OS City Hall. Photo by Jill Charlebois
An Owen Sound city councillor wants the federal and provincial governments to take action to enhance income support programs.
Coun. Jon Farmer gave notice at Monday’s meeting he intends to introduce a motion to have Owen Sound join other municipalities across Ontario to “urge the federal and provincial governments to increase social assistance rates for Ontario Works and the Ontario Disability Support Program, and to establish a guaranteed livable income program.”
The motion will be discussed at council’s next meeting April 29.
Ontario Works provides up to $733 a month to individuals in financial need. While the Ontario Disability Support Program pays up to $1,308 a month.
Farmer talked about people in fixed income situations in Owen Sound spending more than 30 per cent of their income on shelter. He then cited Grey County’s 2023 Housing Action Plan and its call to advocate to the provincial and federal governments for solutions that relate to the “income side of housing affordability equation.”
“And whereas poverty also increases food insecurity, which negatively impacts physical and mental health, especially for children. An adequate income is an important social determinant of health that greatly impacts food security,” Farmer says in his notice of motion.
He mentioned the Salvation Army Food Bank use in Owen Sound jumped by 42 per cent last year. Annual meals provided by OSHaRE increased by more than 18 per cent.
“Neither municipal governments nor the non-profit sector have the resources to address the root causes of poverty on their own,” Farmer adds.