemented by both the McGuinty and Wynne governments, the poverty gap for singles stood at a stark 59 per cent. Though smaller than the gap for single individuals receiving Ontario Works, the poverty gap for all family types has followed a similar pattern, growing dramatically over time. The poverty gap for the additional family types studied is between 30 and 40 per cent.

Tags: budget, featured, Health, housing, ideology, participation, poverty, standard of living
Posted in Social Security Delivery System | No Comments »

Proper housing is a crucial a health issue

Sunday, May 8th, 2016

Social factors, like housing, income and wealth, educational background and race are more powerful determinants of health outcomes than our behaviours, genes or even the health-care system. And yet, experts in health are often trained to focus on the provision of health-care services, often sending patients back into the social and economic conditions that made them sick… As health-care providers, we know the actual prescription needed is safe, secure and affordable housing.

Tags: crime prevention, disabilities, economy, Health, homelessness, ideology, mental Health, participation, poverty, standard of living
Posted in Inclusion Debates | No Comments »

Guaranteed income the answer

Saturday, May 7th, 2016

… administration of Ontario Works and ODSP… costs are just the tip of the iceberg to administer a system that keeps people in abject poverty, is punitive and provides little incentive for people to improve their economic circumstances… a GAI system similar to the federal Old Age Security… would reduce administration costs drastically, would restore dignity to low-income individuals and families and would provide more incentive to improve economic circumstances.

Tags: budget, economy, featured, ideology, mental Health, participation, poverty, standard of living, tax
Posted in Social Security Delivery System | No Comments »

From exploited to supported: Phasing out Canada’s lowest wage work programs

Friday, April 29th, 2016

[It] is about more than ensuring minimum wage rates and decent workplace conditions for intellectually disabled individuals… It is about transitioning supports from segregated and congregate settings to community participation, community engagement and community employment.” … fram[ing] the shift away from the sheltered workshop model as a “deinstitutionalizing segregated labour markets.”

Tags: disabilities, economy, featured, ideology, mental Health, participation, poverty, rights, standard of living
Posted in Inclusion Delivery System | No Comments »

Indigenous communities must be part of the global green energy revolution

Thursday, April 28th, 2016

… energy is a key determinant of economic, social, educational and health outcomes. Without a supply of adequate energy services, other critical infrastructure that supports the provision of clean water, sewage treatment, educational and medical needs becomes problematic… Canada can now begin to promote global leadership in… climate change… but promote universal energy access… And in doing so, we can create export opportunities for our clean tech sector in the global marketplace.

Tags: economy, featured, Indigenous, participation, poverty, standard of living
Posted in Inclusion Delivery System | No Comments »

Re-framing poverty as a matter of rights

Thursday, April 21st, 2016

The changes we are seeing are not the result of a system that protects people from poverty, nor are they the product of a human rights approach to poverty. None of these strategies explicitly state that they will be accountable for meeting the needs of people living in poverty by addressing and protecting their social and economic rights… By insisting that human rights are inalienable and universal, we affirm the minimum standard of dignity for people in Canada. And it is not only government, but also business, civil society and individuals that share in the responsibility for promoting and protecting human rights…

Tags: featured, Health, housing, ideology, mental Health, participation, poverty, rights, standard of living
Posted in Social Security Policy Context | 1 Comment »

Canada must do better on caring for its children

Saturday, April 16th, 2016

Measured against these inequality gaps, Canada is at the back of the pack — ranking 26 out of 35 rich countries… But the truth is too many of our children are unhappy and unhealthy. They don’t have a fair shot in life… Most areas that were assessed showed little or no improvement over the last decade… Canada is one of a handful of countries, along with France, Iceland and Sweden, where inequality among children has increased markedly in recent years.

Tags: child care, featured, ideology, participation, poverty, standard of living
Posted in Equality Debates | No Comments »

Poorest children in Canada falling even further behind

Friday, April 15th, 2016

The global report, “UNICEF’s Report Card 13: Fairness for Children,” focused on what is called “bottom-end inequality” — how far the poorest children are allowed to fall behind the average of their peers.
It looked at the difference in four key areas — income, health, education and life satisfaction — between those children at the bottom 10 per cent of family income and those in the middle… In this latest study, Canada is 26th out of 35 nations.

Tags: child care, ideology, Indigenous, mental Health, participation, poverty, standard of living, youth
Posted in Equality Policy Context | No Comments »

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Social Policy in Ontario