Media & Policy News: 29 September 2017

Top Stories

Stats on homelessness in Timmins, Cochrane, Hearst and Moosonee shared at summit: Low social assistance shelter rates a fundamental problem:
http://www.timminspress.com/2017/09/27/latest-district-stats-on-homelessness-shared-at-summit

• City of London calls for a higher Ontario Works rate: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/city-hall-meeting-tuesday-1.4297702

Ontario is complicit in precarious employment: https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2017/09/27/ontario-is-complicit-in-precarious-employment-cohn.html

• Recycling plant ordered to pay $1.33 million in fines, back wages:
  https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/09/25/recycling-plant-ordered-to-pay-133m-in-fines-back-wages.html
• Employment Law: Doughnut shop facing “hole” lot of trouble:
  https://www.thespec.com/news-story/7558967-ed-canning-teens-fired-from-doughnut-shop-over-going-home-at-end-of-shift/
• Workers, know your rights: https://thevarsity.ca/2017/09/25/workers-know-your-rights/
• Op-Ed: Low-waged, precarious employment taking toll on North Bay community:
  http://www.nugget.ca/2017/09/27/low-waged-precarious-employment-taking-toll-on-our-community
• Proposed law would give paid leave to domestic and sexual violence survivors: https://www.thespec.com/news-story/7583692-proposed-law-would-give-paid-leave-to-domestic-and-sexual-violence-survivors/
• Ontario inching closer to significant employment and labour changes: http://www.fasken.com/en/ontario-inching-closer-to-significant-employment-and-labour-changes/

Province tries to allay business fears over minimum wage hike:
https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2017/09/28/province-tries-to-allay-business-fears-over-minimum-wage-hike.html

• Extend minimum wage implementation: Sudbury chamber: http://www.thesudburystar.com/2017/09/28/extend-minimum-wage-implementation-sudbury-chamber
• Business coalition urges five-year implementation of minimum wage hike: http://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/canada-news-pmn/business-coalition-urges-five-year-implementation-of-minimum-wage-hike
• A $15 minimum wage could cost Ontario up to 90,000 jobs, TD bank says: http://business.financialpost.com/news/economy/a-15-minimum-wage-could-cost-ontario-up-to-90000-jobs-td-bank-says
• They huff and they puff: More overblown claims about a $15 minimum wage:
  http://behindthenumbers.ca/2017/09/27/they-huff-and-they-puff-about-minimum-wage/
• Government release: Annual minimum wage increase to come into effect October 1: https://news.ontario.ca/mol/en/2017/09/annual-minimum-wage-increase-to-come-into-effect-october-1-1.html

87% of small business families see no benefit to income sprinkling:
http://www.bnn.ca/87-of-small-business-families-see-no-benefit-to-income-sprinkling-survey-1.866344#_gus&_gucid=&_gup=Facebook&_gsc=WtjyhKm

• CCPA news release: https://www.policyalternatives.ca/newsroom/news-releases/least-87-cent-small-biz-families-see-no-net-benefit-income-sprinkling-report
• CCPA Report: Splitting the Difference: Who really benefits from small business income splitting?: https://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/splitting-difference
• Closing tax loopholes is an important step toward tax fairness: https://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2017/09/19/closing-tax-loopholes-is-an-important-step-toward-tax-fairness.html
• Wealthy Canadians already pay enough taxes, argues Canadian Taxpayers Federation: https://globalnews.ca/news/3767145/wealthy-canadians-already-pay-enough-taxes-argues-ctf/
• Stay the course and finally close these unfair tax loopholes: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/jerry-dias/stay-the-course-and-finally-close-these-unfair-tax-loopholes_a_23223692/
• Tax changes to make system fair, not stifle business growth: Trudeau: https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/tax-changes-to-make-system-fair-not-stifle-business-growth-trudeau/article36390873/?ref=http://www.theglobeandmail.com&

Ontario taps Hamilton groups to help with recruitment for basic income study:
https://www.thespec.com/news-story/7580340-ontario-taps-hamilton-groups-to-help-with-recruitment-for-basic-income-study/

• Intentional neglect or callous oversight? How ‘progressive’ basic income proposals fail migrants:
  http://socialistproject.ca/bullet/1489.php

Ontario names advisory group to help with jobs for people with disabilities:
http://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/canada-news-pmn/ontario-names-advisory-group-to-help-with-jobs-for-people-with-disabilities

• Government release: Ontario taking steps to increase employment for people with disabilities: https://news.ontario.ca/acc/en/2017/09/ontario-taking-steps-to-increase-employment-for-people-with-disabilities.html
• Backgrounder: Members of the Employers’ Partnership Table: https://news.ontario.ca/acc/en/2017/09/members-of-the-employers-partnership-table.html

Tackling racist, sexist hurdles to be part of anti-poverty plan, Duclos says:
http://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/canada-news-pmn/tackling-racist-sexist-hurdles-to-be-part-of-anti-poverty-plan-duclos-says

• Federal release: Minister Duclos meets with stakeholders at National Poverty Conference to talk about his government’s commitment to a Canadian Poverty Reduction Strategy:
  http://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/minister-duclos-takes-another-step-in-developing-the-canadian-poverty-reduction-strategy-648497313.html

Northern Ontario First Nations take federal and Ontario governments to court over $4 annual treaty payments:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/robinson-huron-treaty-annuities-claim-court-case-1.4303287

Toronto Community Housing asks city to commit $1.6 billion over next 10 years for repairs:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/tch-10-year-repair-plan-1.4312478

Ontario

A housing benefit would reduce the need for food banks:
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/ontario-association-of-food-banks/a-housing-benefit-would-reduce-the-need-for-food-banks_a_23218477/

• Government release: Ontario removing barriers to building affordable housing:
  https://news.ontario.ca/mho/en/2017/09/ontario-removing-barriers-to-building-housing-faster.html
• Homeless shelter demand rising in Ontario as facilities close: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/homeless-shelter-ontario-closures-1.4299243

Legal Aid Ontario gets input from African-Canadian community on new ‘black-led, black-focused’ legal clinic:
http://pridenews.ca/2017/09/28/legal-aid-ontario-gets-input-african-canadian-community-shares-information-new-black-led-black-focused-legal-clinic/

• New legal clinic for Black Canadians will be in place within a year:
  http://www.metronews.ca/news/toronto/2017/09/26/new-legal-clinic-for-black-canadians-will-be-in-place-within-a-year-lao.html

Ontario invests $18 million in 45 projects to help end human trafficking: https://globalnews.ca/news/3774970/ontario-invests-18m-in-45-projects-to-help-end-human-trafficking/

• Windsor legal clinic part of province’s plan to fight human trafficking:
  http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/windsor-legal-clinic-part-of-province-s-plan-to-fight-human-trafficking-1.4312550
• Government release: Ontario supporting specialized services for human trafficking survivors: https://news.ontario.ca/mcss/en/2017/09/ontario-supporting-specialized-services-for-human-trafficking-survivors.html

Reports, Events, Campaigns and Other Good Things

Getting Legal Help: Directory of Community Legal Clinics in Ontario: New Edition:
http://mailchi.mp/cleo/getting-legal-help-a-directory-of-community-legal-clinics-in-ontario-201718-edition

Citizens for Public Justice: September 2017 Justice News:
http://us5.campaign-archive2.com/?u=a90945b6cbae71eebd4485b0b&id=ecc72284d8&e=9276d85427

Homeless Hub newsletter:
http://mailchi.mp/edu/costs-managing-homelessness-too-high-2883341?e=6da7d6f883

Maytree Policy School starts January 2018:
https://maytree.com/maytree-policy-school-program-overview/

Stats Can: Population estimates, second quarter 2017:
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/170927/dq170927e-eng.htm?CMP=mstatcan

Stats Can: Payroll employment, earnings and hours, July 2017:
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/170928/dq170928a-eng.htm?CMP=mstatcan

Stats Can: Chronic low income among immigrants in Canada:
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/170929/dq170929f-eng.htm?CMP=mstatcan

• Here’s the study: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/11f0019m/11f0019m2017397-eng.pdf

Poll: Premiers’ performance: Horgan enters on a high, wall is set to depart on top:
http://angusreid.org/premier-approval-sept2017/

Around the Province

London tenant in wheelchair faces tough choice after learning elevator repair will take five weeks:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/london-ontario-tilley-homes-disabled-tenants-1.4305970

Mississauga tenants living in grimy apartment complex fight rent hike:
https://www.mississauga.com/news-story/7569243-mississauga-tenants-living-in-grimy-apartment-complex-fight-rent-hike/#.WcqRhHEdSpQ.twitter

Local MPP outraged at lack of funding for homelessness in Windsor:
http://windsorstar.com/news/local-news/mpp-gretzky-outraged-at-lack-of-funding-for-homelessness-in-windsor

• Windsor West MPP wants more funding to fight homelessness: http://windsor.ctvnews.ca/windsor-west-mpp-wants-more-funding-to-fight-homelessness-1.3610173

Barrie, Orillia affordable housing projects get millions in provincial funding:
https://www.simcoe.com/news-story/7580717-barrie-orillia-affordable-housing-projects-get-millions-in-provincial-funding/

Oakville symposium focuses on poverty elimination:
https://www.insidehalton.com/news-story/7563214-oakville-symposium-focuses-on-poverty-elimination/

Thunder Bay’s Shelter House looks for stable funding for street outreach as SOS program resumes:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/shelter-house-continued-funding-1.4301304

Five big ideas for Northern Ontario:
https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/columns/five-big-ideas-for-northern-ontario-724264

Across the Country

Struggling to get off welfare, Nova Scotia single mom looks to provincial budget for help:
http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1506271-struggling-to-get-off-welfare-single-mom-looks-to-provincial-budget-for-help

Minimum wage to increase in Manitoba for first time since 2015:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/minimum-wage-to-increase-in-manitoba-for-first-time-since-2015-1.4312519

• Women and the fight for $15 in Manitoba: http://rankandfile.ca/2017/09/29/women-and-the-fight-for-15/

Hike to $15 minimum wage in Alberta could lead to 25,000 job losses: CD Howe Report:
http://www.edmontonsun.com/2017/09/26/minimum-wage-hike-could-lead-to-25000-job-losses-cd-howe-report

• Opinion: Raising minimum wage in Alberta won’t reduce poverty: http://edmontonjournal.com/opinion/columnists/opinion-raising-minimum-wage-wont-reduce-poverty
• Alberta Party call for minimum wage halt – seek provincial poverty reduction strategy instead: http://morinvillenews.com/2017/09/26/alberta-party-call-for-minimum-wage-halt-seek-provincial-poverty-reduction-strategy-instead/
• Alberta’s minimum wage set to go up again on the weekend: http://calgary.ctvnews.ca/alberta-s-minimum-wage-set-to-go-up-again-on-the-weekend-1.3609925

Alberta justice minister halts plan to require deposits from legal-aid clients:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alberta-legal-aid-deposit-1.4308459

Affordable housing units open in Moose Jaw:
https://globalnews.ca/news/3768141/affordable-housing-units-open-in-moose-jaw/

Vancouver rally held to push NDP government to raise minimum wage to $15 per hour:
https://www.straight.com/news/973031/vancouver-rally-held-push-ndp-government-raise-minimum-wage-15-hour

Rising prices push out long-time Vancouver residents:
https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/real-estate/vancouver/vancouvers-rising-property-prices-push-out-long-timeresidents/article36365883/?ref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theglobeandmail.com&

Bedroom-sharing rules shut door on affordable housing for some Vancouver families:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/national-occupancy-standards-housing-canada-bc-co-op-vancouver-couple-denied-girl-baby-1.4295849

Vancouver outstrips rest of Canadian cities for higher percentage of low-income households:
http://vancouversun.com/business/local-business/vancouver-outstrips-rest-of-canadian-cities-for-highest-percentage-of-low-income-households

Poverty-level income tax filings prompt questions in mega-rich Richmond, BC:
http://www.richmond-news.com/news/poverty-level-income-tax-filings-prompt-questions-in-mega-rich-richmond-b-c-1.22946657

National

First Nations hold a long-term vision of a renewed nation-to-nation relationship:
http://www.netnewsledger.com/2017/09/19/first-nations-hold-long-term-vision-renewed-nation-nation-relationship/

Collecting employment insurance may be harder than you think:
https://nowtoronto.com/news/collecting-employment-insurance-may-be-harder-than-you-think/

Ontario Superior Court warns federal government it desperately needs more judges:
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/09/25/ontario-superior-court-warns-federal-government-it-desperately-needs-more-judges.html

Federal politics: Trudeau still seen as best PM, but Conservatives “best to form government”:
http://mailchi.mp/angusreid/federal-politics-trudeau-still-seen-as-best-pm-but-conservatives-best-to-form-government?e=9e305f90ee

International

For young women in the UK, poverty and poor mental health are a fact of life:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/sep/29/young-women-poverty-mental-health-pay-jobs-debt

UK Labour’s £10 million pledge to tackle period poverty:
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-41402914

Britain’s 21^st century housing catastrophe bears an eerie resemblance to my childhood:
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/sep/19/britain-housing-catastrophe-harry-leslie-smith-childhood?CMP=share_btn_tw

New Irish welfare reforms aimed at lowering number of jobless families:
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/new-welfare-reforms-aimed-at-lowering-number-of-jobless-families-1.3232402

Target’s move to $15 an hour in the US “blows up” the myth about raising the minimum wage:
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/09/27/targets-15-an-hour-move-busts-minimum-wage-myths-commentary.html

Millions mired in poverty as US upturn passes them by, study finds:
https://www.ft.com/content/82f5f0e8-9fcf-11e7-8cd4-932067fbf946

Inequality, low wages weaken global growth: IMF official:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/afp/article-4918678/Inequality-low-wages-weaken-global-growth-IMF-official.html

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