NDP MPP Paul Miller is joined by Craig Foye of the Hamilton Community Legal Clinic, Anita Khanna of Campaign 2000, and Laura Cattari of Advocacy Hamilton to present his Bill 185: Ministry of Community and Social Services Amendment Act (Social Assistance Research Commission). They discuss the gross inadequacy of current social assistance rates in Ontario, the effects of this deep poverty trap on children, families, and single people, and the path forward proposed in this bill that would tie social assistance rates to the actual cost of living in different Ontario communities.
The bill would establish a Social Assistance Research Commission tasked with recommending evidence-based social assistance rates to the provincial government on an annual basis.
