OUTLOOK
FOR 2012
Despite the effects of a challenging economic climate, measurable progress has been made towards improving the lives – and future prospects – of children and families across the province.
Together we are making a difference
When we embarked on the Poverty Reduction Strategy three years ago, it was clear that we were taking on a bold and unprecedented goal: reducing child poverty by 25 per cent in five years.
But the figures are beginning to show improvement. We are making progress.
The poverty prevalence for children in Ontario declined from 15.2 per cent in 2008 to 14.6 per cent in 2009. That means 20,000 children have moved out of poverty. We have made progress despite a global economic recession.
Changes in the number of children living in deep poverty are even more encouraging. The poverty prevalence for these children declined from 8.5 per cent in 2008 to 7.3 per cent in 2009, meaning that 34,000 children were lifted out of deep poverty.
Also, our Standard of Living indicator tells us that the number of children living in households that could not afford two or more essential items has decreased from 12.5 per cent in 2008 to 8.7 per cent in 2009.
Today, 52,500 more elementary school students are meeting or exceeding provincial reading, writing and math standards than was the case eight years ago and the high school graduation rate has increased to 81 per cent, a 13 percentage point increase since 2003–04.
While we acknowledge that 2012 promises to be a year of continuing economic uncertainty, we also recognize the importance of protecting the progress we have made together over the past eight years. We remain committed to our Poverty Reduction Strategy, and that means continuing to invest in Ontario's people – especially our children and our most vulnerable – so that we can keep building on the tremendous progress we have made.
Moving forward
As we look to 2012, we remain committed to the long-term goals of Ontario's Poverty Reduction Strategy and to our vision of a province in which every individual has the opportunity to achieve, succeed, and contribute:
- The Results Table, chaired by the Minister of Children and Youth Services, the Honourable Dr. Eric Hoskins, and made up of Cabinet Ministers, Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs) and external experts, will re-convene in the new year and continue the important work of guiding and monitoring the implementation of the Poverty Reduction Strategy.
- The Commission for the Review of Social Assistance will conclude in June 2012, and we look forward to receiving their recommendations for a more responsive, coordinated and transparent social services system.
- In January 2012, we will reduce the average tuition by 30 per cent for full-time undergraduate college and university students whose families earn less than $160,000 per year to keep postsecondary education within their reach.
- The Not-For-Profit Corporation Act, 2010 will come into force in 2012, and benefit many organizations across the province, including those providing food, employment and housing assistance.
- Ontario's innovative Social Venture Exchange will launch in early 2012 to help strengthen the social enterprise sector and, in turn, further the goals of the Poverty Reduction Strategy.
- We will continue implementing Ontario's Comprehensive Mental Health and Addictions Strategy, supported by investments that will grow to $93 million a year by 2013-14, to improve outcomes for kids struggling with mental health issues.
- Implementation of Full-Day Kindergarten will continue expanding to reach approximately 120,000 students in 2012–13, with the goal of achieving full provincewide implementation by 2014.
- We will continue to listen and work with all Ontarians as we develop the next stage of our strategy.
We continue to urge the federal government to support Ontario's poverty reduction efforts, and partner with us by providing stable funding in critical areas such as child care and early learning, Aboriginal communities, health care and skills training. We will also continue in our efforts to call for critically needed changes in Employment Insurance so that Ontario workers are adequately supported.
We encourage municipal governments, not-for-profit organizations – and every Ontarian – to play a part in this very important endeavour, and to recognize that poverty is everybody's business.
Conclusion
As we reflect on our progress over the first three years, we need to remember that the indicators are not simply statistics. They represent real lives and the future of real individuals and families. We know that the dream of one generation – for example, to go to college or university – becomes the expectation of the next. We know that raising one child out of the intergenerational cycle of poverty will affect many generations to come, which underlines the critical importance of the work we are doing today.
As a government, as professionals and volunteers who work every day in our communities with Ontario's most vulnerable population, and as citizens, we have the opportunity to bring lasting change to the lives of Ontarians living in poverty. We are well on our way toward that goal, and we acknowledge with sincere thanks every Ontarian who is playing a part in making a difference every day.
back to top
Download and read Ontario's Poverty Reduction Strategy.