Hamilton’s Rosemarie Chapman along with the Campaign for Adequate Welfare and Disability Benefits and representatives from Hamilton Community Legal Clinic led a campaign to change a regulation that forced the children of social assistance recipients who were attending college or university to relinquish a significant portion of income derived from part-time work.

Rosemarie and her colleagues met with policy makers and politicians. She asked for and received meetings with Ministers Deb Matthews and Ted McMeekin. Rosemarie’s efforts encouraged the government to recognize that the government regulation was unreasonable and discouraged the pursuit of a college or university education.

Changes were made. As a result of her efforts, low income students –who live at home– are now able to work part-time and save for their educational aspirations without impacting the social assistance benefits of their families.

Rosemarie passsed away in January, but her legacy continued in yesterday’s budget as the government expanded the earning’s exemption – so that high school students over the age of 18 could also save for their future education.

for more about Rosemarie’s contributions to our community:

Changing the World one child at a time

Rosemarie Chapman was a champion for disabled and poor

Budget commitments a start… Poverty Reduction must remain the priority.

Several poverty-related measures were announced in today’s Ontario budget: including increasing social assistance rates by 1% (as well as an additional $14 monthly increase for singles on Ontario Works) and increasing earnings exemptions for those on social assistance that are able to work. However, the changes do not go far enough to address the crisis facing many families in Ontario living who live in deep poverty.

Close to 55,000 children, women and men in Hamilton rely on Ontario social assistance benefits; however rates are so desperately low that many families are not able to afford basic necessities.

Today a single person on Ontario Works receives only $606/month – an amount that does not come close to meeting the actual costs of rental housing, food, utilities, personal needs or other necessities. Today’s budget announcement will increase rates for a single person on Ontario works by $20/month.

Many Hamiltonians are going hungry: Seventy-five percent of all people using food banks in the city are on provincial social assistance programs. The Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction and community partners have called upon the provincial government to overhaul Ontario’s outdated social assistance system. The Roundtable urged the government to immediately increase rates by $100/month and to commit to establishing an evidence-based system for setting rates – based on the real costs of living.

Changes to asset levels and earnings will have an impact: “Creating logical transitions from poverty to prosperity; ones that improve the health of an individual and the community” says Roundtable member and ODSP recipient, Laura Cattari.

“Today’s budget’s was a first step, an acknowledgement that recipients have been living in deep poverty for far too long” says Peter Hutton, chair of the Roundtable’s social assistance working group. “We look forward to working with the government and all political parties to ensure real social assistance reform remains a priority”.

For Hamilton and other communities, there does not appear to be an initial announcement to reverse last year’s cuts to Community Start Up and Maintenance Benefits or Discretionary Health benefits–critical programs intended to prevent homelessness and maintain health. Hamilton organizations led a campaign last December that saw the provincial government commit $42 million in transitional funds to cover the cuts for 2013. “With no further provincial commitments, the future of those programs will be placed in crisis once again at the end of this year” said Tom Cooper, Director of the Roundtable.

No job security? No benefits?

You’re not alone

Find out how the GHTA (Greater Hamilton and Toronto area’s) employment picture is changing and becoming more precarious and what we can do to fix things…

Precarious Employment Community Forum April 18 2013

Thursday, April 18th

Hamilton Spectator Auditorium

44 Frid Street, Hamilton

The House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance will be holding hearings on Income Inequality in Canada.  The hearings come at a time when many observers agree the income gap between the lowest income earners and Canada’s most affluent residents is growing.  According to the Conference Board of Canada, “Canada isn’t living up to its potential or its reputation when it comes to societal issues like poverty, government and inequality”.

The Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction has prepared a brief:  Hamilton Roundtable submission to FINA to the Standing Committee on Finance outlining key indicators of inequality within our community along with recommendations to reduce Hamilton and Canada’s inequality gap.

Read the Hamilton Spectator’s coverage

Media Statement April 2nd

Laura Cattari presentation to Minister Sousa

Coverage from the Hamilton Spectator

International Women’s Day gives us the opportunity to highlight the extraordinary accomplishments of women – but also to discuss challenges facing many who struggle in poverty without access to affordable, safe, accessible housing. How’s the Weather is a local campaign that seeks to put a gender-lens on homelessness. More than 300 women are turned away from shelters every month in Hamilton because of lack of space.
A community forum held today called “Why Gender” discussed solutions and ways to engage the public. Included was an announcement on new funding to address women’s homelessness. Students from McMaster University also led a ‘Flash Mob’ at Gore Park to raise awareness of the issues.

How\'s the Weather Campaign receives boost

Town Hall Forum on Health and Poverty

CMA town hall shines national spotlight on Code Red

The Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction has released a position paper on the proposed new casino development in Hamilton.  Please find the Casino development – HRPR Position Paper February 2013 along with background research  Casino – HRPR Research Review Sept 2012