Province should increase assistance rates

RE: Basic income

I am astounded that the province is having problems finding people to register for the basic income project. There are thousands of people in this area who are either on the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) or Ontario Works (OW). Most of them would love to have an increase in their monthly stipend and yet I know at least one in that position who has not been asked.

While I agree with the concept of a basic income for all, a logical first step would be to raise the rates for those on ODSP and OW. When Mike Harris came to office with his Common Sense Revolution, he slashed rates by 22 per cent. According to a study published in 2016 by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, people on social assistance (welfare and disability) are worse off today under the Liberal government than they were when rates were slashed.

From 2002 to 2014, single people on welfare experienced a poverty gap increase from 53 per cent to 59 per cent while, for a single person with a disability, the gap increased from 19 per cent to 33 per cent. One analysis done in 2013 found that the welfare and disability rates would need to be increased by 56 per cent to restore the 1993 levels.

If the Liberals are serious about helping to reduce poverty, they could start with increasing rates. Marvin Ross, Dundas