Ontario Campaign 2000 will release its annual provincial Report Card on Child and Family Poverty on Tuesday November 21, 2017, in Toronto. The report Ending Child and Family Poverty Is Not Negotiable: Building Stronger Foundations for Ontario Families, will be launched at a press conference at Queen’s Park, Media Studio at 1pm.

Campaign 2000 national and partners in several provinces will also release their annual report cards on the same day. The national report card launch will take place in Ottawa.

Read media advisory in English and French.

This Monday, June 12, public forums in Winnipeg, Toronto and Charlottetown will connect people across Canada to discuss their priorities for the Canadian Poverty Reduction Strategy (CPRS).

With 4.9 million Canadians in poverty and government consulting for the strategy until June 30, Campaign 2000’s forums will focus on the dire need for federal action on urgent recommendations to eradicate poverty.

On the same day,  Campaign 2000 will release a comprehensive CPRS submission, Federal Action Plan to Eradicate Poverty, outlining solutions with clear targets and timelines for success. Read full media advisory.

Campaign 2000 June Forums
Cross-site online feed starts at 6:30 p.m. EST

Toronto

Shaping Canada’s first Poverty Reduction Strategy
6-9 p.m. EST
Steelworkers Hall, 25 Cecil Street.
Speakers include: Dr. Gary Bloch (St. Michael’s Hospital), Neethan Shan (Ward 42 City Councillor), Maya Roy (CEO YWCA Canada), Damon Johnston (Aboriginal Council of Winnipeg), Lubna Khalid (Working for Change) and many more.
Host: Campaign 2000

Winnipeg

Shaping Canada’s first Poverty Reduction Strategy
5-8 p.m. CST
Winnipeg Harvest, 1085 Winnipeg Ave.
Host: Winnipeg Harvest

Charlottetown

Public Meeting: Canadian Poverty Reduction Strategy
7:00 p.m. ADT
Murphy Community Centre, 200 Richmond St. Room 207, Charlottetown
Hosts: PEI Coalition for a Poverty Eradication Strategy & MacKillop Centre for Social Justice
June 14th Forum

Vancouver

Community Conversation on Federal Poverty Reduction Strategy
9-11:30 a.m. PST
BC Teachers’ Federation Building, 550 West 6th Avenue, Vancouver
Hosts: First Call Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition & BC Poverty Reduction Coalition

Ontario Campaign 2000 acknowledges important policy changes and investments in the 2017 Ontario budget and calls on the provincial government to continue bringing relief to the 326,550 families in low income who need more significant investments in social assistance rates, social housing and workplace reform.

In balancing the budget the government must now make bold changes to create a caring Ontario by addressing income inequality, creating a universal child care program, adequately funding social housing, substantially raising social assistance rates, increasing the minimum wage and providing funding to significantly address the high poverty rates experienced by marginalized groups.

Read media release.

Ontario Campaign 2000 releases its 2016 annual Report Card on Child and Family Poverty on Thursday, November 24 at Queen’s Park, Toronto.  2016 marks the half-way point in Ontario’s second Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS). While small steps have been taken to address child and family poverty in the province, greater action is needed to achieve the goals set out in the PRS.

Ontario children continue to face high rates of poverty. Our 2016 Report Card on Child and Family Poverty “The Time To Act Is Now: Ontario Children Can’t Wait” reports one in six (18.8%) children under 18 and one in five (20.4%) children under six in Ontario live in poverty in the province. Read our media release in full, in English or French.

On the same day, Campaign 2000 releases its national report card along with report cards from several Campaign 2000 provincial partners in Vancouver, British Columbia; Regina, Saskatoon; Winnipeg, Manitoba; Halifax, Nova Scotia; Saint John, New Brunswick; and Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.

Please click on the following links to read and download the press releases, infographic and new report cards:

Ontario Report Card on Child and Family Poverty, 2016, in English and French
Ontario Report Card on Child and Family Poverty, 2016 press release in English and French
Ontario Campaign 2000 shareable infographic

For the national report card or other provincial report cards, please visit Campaign 2000 website

Ontario Campaign 2000 will release its annual provincial Report Card on Child and Family Poverty on Thursday, November 24 in Toronto. The report, THE TIME TO ACT IS NOW: Ontario Children Can’t Wait, will be launched at the Turning The Tide Against Poverty Event (an event hosted by ISARC-Interfaith Social Assistance Reform Coalition).

Presentation will be at 1:15p.m., interviews will be available between 12:30 p.m.-1 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.- 2 p.m.

Read media advisory in English and French.

Toronto – Ontario’s 2016 Budget signals some renewed attention on poverty reduction for children and families with investments and proposed policies in the areas of housing, social assistance and post-secondary education. Long-term, dedicated investments are now needed to help families keep up with the skyrocketing costs of living and to wipe out child and family poverty for good. For our full response, read our media release.

Toronto – Ontario’s 2015 Budget lacks significant investments in the social infrastructure required to reduce child and family poverty in the province. Budget 2015 states an intention to build on the province’s commitments to poverty reduction but falls short of making the investments in income supports, childcare, housing and extended health benefits that will improve the day to day lives of families in low and modest income today.  Read our full media release.

On July 14th, the Ontario government re-introduced Budget 2014. Find Ontario Campaign 2000’s analysis in our media release.

Toronto – The 2013 Ontario budget makes strong steps forward in some areas but does not fully increase the Ontario Child Benefit, the cornerstone of Ontario’s Poverty Reduction Strategy. At the same time, the budget starts the process of social assistance reform. Further action is still required in other areas that will reduce child poverty in the province. Read full media release.