Take our Seniors Off Welfare Campaign
Letter Writing Campaign re. Seniors on Social Assistance.
Poverty among seniors is a serious issue in our province. And a little known fact is that often the poorest seniors are those who are just under 65: those on social assistance.
There are two forms of social assistance for people in Ontario with no income. One is OW (Ontario Works) more commonly known as welfare, for people who are considered ‘employable’, or able to work. A single person on Ontario Works receives today (even with the recent 3% raise) a maximum of $536 per month to live on. The second form of social assistance is ODSP (Ontario Disability Support Program). This benefit is for people who are severely restricted in their ability to work, usually for health reasons. A single person on ODSP receives a maximum of $958 per month to live on, a much higher amount than OW.
Before 1998, the Ontario Government recognized that for people who were over 60 and without income or work, it was often unrealistic to expect them to find employment, as most employers are not interested in hiring people at that age. Thus people over 60 without an income were automatically eligible for ODSP (at the time called Family Benefits) and could receive a maximum benefit (at that time) of $930 per month. When the Harris government came to power, they changed the law so that people were now considered ‘employable’ right up until the age of 65. This meant that contrary to before, people over 60 with no income, had to go on Ontario Works and live on (at that time) $520 per month, right UP UNTIL THEIR 65’TH BIRTHDAY. And this is how the law still stands today.
We who are part of the Take our Seniors off Welfare campaign are attempting to get this law changed to what it was before 1998, so that people over 60 in need of financial assistance would qualify automatically for ODSP once again. The Government needs to recognize that people over 60 face particularly large barriers finding employment. Employers do not usually like to hire people of this age. This is particularly true for people whose work history involves physically demanding jobs, such as construction or factory work. Furthermore, given that many people in their 60s face health problems, living on such a low income is particularly detrimental to their health and well-being.
We urge you to write, e-mail or fax your local MPP and ask that this law be reversed. Enclosed is a Toronto Star article on the issue, and a sample letter. We also ask you to send us a copy of your letter. Once we collect a significant number of letters, we will deliver them personally to Sandra Pupatello, Minister of Community and Social Services.
Please e-mail, mail or fax a copy of your letter to your MPP to: Naomi Berlyne
Central Neighbourhood House
517 Parliament street
Toronto, M4Y 1L6
Fax: (416) 966-8759
e-mail: nberlyne@cnh.on.ca
For more information on the campaign call: Helle at (416) 531-7376 or Naomi at (416) 966-8595
