Ontario ACORN People's Platform!Working families in Ontario are feeling the pressure from all angles. Stagnant low wages
and job losses in combination with inflation high rents are heightening poverty in Ontario. In
the manufacturing sector alone, 150,000 Ontario jobs have been lost in the past two
years. Meanwhile, last year corporate profits soared at $200 billion. In an in-depth 2005
report, Statistics Canada outlines clearly how stagnant minimum wages combined with
economic inflation can lead to increased crime rates. Further, living conditions are
deteriorating from the high crime, youth violence, increasing substance abuse, unsafe,
unhealthy and deplorable housing conditions. The connections are very clear, increasing
financial stress is leading to the break down of our social structures, our communities and
our health. Our provincial government is failing us and we demand immediate action.
1). TENANTS RIGHTS:
l An immediate 5 year Rent Freeze with vacancy rent control introduced
l Implement minimum fines for landlords. (Currently there are maximum fines of
$25,000 for individual landlords and $100,000 for corporations.)
l Eliminate fees for tenants taking action against their landlord at the Landlord and Tenant
Board
l Implement legislation making it mandatory for landlords to obtain a license, and
maintain it in good standing to be able to continue renting.
l Allocate $1.9 billion for affordable housing (as called for in the Ontario Alternative
Budget 2007.)
l Public social housing, not private
2). RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE TO $10 NOW!
86 Ontario economists say “There is a common, but incorrect, assumption that higher
minimum wages destroy low-wage jobs and increase unemployment among those they
are most intended to help.” In the US, over 650 economists (including 5 Nobel
Laureates) supported raising the minimum wage, calling it “an important tool in fighting
poverty”. ACORN is calling on the Province to:
l Boost the Ontario economy by raising the minimum wage to $10 before the next
election.
l Tie the minimum wage to inflation so that it continues to increase automatically.
3). REGULATE THE PAYDAY LENDING INDUSTRY
Even the Canadian Payday Loan Association recognizes that there are many companies
in the industry, which engage in unscrupulous practices. It is time to reign in the Payday
Lending industry. In addition to the maximum interest rate, the Province should:
l Set a maximum interest rate of 60%
l make it mandatory for payday lenders to acquire licenses, prohibits rollover loans, wagetied
loans, and loan "insurance" requirements such as providing post-dated cheques.
l Expand the availability of credit counseling services.
l Enshrine borrower's rights and clearly define lender's legal obligations.
Ontario ACORN 1324 Danforth Ave, 2nd Floor Toronto, ON M4J 1M9
t el) 416.461.6696 | } fax) 416.461.6696 | } onacornto@acorn.org
www.canada.acorn.org
4). ADDICTION SERVICES
Addictions and Mental Health Problems are now the leading cause of absenteeism
in the workplace, while remaining the lowest funded department of the Ministry of
Health, destroying families and communities.
● The Ontario Government must address the deterioration of Addictions Services over the
last 15 years caused by a 12 year funding freeze and inadequate funding increases.
● An increased funding of no less than $200 Million is required to restore these services
due to 15 years of inflation and increased demand.
5). POISON PAINT (LEAD HAZARD REDUCTION ACTIVITIES)
The collective loss of 5 IQ points due to environmental exposure to neurotoxins such as
lead costs Canadians $30 billion per year. Lead paint is the real brain drain in Ontario.
The provincial health department needs identify at risk communities and devise an
outreach, remediation and prevention strategy to address lead poisoning in young
children from paint. This would include funding for pilot studies in “high risk”
communities – areas with high percentage of pre-1960 dwellings (more than 25%).
The Ministry of Colleges, training and Universities needs to develop a certification
training program for “lead safe” practices. Develop standards, regulations, and
compliance mechanisms through lead inspections, enforcement, workshops, seminars,
and public education. Enact protective disclosure/ right-to-know legislation to ensure
that lead paint information for buyers, sellers, and tenants is transparent.
The Province should divest any Sherwin-Williams stock from provincial pension funds
until the company adequately addresses their company’s abuses of the environment.
The Province should meet with community organizations to discuss effective ways to
implement lead hazard reduction activities and hold public hearings on this issue.
6). IMMIGRANT RIGHTS
Up to 200 000 people live and work in Canada without legal status, access to education,
health care, or the ability to vote. According to the Conference Board of Canada, the
failure to recognize international credentials costs the economy $1 billion a year.
Recognize international credentials, skills and experiences so that new Canadians can
find employment in their professions and trades.
Recognition and affirmation of the status and rights of Ontario residents without
citizenship / legal status.
7). COMMUNITY RIGHT TO PUBLIC SPACE - SCHOOLS
As community space, schools in Ontario are recognized as hubs for community activity
and need be affordable and accessible to communities. ACORN is calling for:
Removal of cost and procedural barriers for community use of school space so that
people can access the public space their taxes have already paid for.
Garry Cuthbert
Durham Region-Pickering ACORN Chapter
Coordinator and Recruiter
E-mail: gcuthbert@rogers.com
Web Site:http://gcuthbert2007.tripod.com/
Web Site http://gcuthbert2007.tripod.com/id15.html
Local food bank in need of juice, pasta and rice
