The Options Paper from the Commission for the Review of Social Assistance in Ontario has been released. You can find the paper, entitled “Approaches for Reform”, here: http://www.socialassistancereview.ca/commission-publications.

A message from the Commissioners is here: http://www.socialassistancereview.ca/a-message-from-the-commissioners. You will also be interested to review “What We Heard”, which is the summary of discussions that took place [...]

Thriving in Toronto on Ontario Disability Supports : Ten Hints
By Cheryl Smith
TORONTO, Ontario– So you’re single, middle-aged, disabled, and you live alone in
one of the most expensive cities in Canada: Toronto. Ontario Disability Supports
Program will graciously provide you with between $942.00 and $1399.00 monthly
depending on “special needs” and your ability to prove them.
Housed in the [...]

Social Assistance Review – Preparing for the Options Paper
The Commission for the Review of Social Assistance in Ontario is expected to release an Options Paper in early February with options for reforming Ontario Works (OW) and the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP), followed by a very short period for public response and feedback. The options [...]

Porter: Linda Chamberlain rose from rough beginnings to become a champion of the mentally ill
Published On Fri Nov 25 2011

Video: Linda Chamberlain
Linda Chamberlain has lead a very interesting life. She’s been orphaned, homeless, a burlesque dancer, a fugitive, accused and aquitted for murder…. She is now dying of cancer and [...]

The Canadian Harm Reduction Network urges you to sign this important petition aimed at stopping the Harper Government’s ill-thought-out, financially wasteful and counterproductive “Omnibus Crime Bill”.

http://www.avaaz.org/en/stop_harpers_cruel_crime_bill/?cl=1378435890&v=11036
The petition is an initiative of Avaaz.org, and already close to 100,000 people have signed it.
Also, BC residents can appeal directly to their Premier, Christy [...]

The rich get richer and the homeless get fined
by Stephen Gaetz
November 10, 2011

Homelessness continues to be a visible problem in most Canadian cities.  I would say most Canadians, when they think about how we respond to homelessness, would consider emergency shelters, drop-ins and soup kitchens – charitable programs set up to shelter [...]

Collective Impact on Poverty: Lessons from Vibrant Communities [By: Mark Cabaj]
In the winter of 2011, John Kania and Mark Kramer wrote a now very popular article for the Stanford Social Innovation Review, that described how diverse organizations and leaders are crossing artificial lines to work [...]

To our national contact list:
Consider tuning in this Sunday at 4:00pm Eastern to the Goldhawk Live national CPAC program, which will focus on the Occupy movement with examination of the intersect between income/wealth inequality and poverty.  On behalf of Canada Without Poverty I will be one-on-one with Dale Goldhawk beginning about 4:30pm [...]

This report is also available in PDF format.
Recommendations for an Ontario Income Security Review
May 2010
Table of Contents
The Social Assistance Review Advisory Council
Letter of transmittal
Executive Summary
Recommended Terms of Reference

Scope of the Ontario Income Secuirty Review
Key Strategies to Guide the Ontario Income Security Review
Measurable Outcomes
The Review Process
Why Ontario Needs an Income Security Review
Introduction
From Social [...]

Turtle home a new take on tradition
By: Diana Swift
staff writer

The solar-powered home, at right, is inspired in part by the teepee and designed in collaboration with the Treaty 7 First Nations of Southern Alberta.

A team of students at the University of Calgary has designed a solar-powered home that produces as much energy [...]