Minister's Message
Two years ago, Ontario released the first Poverty Reduction Strategy in the province's history. For the first time, Ontario formally recognized that child poverty is not acceptable. In order to enshrine our commitment to poverty reduction in law, we introduced legislation that passed with all-party support. As Minister of Children and Youth Services, I am privileged to lead our government's ambitious plan to reduce poverty in Ontario, and fulfill the vision we all share of a province in which everyone – regardless of his or her background or circumstances – has the opportunity to succeed.
Not only is poverty morally unacceptable, as a province we quite simply cannot afford it. We cannot afford to ignore the lost potential of children growing up in poverty and its broader impact on us all. We strategically targeted our efforts to strike at the roots of poverty because we believe that children should have the opportunity to succeed and contribute. We believe in reducing barriers and working together to build a stronger Ontario.
As I reflect on the global recession of the last two years, the importance of our Poverty Reduction Strategy is made only more evident and our commitment more crucial. The global economic downturn has hurt Ontario families. However, over the last two years, we have taken critical steps to help families get back on their feet and made strategic investments in our children and our economy to fuel the recovery and build a prosperous and thriving province for our future. Without these investments, we know that the impact of the recession would have been greater.
Many of these investments are already making a difference. Children and families are benefiting from new education, health care and early development programs. Thousands of Ontarians have taken advantage of new opportunities to prepare for and find employment, and many have received vital financial support and tax relief in the face of the economic downturn felt here in Ontario and around the world. Much of this work is not yet fully reflected in our baseline income indicators, reported for the first time this year because of Statistics Canada's two year data lag. However, we know that the combined investments have meant real change for Ontario families. For example, a single mom with a young child working full time at minimum wage now lives above the poverty line. This is progress we are proud of.
As we forge ahead, we will continue to invest in our children and build on the province's foundational initiatives, like Full-Day Kindergarten, child care and the Ontario Child Benefit. We will continue to invest in our public education system and our postsecondary schools because we know that education increases the potential for prosperity. And, we will continue to reduce barriers, streamline our social services and develop strong, integrated and supportive communities. Long-term poverty reduction is a shared responsibility that requires all hands on deck. We continue to call on the federal government to play its vital role, and encourage all Ontarians to recognize that each of us has the opportunity to make a difference.
I want to congratulate Premier McGuinty, the Honourable Deb Matthews, and my colleagues at the Results Table for championing poverty reduction in this province, and I would like to thank the thousands of individuals and organizations who contribute to the fulfillment of this vision every day. In that spirit, I am pleased to present this report on the first two years of Ontario's five year Poverty Reduction Strategy, and look forward to achieving continued success over the next three years.
The Honourable Laurel Broten
Minister of Children and Youth Services
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Breaking the Cycle: The First Two Years
- 2010 Report Home
- Minister's Message
- Introduction: The First Two Years
- Progress: Building on the Foundation
- Measures: Indicators and Outcomes
- Outlook: for 2011
Download full report (PDF).
Download and read Ontario's Poverty Reduction Strategy.