Executive Summary
In November 2018, the provincial government announced a number of reforms to Ontario’s social assistance programs, Ontario Works and the Ontario Disability Support Program, with the intention of helping recipients break the cycle of poverty.
As two-thirds of food bank clients cite social assistance as their primary source of income, reforms to these programs can have a significant impact on food banks. This report discusses the history of social assistance in Ontario and the impact that previous changes to the system have had on poverty and food insecurity in this province, and analyzes the proposed reforms. In summary, this analysis found that while the reforms included a number of improvements to the current set of policy directives, some of the changes are cause for concern:
- Ontario Works: Despite the proposed increase to earnings exemptions from $200 to $300, the corresponding increase in clawbacks to subsequent earnings from 50 to 75 percent would leave recipients with less net income compared to the current system after working more than 8 hours per week at minimum wage, making it more difficult to move ahead
- Ontario Disability Support Program: The proposed alignment of the program’s definition of disability with the federal guidelines may exclude individuals with episodic disabilities (such as multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s disease) from accessing the support they need
Our Recommendations
To avoid these problems, Feed Ontario recommends the Government of Ontario:
- Maintenir à 50 % le taux de récupération des gains.
- Maintien de la définition actuelle du handicap dans le cadre du POSPH
In addition, to ensure that more Ontarians do not have to make the difficult choices between necessities like food and shelter, Feed Ontario recommends the provincial government invests into the development of more affordable housing and a portable housing benefit.
Produits partageables
S'impliquer
You can help #FeedChange and support people in need across Ontario by taking action on social assistance reform!
Comment puis-je participer ?
- Contact : Call, email, or visit your MPP and ask them to support our recommendations around social assistance reform.
- Médias sociaux : Publiez nos objets à partager et marquez-nous sur Twitter Le lien ouvre une nouvelle fenêtre ou Facebook Le lien ouvre une nouvelle fenêtre afin que nous puissions le renforcer, ainsi que votre député.
Qui dois-je contacter ?
- Votre propre député : Find your riding and MPP’s contact information at Elections Ontario Le lien ouvre une nouvelle fenêtre.
- Autres députés clés : Le premier ministre Doug Ford (@FordNation Le lien ouvre une nouvelle fenêtre), Minister of Children, Community and Social Services, Lisa MacLeod (@MacLeodLisa Le lien ouvre une nouvelle fenêtre), and Parliamentary Assistant for Community and Social Services, Belinda Karahalios (@KarahaliosPC Le lien ouvre une nouvelle fenêtre)
En savoir plus
Feed Ontario and the provincial food bank network have long-advocated for social assistance reform to improve the programs that so many of our province’s most vulnerable citizens rely on, including nearly 60% of food bank clients.
Le gouvernement de l'Ontario se concentrant sur la recherche de gains d'efficacité et d'économies, l'investissement dans la réduction de la pauvreté est un choix judicieux, car on estime que la pauvreté coûte à l'État $13,1 milliards d'euros par an Le lien ouvre une nouvelle fenêtre ($15,8 milliards après indexation sur l'inflation), en raison de facteurs tels que l'augmentation des coûts de santé Le lien ouvre une nouvelle fenêtre et la perte de productivité.
Beyond the short-term changes to social assistance outlined in our recommendations above, we also strongly encourage the Government of Ontario to consider our other recommandations pour le changement.