On July 31, Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services announced the government's plan to "reform Social Assistance so that it helps more people break the cycle of poverty, re-enter the workforce and get back on track."
“We’re going to hit the pause button on the previous government’s patchwork system and replace it with a system that helps stabilize people in need and support them to succeed,” MacLeod said.
MacLeod highlighted that the government has set a 100-day deadline to develop and announce a sustainable Social Assistance program that focuses on helping people lift themselves out of poverty. In the intermediate term, the government will provide current Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Program recipients with an across-the-board 1.5 percent increase in support rates to help them with a higher cost of living. As part of this reform, MacLeod also announced that the Province will be winding down Ontario’s Basic Income research project in order to focus resources on more proven approaches.
While work is underway, people receiving support through the Ontario Disability Support Program will receive a 1.5 percent cost of living increase on September 1, 2018. Ontario Works recipients will receive the same increase on October 1, 2018.
But critics like the Income Security Advocacy Centre criticize the plan saying that this cut will take approximately $150 million out of the hands of people who are among the most vulnerable in Ontario.
"Low-income people in Ontario have been through enough reviews about reform," they state. The recommendations in the latest report, called “Income Security: A Roadmap for Change,” should be immediately implemented if the government wants to support people in their efforts to both participate in the labour market and their communities, and be able to live with dignity and respect.
Read the government's news release on changes to social assistance.
Read the Income Security Advocacy Centre news release.
Read "Poverty in Canada" article below, under "reports".