Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Linking Ontario's Poverty Reduction Strategy to Women's Employment and Training
The Ontario government's Throne Speech in November 2007 states that: "A new cabinet committee will begin work developing poverty indicators and targets and a focused strategy for making clear-cut progress on reducing child poverty. The strategy includes a plan that would provide dental benefits to low-income families, and builds on measures already in progress. These include boosting the minimum wage to $10.25 by 2010, increasing child care spaces and providing more affordable housing…[and] fully implement the new Ontario Child Benefit, raising it to $1,100 per child."
The anti-poverty cabinet committee is being led by Minister Deb Mathews, who also happens to be the Minister Responsible for Women’s Issues. Other high profile ministers will sit on the committee, including Minister John Milloy, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, suggesting that the committee is taking a broad and inclusive approach to strategizing poverty reduction in Ontario, including employment and training as a key component along with the focuses listed in the throne speech.
The question yet to be asked and answered is: will the committee consider how gender and equity affect experiences of poverty and pathways towards sustainable livelihoods? ACTEW’s research on women and work finds that women are much more likely to live in poverty, have reduced access to EI and have different labour patterns due in large part to shouldering the responsibility for dependent care.
Note that while several provinces are pursuing poverty reduction strategies, there is no such approach to date at the national level. Campaign 2000 is encouraging the federal government to commit to a national poverty reduction strategy. Their 2007 Report Card on Child and Family Poverty, revealed that 18 years after the 1989 all-party resolution of the House of Commons, the child poverty rate is exactly the same, despite a growing economy, a soaring dollar and low unemployment. (It's important to point out that women are statistically much more likely to be sole-support parents, and statistically more likely to live in poverty, along with their children) In a letter anticipating the First Ministers’ meeting, there was a focus on Employment Insurance coverage (which women, though statistically more likely to live in poverty, are also less likely to qualify or receive EI benefits):
"Employment Insurance coverage, on the table for the First Ministers, should be part of the national Poverty Reduction Strategy. 'This is a self-funded program with huge surpluses that covers less than 40% of unemployed Canadians,' said Anne Decter, national campaign coordinator. 'The money is there, paid in by people who can’t collect when they need it. It’s hard to see the fairness of letting Canadians fall into poverty when they lose their jobs while money deducted from their paycheques sits in a surplus account.'"
We will post updates from the Ontario Committee's work as well as community responses as they are released.
The anti-poverty cabinet committee is being led by Minister Deb Mathews, who also happens to be the Minister Responsible for Women’s Issues. Other high profile ministers will sit on the committee, including Minister John Milloy, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, suggesting that the committee is taking a broad and inclusive approach to strategizing poverty reduction in Ontario, including employment and training as a key component along with the focuses listed in the throne speech.
The question yet to be asked and answered is: will the committee consider how gender and equity affect experiences of poverty and pathways towards sustainable livelihoods? ACTEW’s research on women and work finds that women are much more likely to live in poverty, have reduced access to EI and have different labour patterns due in large part to shouldering the responsibility for dependent care.
Note that while several provinces are pursuing poverty reduction strategies, there is no such approach to date at the national level. Campaign 2000 is encouraging the federal government to commit to a national poverty reduction strategy. Their 2007 Report Card on Child and Family Poverty, revealed that 18 years after the 1989 all-party resolution of the House of Commons, the child poverty rate is exactly the same, despite a growing economy, a soaring dollar and low unemployment. (It's important to point out that women are statistically much more likely to be sole-support parents, and statistically more likely to live in poverty, along with their children) In a letter anticipating the First Ministers’ meeting, there was a focus on Employment Insurance coverage (which women, though statistically more likely to live in poverty, are also less likely to qualify or receive EI benefits):
"Employment Insurance coverage, on the table for the First Ministers, should be part of the national Poverty Reduction Strategy. 'This is a self-funded program with huge surpluses that covers less than 40% of unemployed Canadians,' said Anne Decter, national campaign coordinator. 'The money is there, paid in by people who can’t collect when they need it. It’s hard to see the fairness of letting Canadians fall into poverty when they lose their jobs while money deducted from their paycheques sits in a surplus account.'"
We will post updates from the Ontario Committee's work as well as community responses as they are released.
Labels: Issues_and_Trends, MTCU_Updates, Resources_and_Research
MTCU Update: New Federal Investments; Program Design Update; Upcoming focus groups on Service Delivery Framework
Deanna Yerichuk attended the January 18 Employment Ontario Service Delivery Advisory Group meeting. Three key topics were covered:
New Federal Investments as Ontario negotiates a Labour Market Agreement
Kevin French, Assistant Deputy Minister of MTCU, is leading negotiations with the government of Canada to sign a Labour Market Agreement (LMA), which would transfer new funding Ontario for labour market training initiatives (read ACTEW’s blog of the 2007 federal budget announcement). The LMA is in fact replacing the Labour Market Partnership Agreement (LMPA), and two investment priorities have been earmarked for the money:
1) non-EI-eligible clients
2) low skill workers
It was confirmed at the meeting that these priorities mean that funding will be able to support Ontarians who do not currently qualify for EI, as well as Ontarians that are under-employed and/or precariously employed.
There was no mention of Ontario’s share of the $500 million annually promised across Canada, but they do expect the agreement in place for the money to start to flow in 2008/09 fiscal year.
Program Design Update
The External Service Delivery Reference Group on Program Design – Employment had an intensive planning session in January to determine guiding principles and provide feedback on the proposed employment services delivery model. Here are just a few of the key components of the new integrated system (targeted to be implemented in April 2009):
A revised document will be released at the end of January. ACTEW is planning a members’ meeting for mid-February to review these discussions in detail with our representative Honey Crossley (Working Skills Centre) who sits on this external stakeholder advisory group. ACTEW members will receive information about this session shortly.
Upcoming focus groups on Service Delivery Framework
MTCU has completed the Jurisdictional Review, and is fine-tuning a discussion paper on the current Service Delivery Framework. Coordinated by the Ontario Association of Youth Employment Centres (OAYEC), MTCU will be holding a series of focus groups and inviting written submissions at the end of February. ACTEW members will have an opportunity to attend these focus groups around the province. Stay tuned for more information.
Materials from the January 18 meeting will be placed on the Employment Ontario Partners’ Gateway web site: http://www.eopg.ca/eng/sdag.html
As always, if you have any questions, concerns or ideas, please contact Deanna at policy@actew.org.
New Federal Investments as Ontario negotiates a Labour Market Agreement
Kevin French, Assistant Deputy Minister of MTCU, is leading negotiations with the government of Canada to sign a Labour Market Agreement (LMA), which would transfer new funding Ontario for labour market training initiatives (read ACTEW’s blog of the 2007 federal budget announcement). The LMA is in fact replacing the Labour Market Partnership Agreement (LMPA), and two investment priorities have been earmarked for the money:
1) non-EI-eligible clients
2) low skill workers
It was confirmed at the meeting that these priorities mean that funding will be able to support Ontarians who do not currently qualify for EI, as well as Ontarians that are under-employed and/or precariously employed.
There was no mention of Ontario’s share of the $500 million annually promised across Canada, but they do expect the agreement in place for the money to start to flow in 2008/09 fiscal year.
Program Design Update
The External Service Delivery Reference Group on Program Design – Employment had an intensive planning session in January to determine guiding principles and provide feedback on the proposed employment services delivery model. Here are just a few of the key components of the new integrated system (targeted to be implemented in April 2009):
- There are three “components’ of the integrated employment services: Support for Independent Job Search, Employment Placement, Matching and Incentives, Job Maintenance, Sustainability and Advancement.
- Deliverers of service will determine which component, or combination of components will achieve the best results based on the individual’s needs, the local labour market environment and the program’s strategic goals/policy objectives.
- Employment service functions, intensities and incentives enable deliverers to tailor services to individual, employers and community circumstances and needs to achieve labour market attachment outcomes.
- Depending on community demographics, the services could include “specialization” of delivery and access – i.e. services targeted to immigrants, persons with disabilities, older workers, youth, and specialization of components such as placement and matching.
- Enables communities to augment components of services to reflect and respond to local circumstances and unique community demographics or economic situations. Based on the need, services may include some or all components of the employment service model, and may add unique components and features.
- EI status is no longer an eligibility requirement for access to employment services. However, there will have to be the capacity to record and track EI status to meet LMDA reporting requirements and to report expenditures against the appropriate account.
A revised document will be released at the end of January. ACTEW is planning a members’ meeting for mid-February to review these discussions in detail with our representative Honey Crossley (Working Skills Centre) who sits on this external stakeholder advisory group. ACTEW members will receive information about this session shortly.
Upcoming focus groups on Service Delivery Framework
MTCU has completed the Jurisdictional Review, and is fine-tuning a discussion paper on the current Service Delivery Framework. Coordinated by the Ontario Association of Youth Employment Centres (OAYEC), MTCU will be holding a series of focus groups and inviting written submissions at the end of February. ACTEW members will have an opportunity to attend these focus groups around the province. Stay tuned for more information.
Materials from the January 18 meeting will be placed on the Employment Ontario Partners’ Gateway web site: http://www.eopg.ca/eng/sdag.html
As always, if you have any questions, concerns or ideas, please contact Deanna at policy@actew.org.
Labels: LMDA, LMPA, Meetings_and_Events, MTCU_Updates
Employment Ontario Materials Available Online
MTCU has posted all Service Delivery Advisory Group materials on the Employment Ontario Partners' Gateway web site at: http://www.eopg.ca/eng/sdag.html
These materials offer presentations and documents on key MTCU developments of Employment Ontario, such as Employment Programs Design,Service Delivery Framework and Standards Access Strategies Projects, and other updates and decisions.
One word of caution: documents are listed by SDAG meeting date, which means that older meetings may have materials that have since been changed or updated. If you have questions about the materials posted, contact Deanna at ACTEW at policy@actew.org.
These materials offer presentations and documents on key MTCU developments of Employment Ontario, such as Employment Programs Design,Service Delivery Framework and Standards Access Strategies Projects, and other updates and decisions.
One word of caution: documents are listed by SDAG meeting date, which means that older meetings may have materials that have since been changed or updated. If you have questions about the materials posted, contact Deanna at ACTEW at policy@actew.org.
Labels: LMDA, MTCU_Updates
Monday, January 21, 2008
Women’s experiences of social programs for people with low incomes
Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women (CRIAW) recently released a fact sheet on women’s experiences of social programs for people with low incomes, based on their research interviewing women in Vancouver, Calgary, and Winnipeg.
This fact sheet examines funding procedures that have negatively affected Canada’s social programs and the lives of millions of children, women and men, providing an overview of policy shifts over the last decade, voices from women clients directly, and recommendations. Some key points:
The CRIAW fact sheet recommends that federal and provincial/territorial governments understand the difference between written policies and real life experiences, such as the ones expressed in the article. They argue that this would establish methods in developing progressive policies that would eliminate poverty and injustices that will ultimately benefit the growth of the economy and Canadians.
View and/or download the fact sheet from the CRIAW web site.
This fact sheet examines funding procedures that have negatively affected Canada’s social programs and the lives of millions of children, women and men, providing an overview of policy shifts over the last decade, voices from women clients directly, and recommendations. Some key points:
- Reliance on welfare has drastically increased from preceding years as a result of federal cut back in benefits, funding and the elimination of federal programs. At the same time, fewer Canadians are accessing the funds, not because of reduced need but because of tightened eligibility criteria.
- The federal government requires no basic standards for social programs across provinces, and the main common attribute is in complexity of systems, with many rules that are misunderstood or misapplied by caseworkers.
- The majority of people who rely on social assistance benefits in Canada are mostly likely to be women, children and people with disabilities. They are looked down upon for their reliance on social assistance and yet they do not receive adequate support from the government that will focus on getting them into the paid labour force and off social assistance, such as affordable child care, safe and affordable housing, and access to training and education. Systems in fact frequently punish recipients for trying to improve their economic security, such as the tragic story of Kimberley Rogers who was charged with fraud for receiving welfare benefits and taking out a student loan to upgrade skills.
The CRIAW fact sheet recommends that federal and provincial/territorial governments understand the difference between written policies and real life experiences, such as the ones expressed in the article. They argue that this would establish methods in developing progressive policies that would eliminate poverty and injustices that will ultimately benefit the growth of the economy and Canadians.
View and/or download the fact sheet from the CRIAW web site.
Labels: Issues_and_Trends, Resources_and_Research
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Why Is It So Tough to Get Ahead: Report
A ground-breaking new report analyzes the disincentives to achieving greater self-reliance within Ontario's welfare, housing and social support system. Metcalf Innovation Fellow John Stapleton launched a new report in December on behalf of the Metcalf Foundation called: Why is it so Tough to Get Ahead? How Our Tangled Social Programs Pathologize the Transition to Self-Reliance. The report finds that the primary obstacle to supporting the transition to self-reliance exists in the fact that social assistance programs operate within isolation from one another and are based on a business model. This system encourages non-reporting, discourages work, and perpetuates abject poverty. A powerful example of entangled programs and policies is the differing definitions that are associated with who qualifies as a child, an adult, and a resident within various programs.
The study finds that working-age social assistance recipients live with disincentives to achieving self-reliance based on the fact that the more they earn, the more they lose in benefits. Stapleton identifies deterrents from achieving self-reliance which include the impact of reduced benefits and increased taxes and premiums on every dollar earned while trying to transition off of social assistance. He notes that the “Marginal Effective Tax Rate” is highest among poor people who receive more than one social service. While transitioning from social services to self-reliance, recipients stand to loose up to 100% of their social assistance, including dental and medical benefits, subsidized housing, clothing benefits, and child care subsidies.
The report outlines a series of recommendations for policy solutions that can be taken right away to eliminate some of the barriers thrown up by multiple subsidies and program policies. The ultimate goal for this report is to call attention to the need for a new governance model – one that enables governments and their agencies to forge policies and procedures in a coordinated way so that the transition to self-reliance is a healthy, supported process for people.
Why is it so Tough to Get Ahead? can be downloaded from the Metcalfe web site at http://www.metcalffoundation.com/
The study finds that working-age social assistance recipients live with disincentives to achieving self-reliance based on the fact that the more they earn, the more they lose in benefits. Stapleton identifies deterrents from achieving self-reliance which include the impact of reduced benefits and increased taxes and premiums on every dollar earned while trying to transition off of social assistance. He notes that the “Marginal Effective Tax Rate” is highest among poor people who receive more than one social service. While transitioning from social services to self-reliance, recipients stand to loose up to 100% of their social assistance, including dental and medical benefits, subsidized housing, clothing benefits, and child care subsidies.
The report outlines a series of recommendations for policy solutions that can be taken right away to eliminate some of the barriers thrown up by multiple subsidies and program policies. The ultimate goal for this report is to call attention to the need for a new governance model – one that enables governments and their agencies to forge policies and procedures in a coordinated way so that the transition to self-reliance is a healthy, supported process for people.
Why is it so Tough to Get Ahead? can be downloaded from the Metcalfe web site at http://www.metcalffoundation.com/
Labels: Issues_and_Trends, Resources_and_Research
