Ontario Campaign 2000 releases its 2017 annual Report on Child and Family Poverty on Tuesday November 21 at Queen’s Park in Toronto. Ending poverty for Ontario’s children and families must be a key platform for all political parties heading into next spring’s provincial election.

The report calls on all parties to provide concrete poverty reduction initiatives within their 2018 platforms and outlines a comprehensive plan for eliminating child and family poverty across the province. The report entitled “Ending Child and Family Poverty Is Not Negotiable: Building Stronger Foundations for Ontario Families” states that one in six (17.2 per cent) of children under 18 live in poverty in the province, with higher rates experienced by children who are Indigenous, racialized, recent immigrants and for female lone parent families. 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, Saskatchewan; Winnipeg, Manitoba; Halifax, Nova Scotia; Saint John, New Brunswick; and Charlottetown, Prince Edwards Island.

The press release, infographic and new report cards can be found in the links below.

Ontario Report Card on Child and Family Poverty, 2017, in English and French
Press release in English and French
Ontario Campaign 2000 Infographic.

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.

On Tuesday November 21, 2017, Ontario Campaign 2000 will release its 2017 Report Card on Child and Family Poverty in Ontario. The launch will happen in Toronto.

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.

Stay tuned for more information to be released closer to the launch date.

Ontario Campaign 2000 is encouraged that the Ontario government has introduced Bill 148, Fair Workplaces Better Jobs Act to update the Labour Relations Act (LRA) and Employment Standards Act (ESA). The changes within the bill will have a large impact on low income families in the province of Ontario and particularly impact some of the most marginalized in the province, including women, female lone parents, immigrants, and racialized workers. Providing workers with greater income security, job stability, and freedom to organize collectively for their rights as workers are crucial elements of any program for poverty reduction and eradication and to building a strong and healthy Ontario.

Read submission.

The online consultations for the Canadian Poverty Reduction Strategy (CPRS) will close at the end of June 2017. To make a submission or participate in this process, please go to the Government of Canada website and make your voices heard.

Family Service Toronto and Campaign 2000 welcome the government’s decision to launch the national public consultation process for the development of the C-PRS. “With nearly one in five children living in poverty, federal vision is essential to activate the policies and programs urgently needed to eradicate poverty in Canada,” says Anita Khanna, National Coordinator of Campaign 2000. “We welcome the opportunity to inform the development of the strategy and ensure it is guided by targets and timelines that improve the lives of children, families and all people who live in poverty.”

The nation-wide consultation process is achieved through a Poverty Reduction Strategy engagement website (including participating in discussion forums, online town halls and surveys or sending emails) and roundtables with provincial, territorial and municipal governments, Indigenous organizations, businesses, community organizations, academic experts and Canadians who have experienced poverty.

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

After many years of dedicated work by community members and organizations, including $15 and Fairness and Workers Action Centre, Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne announced that the Ontario government will make significant changes to Ontario workplaces including:

• Raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour by January 1, 2019
• Mandating equal pay for equal work for part-time, temporary, casual and seasonal employees
• Expanding personal emergency leave to 10 days including a minimum of 2 paid days per year for all workers
• Increasing vacation time to 3 weeks after an employee is employed 5 years with the same company
• Requiring employees to be paid 3hrs of wages if their shift is cancelled less than 48 hours before their shift

This is a huge step in the right direction for addressing child and family poverty in the province and ensuring that work is a pathway out of poverty.

Read the Ontario government’s press release and further detailed information about the Fair Wages, Better Jobs Act.

 

This week, Members of Provincial Parliament are making key decisions about the future of decent work in Ontario. We must contact our MPPs to show support for decent work that works for families and brings all Ontarians out of poverty.

Significant changes to labour laws can reduce poverty in Ontario. Tell your MPP you support changes such as:

• Boosting minimum wage to $15/hour
• Providing 7 paid sick days
• Ensuring equal pay for part-time temporary and contract workers
• Better rights for temp agency workers
• Advanced schedules
• The right to unionize and respect at work.

Contact your MPP to support #15andFairness

Enter your postal code to find your MPP’s contact info here.
Copy C2000’s message below and email it to your MPP.

Dear _____

We have heard in the news that the government is deciding on labour law reform this week. We support changes that will make jobs across Ontario decent and give all Ontarians protection from abuse.

We want you to support: $15 minimum wage, 7 paid sick days, equal pay for part-time temporary and contract workers, better rights for temp agency workers, advanced schedules, the right to unionize and respect at work.

Making paid work a pathway out of poverty is critical in ending child and family poverty across the province. We need poverty free wages and better working conditions. We need you to support decent work in our community and across the province.

Sincerely,

(Your name)

Other actions:

Tweet your MPP with this message:
@MPPname we want your support to make paid work a pathway out of poverty and support changes to create decent work in ON #15andFairness

You can also retweet from Campaign 2000’s Twitter page @Campaign2000.

For more information go to 15andfairness.org.

Campaign 2000’s Public Forums: Shaping Canada’s First Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS)

Campaign 2000 and partners have called for a federal anti-poverty strategy for decades. Now, the federal government is in the process of developing a federal Poverty Reduction Strategy but the public consultation phase will end June 30.

To ensure community voices are heard within the PRS consultations, on June 12 the Campaign 2000 national network is holding a series of public forums across the country. Forums will take place in British Columbia, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Toronto and Charlottetown. We will connect to speakers from other provinces online to bring our national movement for poverty eradication together.

Panel – Activities – Discussion

Join Campaign 2000 and our partners for an evening of open and engaging discussions to shape Canada’s first Poverty Reduction Strategy. The priorities of people living in poverty and their allies must be heard by government. Please come and make your voice heard loud and clear. Share your insights to ensure the strategy reflects the urgent concerns of Canadians living in poverty and those committed to eradicating it.

Date: Monday, June 12, 2017
Time: 6 – 9 p.m.; Event starts at 6:30 p.m.
Location: Steel Workers Hall, 25 Cecil Street, Toronto (accessible location)
Registration: Limited Seating, please RSVP by Friday, June 2, 2017 on Eventbrite Registration or 416-595-9230 ext.244.

Everyone welcome! We are all in this together.

TTC tokens and light refreshments provided (please state dietary needs). ASL & Child-minding provided by request – contact us by Friday, June 2 with your requests.

For further information please email: [email protected] or call 416-595-9230 ext. 244. We look forward to seeing you on June 12th!

Download and share event flyer.

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.