Reducing Poverty In Ontario

Thursday, 18 September 2014 06:39

Oxford Poverty Action Coalition/Social Planning Council Oxford say more needs to be done with provincial plan.

OXFORD COUNTY -- The Oxford Poverty Action Coalition says while the provincial government's recently-announced Poverty Reduction Plan provides a bold vision, it also provides little substance.

The plan recommits to reducing child poverty by 25%, a goal that was set in Ontario’s first Poverty Reduction Plan released in 2008. While progress was made, child poverty saw a decrease of only 9.2% in the five-year timeline the province had set for itself.

Executive Director for the Social Planning Council Oxford Ashley Farrar says poverty in general in the County is a problem.

"In particular I can tell you that our food banks -- and this is across Oxford County -- 30 percent or more of the people receiving services from our food banks are actually under the age of 18, so to me, that's a significant problem."

According to recent numbers based on 2010 after tax data, using the Low-Income Measure, 12.3% of Oxford County families live in low income while 12.6% of children aged 0-17 are living in low income.

Farrar says while there are glimmers of hope in this plan, the strategy includes no new funding, or any measurable objectives.

"They did list a couple of things in the Poverty Reduction Plan, including one of the items is extending affordable housing but the number that they are extending it by is 1000 new supportive housing spaces. Well, 1000 new supportive housing spaces across Ontario, we could absorb all of those just in Oxford County."

"I think that they have got a great vision. It's very wonderful to hear that they are recognizing that homelessness, that child poverty is an issue but the biggest problem is that we need funding to come with this, we need implementation to come with it and without that all it is is just talk."

Farrar says it’s not enough to release a report that acknowledges the problem; the province needs to step up and make the changes that are necessary for eliminating poverty.