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A new report from the Northern Policy Institute sings the praises of a basic income guarantee the province is looking into rather than other alternative strategies when it comes to addressing poverty.
The report’s author, U. of T. Professor Dr. Valerie Tarasuk, concludes that a universal intervention like a guaranteed basic income would be much more effective in tackling the issue of food insecurity than targeted policies that are piecemeal and limiting at best.
Those targeted policies include an increased minimum wage, more affordable housing and food support programs.
Dr. Tarasuk says those on social assistance are struggling to meet basic food needs…

 

The report points to a glaring statistic in which one of eight Ontario households faces challenges in properly feeding their families.
Research also shows that total health care costs of adults in severely food insecure households were 76% higher than costs for adults in food secure households.
She says a pilot project the province will go ahead with beginning this year in three communities is a good first step recognizing that Ontario is the first in Canada in moving forward with the initiative—but it is a small step…

 

The province’s special advisor Hugh Segal had recommended back in November, a monthly income of 13-hundred and 20 dollars with another 500-dollars for people with disabilities to replace the Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Program.