Income Security: A Roadmap for Change

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A key strength of Ontario’s current social assistance programs is clear rights of appeal to the Social Benefits Tribunal (the Tribunal)—a process that is accessible, fair, transparent and, for the most part, timely. Interim benefits are available while waiting for a decision so that people are not put at greater risk when there is a dispute over their eligibility for benefits. It is also important to note that court decisions have made it clear that, when interpreting social assistance legislation, a broad and liberal approach is necessary and that any ambiguity should be resolved in favour of the person seeking benefits. The Tribunal applies this approach by taking a holistic view of the individual’s circumstances For example, the Tribunal can consider hardship and fairness in ordering that an overpayment not be recovered While tax-delivered benefits like the Canada Child Benefit and OCB have positively enhanced Ontario’s income security safety net, there needs to be a better process to resolve disputes for benefits delivered through the tax system. The Canada Revenue Agency objection process is cumbersome and diffcult to understand. Tax court is not an easily accessible appeal process, nor does the court have the jurisdiction to offer important remedies such as overpayment forgiveness or emergency relief regardless of the circumstances This is particularly challenging for people who may be reliant on the benefit income to pay rent and buy food or are victims of fraud or abuse As child benefits are now a larger proportion of low-income family budgets, and taxsystem delivery is considered for possible future benefits (see Ontario Housing Benefit, page 74), it is critical that low-income people who rely on these income benefits for essential needs have access to a fair, transparent and effcient appeal process DETAILED RECOMMENDATION 6.1 Request a research body such as the Law Commission of Ontario or an academic institution review the existing appeal process for tax-delivered benefits and develop recommendations for enhanced or new mechanisms that support fair, transparent and effcient access to those benefits and appeal processes 88 Income Security: A Roadmap for Change
AN ASSURED INCOME FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES The next section of the Roadmap, “Transforming Social Assistance”, includes recommendations for better supporting people with disabilities The two main recommendations are: Recommendation 9: Maintain and strengthen ODSP as a distinct program for people with disabilities. Ensure that both ODSP and Ontario Works are well equipped to support people with disabilities in meeting individual goals for social and economic inclusion. Recommendation 10: Co-design an “assured income” approach for people with disabilities. The co-design process will involve people with disabilities, advocates and frontline workers in developing an income-tested assured income approach to deliver financial support to people with disabilities. In the new model, front-line ODSP workers will have an important role in supporting people’s goals and aspirations, whether for education, employment or community involvement Assured income will be a departure from viewing financial support to people with disabilities as a type of “welfare” with the stigma that often accompanies it It will provide often lifelong eligibility to benefits that people can access when they need them, recognizing the need to move safely into employment and back to the program as circumstances change Income Security: A Roadmap for Change 89
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INCOME SECURITY A Roadmap for Chang
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ACHIEVING INCOME ADEQUACY69 Setting
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A CLOSING NOTE164 APPENDIX A: Membe
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INCOME SECURITY: FUTURE STATE Essen
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3. Recognizing the Experience of In
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ENGAGING THE WHOLE INCOME SECURITY
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• The federal government enhance
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• Individual choice and well-bein
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• Conduct analyses on current and
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A TRANSFORMED SOCIAL ASSISTANCE STR
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• Initially exempt 25% of Canada
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SELF-GOVERNANCE AND RESPECT FOR FIR
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• First Nations social service pr
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• The capabilities, skills and pr
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SEQUENCING REFORM The Roadmap recom
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We recommend the Province commit to
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2015 also saw a commitment by the f
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MESSAGE FROM THE URBAN INDIGENOUS T
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Community members stressed the impo
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INTRODUCTION PURPOSE The Income Sec
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Income Security Reform in the conte
Page 44 and 45: 2. Essential needs are increasingly
Page 46 and 47: • Research by the Social Planning
Page 48 and 49: The Additional Costs of Disability
Page 50 and 51: • From 2011 to 2014, the incidenc
Page 52 and 53: • Studies also show that adult-on
Page 54 and 55: • Indigenous peoples have signifi
Page 56 and 57: A NOTE ON PREVIOUS REPORTS Over the
Page 58 and 59: ONTARIO’S INCOME SECURITY SYSTEM
Page 60 and 61: services 64 More than 68% of socia
Page 62 and 63: FEDERAL AND PROVINCIAL INCOME SECUR
Page 64 and 65: The federal Canada Child Benefit, t
Page 66 and 67: ENVISIONING THE FUTURE VISION All i
Page 68 and 69: GUIDING PRINCIPLES The following pr
Page 70 and 71: and structural racism to ensure equ
Page 72 and 73: 3. Recognizing the Experience of In
Page 74 and 75: Critical steps must also be taken t
Page 76 and 77: areas, including remote areas In se
Page 78 and 79: DETAILED RECOMMENDATIONS 1.1 The Pr
Page 80 and 81: ONTARIO HOUSING BENEFIT Recommendat
Page 82 and 83: • People must be able to access a
Page 84 and 85: “I’ve been waiting for housing
Page 86 and 87: Children who are being cared for by
Page 88 and 89: When a child is in the care of a Ch
Page 90 and 91: WORKING INCOME TAX BENEFIT Recommen
Page 92 and 93: CORE HEALTH BENEFITS Recommendation
Page 96 and 97: TRANSFORMING SOCIAL ASSISTANCE OBJE
Page 98 and 99: DETAILED RECOMMENDATIONS 7.1 Develo
Page 100 and 101: People need to feel they have perso
Page 102 and 103: focussing primarily on eligibility
Page 104 and 105: • People are able to access servi
Page 106 and 107: • A simpler social assistance str
Page 108 and 109: 8.6 Regularly situate Ontario Works
Page 110 and 111: We note that ODSP has many positive
Page 112 and 113: as simple and streamlined as possib
Page 114 and 115: 9.4 Provide provincial-level assist
Page 116 and 117: Because moving to an assured income
Page 118 and 119: A TRANSFORMED SOCIAL ASSISTANCE STR
Page 120 and 121: This flat-rate structure would appl
Page 122 and 123: DETAILED RECOMMENDATIONS 11.1 Trans
Page 124 and 125: First Nations Delivery Agents of On
Page 126 and 127: INCOME AND ASSETS Recommendation 13
Page 128 and 129: additional costs they may have—wh
Page 130 and 131: HELPING THOSE IN DEEPEST POVERTY OB
Page 132 and 133: Single Non-disabled Person Fall 201
Page 134 and 135: • Setting the Standard Flat Rate
Page 136 and 137: The first Indian Act was passed by
Page 138 and 139: While the recommendations noted abo
Page 140 and 141: DETAILED RECOMMENDATIONS 16.1 Based
Page 142 and 143: 16.10 Take steps to ensure that Fir
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• Community-based initiatives spe
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• Increasing and expediting help
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Until further changes to the 1965 A
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A CALL ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT Th
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The Roadmap emphasizes the need for
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IMPLEMENTING AND MEASURING CHANGE M
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3. The need to take a system-wide a
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SEQUENCING CHANGE: A 10-YEAR ROADMA
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YEAR 2 The second year of implement
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YEARS 4 TO 10 Years 4 to 10 will ma
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THE COST OF INACTION Poverty is int
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• Ontario Drug Benefit costs for
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• Social Assistance, through: •
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A CLOSING NOTE This Roadmap holds t
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Violet Boissoneau Linda Cobiness Jo
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APPENDIX B: POVERTY REDUCTION STRAT
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Canada Pension Plan - Disability (C
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Indigenous Friendship Centres: Not-
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Old Age Security (OAS): A pension p
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Rent-Geared-To-Income (RGI): Financ
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Trauma-informed practice: Practices
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Income Security: A Roadmap for Change

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