Ontario Government to reform Social Assistance program

Over the past 15 years the number of Ontarians on Social Assistance has escalated by 55 percent.

Lisa MacLeod, Ontario Minister of Children, Community and Social Services announced the Ontario government's decision to accelerate 100 day deadline to develop this Assistance program to help people out of poverty.

"Social assistance will always be about compassion for people in need, but it must also be about lifting people up and helping them get their lives back on track through more jobs, more opportunities and more hope. Tackling the serious issues facing our social assistance system is not an easy thing to do. But it is the right thing to do. And we will get this right," said MacLeod.

The government In the intermediate term will provide current Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Program recipients with an across-the-board increase of 1.5 percent in support rates to help them with a higher cost of living.

MacLeod also announced that the Province will be closing Ontario’s Basic Income research project in order to focus resources on more important resources.

“Our plan will help get people back to work and keep them working, while supporting people with disabilities to work when they are able and participate in their communities,” said MacLeod, “And our efforts to fix social assistance...will provide focused benefits to lower income families.”

(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)

Image:  Lisa MacLeod/Facebook