[homeles_ot-l] Fwd: {ODSPAction} ISAC response to Ontario Budget 2009

[Terrie]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jennefer Laidley (ISAC) <laidleyj at lao.on.ca>
Date: 2009/3/26
Subject: {ODSPAction} ISAC response to Ontario Budget 2009
To: odspaction at googlegroups.com


 Hello everyone,



The Ontario government just released its 2009-10 Budget. You can access
their announcement and all the budget documentation if you go to
http://www.fin.gov.on.ca/english/budget/ontariobudgets/2009/.



In the meantime, this is the press release that ISAC has just issued:



*For Immediate Release*

*Ontario** Must Move on Social Assistance Reform: Budget 2009*



*TORONTO** (March 28, 2009)* - The McGuinty government’s budget has taken
important steps to reduce poverty in Ontario. However, fundamental reform of
social assistance remains a necessity, particularly as growing numbers of
Ontarians lose their jobs.



“The McGuinty government is moving in the right direction on poverty
reduction in Ontario,” said Sarah Blackstock, Research & Policy Analyst at
the Income Security Advocacy Centre (ISAC). “This budget shows that
government is beginning to take the needs of people on social assistance
seriously – which is vital, since the welfare rolls in this province are
only going to grow.”



Allowing the increases to the sales tax credit to flow through to Ontario
Works and the Ontario Disability Support Program, and accelerating the
Ontario Child Benefit will put urgently-needed money into the pockets of
people on assistance.



“The next step for the McGuinty government is to begin the Social Assistance
Review that was promised in the Poverty Reduction Strategy,” said
Blackstock. “They have acknowledged that the social assistance system is
broken. It doesn’t provide enough money to let people eat and pay the rent,
it doesn’t provide meaningful assistance to find and keep a job, nor does it
address the many other barriers that people face.”



“Now the government needs to do the work to make social assistance
consistent with their goals of poverty reduction and the provision of
opportunity.”



Current social assistance rules require applicants to impoverish themselves.
Applicants must cash out RRSP’s and spend their savings. “When people become
eligible for welfare in this province, they are very near destitute. But
what they find is a welfare system that only deepens and prolongs their
poverty,” said Blackstock. “This is unjust, immoral and unwise.”



The Budget announced a 2% increase to social assistance rates. In addition,
people on social assistance will benefit from the permanent increase to the
Ontario Sales Tax Credit, and the temporary Ontario Sales Tax Transition
Benefit. People on assistance who have children will benefit from the
accelerated Ontario Child Benefit.



However, social assistance rates for people with children will continue to
be restructured as benefits for children are moved into the Ontario Child
Benefit. “We expect government to meet its commitment that each child on
social assistance will be better off by at least $50 a month at full OCB
implementation.”

-30-





You can also see the 25 in 5 Network for Poverty Reduction’s response to the
Budget – and a Backgrounder - by going to www.25in5.ca – it should be up on
the website within a half an hour.



Cheers,

Jennefer





Jennefer Laidley

Communications and Community Engagement Coordinator

Income Security Advocacy Centre (ISAC)

-------

425 Adelaide Street West, 5th Floor

Toronto, Ontario   M5V 3C1

Phone: 416-597-5820 x 5155

Fax: 416-597-5821



www.incomesecurity.org



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-- 
Terrie ( mocharebyl at gmail.com )
“If you see an injustice being committed, you aren't an observer, you are a
participant.” June Callwood
Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future and
renders the present inaccessible.  Maya Angelou
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