Breaking the Cycle: Ontario's Poverty Reduction Strategy

OUTLOOK

FOR 2011

Our commitment
Moving forward
Better partnerships
Conclusion

Our commitment

Ontario's Poverty Reduction Strategy is a long-term commitment that is already improving the lives of Ontarians. Over the first two years, we have made significant progress on our commitments and have built a solid foundation. However, we know there is much more to do. We are realistic about the impacts of the economy on our indicators, but we remain committed to our goals and our strategy. We will continue working to provide opportunities for all Ontarians, and ensure that our communities and our province remain strong, healthy and prosperous.

Moving forward

As we enter year three of our five year plan, and anticipate Ontario's continuing economic recovery, we are confident that the stage has been set for continued and substantial progress.

Ontario will continue to expand Full-Day Kindergarten across the province, to give young children the best possible foundation for educational success. Steps have already been taken to identify Phase Three schools.
We look forward to implementing the new Not-for-Profit Corporations Act, 2010 that will further empower not-for-profit corporations to do their vital work.
The Long-Term Affordable Housing Strategy will help municipalities deliver results tailored to the specific needs of their local communities, steps will be taken to consolidate our fragmented housing system, and legislative reform will bring new and welcome flexibility to the system.
The Social Assistance Review will take place over the next 18 months and we look forward to the advice of the commissioners undertaking this review.
We will use the reports from the Select Committee on Mental Health and Addictions and the Minister's Advisory Group to inform the development of a Mental Health and Addictions Strategy.
Building on the progress we have made on dental care for children and youth from low-income families, steps will be taken to integrate provincial low-income dental programs, providing more streamlined and better care for low-income Ontarians.
The government is moving towards providing benefits on a more timely and regular basis. A new web portal will soon make it easier for people to find out what tax credits and benefits they can claim.
The Ontario Clean Energy Benefit (OCEB), announced this fall, will provide a ten per cent benefit to help consumers manage rising electricity prices for the next five years. The OCEB, which would help more than four million residential consumers and more than 400,000 small businesses, farms and other consumers, will take effect on January 1, 2011.
The government has asked the Ontario Energy Board to work on a provincewide strategy to help low-income consumers manage their energy consumption and costs. The Ontario Power Authority will also develop a comprehensive electricity conservation program for low-income households, in coordination with the natural gas utilities. Through such conservation measures, low-income customers will be able to reduce their energy bills. This program will be rolled out in 2011.
The Task Force on Social Finance, chaired by Ilse Treurnicht of MaRS and convened by Social Innovation Generation (SiG), will catalyze a national discussion on mobilizing private capital for public good. The Task Force's report will provide recommendations on opportunities for Canada's enterprising charities, not-for-profits, cooperatives and for-profit social purpose businesses to access social venture funds, new debt financing options, and other innovative impact investment funds. The Ontario government is looking forward to reviewing this report.

Better partnerships

Reaching our targets depends, equally, on the shared commitment of our partners. Together we can achieve more.

We acknowledge and support the valuable work being done in our communities and by dedicated not-for-profit organizations across Ontario. However, we continue to call on the Canadian government, which has a key role to play in strengthening many dimensions of the Poverty Reduction Strategy.

We need the federal government to be a better partner in supporting and funding critical infrastructure for Ontario workers, families, and the new economy. This includes ending federal practices of time-limited funding. Rather, Ontarians need to see stable, adequate funding in areas such as child care and early learning, skills training, and health care. It also means reinvesting in key data collection tools that provide vital information to maximize service and program delivery outcomes, especially for people living in or at risk of falling into poverty.

The federal government also needs to recognize that the current Employment Insurance Program does not address labour market conditions in Ontario or adequately support Ontario workers. We have voiced our concerns about the lack of fairness in Employment Insurance and the decision to discontinue the extended Employment Insurance benefits.

We encourage the federal government to follow up on the 2009 increase to the Working Income Tax Benefit for families by doubling this benefit from the original $1,000 level. And we support the recommendation of the Senate Subcommittee on Cities report concerning the need for Canada, the provinces and territories to work together and make lifting people out of poverty a common goal.

Finally, we acknowledge and encourage the efforts of many thousands of Ontarians who volunteer across the province and, in ways both large and small, make a profound contribution every day.

Conclusion

As Ontario looks at the challenges ahead, it is clear that we need all hands on deck. Global competition for good jobs, an aging workforce, and the need for high skills and productivity mean that our human capital is our most important resource. We simply cannot afford to waste the potential of any Ontarians today or in the future.

Investing in poverty reduction is the smart thing to do for Ontario's future growth and prosperity. Policies and programs that tackle poverty, such as better training and education, and early childhood education, lay the foundation for a smarter, better-equipped workforce that positions Ontario for the future.

We are confident in our Poverty Reduction Strategy; the foundations we have put in place during years one and two have helped set the stage for year three. And we anticipate another exciting year of achievements. We remain committed to clear and open reporting of our progress and look forward to communicating the results of our continuing work in 2011.

Breaking the Cycle: The First Two Years

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