DURHAM REGION - PICKERING ACORN CHAPTER

ACORN IN THE PRESS - issues and concerns

2008-09-22T18:27:00.000-07:00

Housing Activists Press for Landlord LicensingBen Spencer September 3rd, 2008
Workers Highlight Labour IssuesTracy Tong September 2nd, 2008
Tenants Push for Landlord LicensesAntonella Artuso August 29th, 2008
Dawes Rd Building Flunks TestJenny Yuen July 25th, 2008
Rally for Safe StreetsTIM WIECLAWSKI Aug 1st, 2008
TORONTO STAR EDITORIAL: HOUSING PLAN MISSINGEditorial Board July 14th, 2008
Tories Fail Housing ReportKristen Thompson July 11th, 2008
Housing Earns Tories an FTim Wieclawski July 10th, 2008
Housing Protest Calls on PMTerri Saunders July 10th, 2008
Feds Rapped over Disgraceful HousingBen Spencer July 10th, 2008
National Report on HousingSara Folconer July 10th, 2008
Harper Flunks Housing(Pg4) July 10th, 2008
Fed's Abdicated LeadershipBen Spencer July 9th, 2008
No Rights at HomeBen Spencer July 9th, 2008
No Tenants Video of Run Down BuildingKevin Connor June 6th, 2008

City Working on Helping Tenants: Moscoe
Ben Spencer July 5th, 2008
NDP Calls For Regulation of Payday Loans
Arielle Godbout June 26th, 2008
ACORN vs. TransglobeSara Falconer June 13th, 2008
Tenants rally to protest living Con ditionsAlfie Lau June 7th, 2008
Group takes aim at landlordMichael McQuillan May 30thst, 2008
Summer Jobs for Youth Sara Falconer May 28st, 2008
L'insalubrité des logements sociaux d'Ottawa dénoncéeCatherine Lamontagne, May 16st, 2008
Police Show of Force Needed in Cougar CtMay 6st, 2008
Second murder in 10 days has residents demanding actionChris Doucette, May 6st, 2008
Turn on the lights, flashlight party saysLisa Queen, April 3st, 2008
Poverty activists cheer payday loan legislationKatie Daubs, April 2st, 2008
Toronto Star: Payday Loan crackdownJoanne Smith, April 1st, 2008
Ottawa EMC: Community Organization Protests Housing...Sheena Bolton, March 27th, 2008
Ottawa EMC: Community Rallies for Stop Sign...Rosalyn Stevens, March 13th, 2008

From Poverty to Prosperity: ACORN Launches People's Platform

2008-09-22T18:06:00.000-07:00

Calls on Next Government to Focus on Childcare, Housing and Banking Reform
September 12th - ACORN is pleased to announce the launch of our Federal People's Platform. In its pages ACORN has laid out a platform that has been developed through 4 years of grassroots community organizing.
The issues identified we’re set as priorities by ACORN’s low and moderate income membership, and represent what they believe it will take to move From Poverty to Prosperity.
The Platform includes calls for bold action in 6 key areas: Housing Security, Work and Wages, Childcare, Banking, Immigration and Strong Neighbourhoods.
Highlights include the return of the Federal Minimum Wage, a National Living Wage Ordinance, a plan to make banking work for working families, a National Housing Strategy and a new Childcare program.
ACORN Members are gearing up to take these issues to Candidates running in the current Federal Election.
Read the People's Platform >>>
addthis_pub = 'joshstuart';

Protestors flood Ajax streets

2008-05-19T19:11:00.000-07:00

AJAX -- Steady rain Saturday afternoon didn't keep Durham residents from protesting the plan to cut mental health beds from the Rouge Valley Ajax and Pickering hospital.
"It rained steady but we had around 1,000 people," said Friends of the Ajax Pickering Hospital co-chairman Bill Parish, adding he's sure even more would have attended had the weather been better.
Residents from Ajax, Pickering and other Durham municipalities met at the Ajax Town hall and marched down to the Ajax Community Centre to show their frustration - the second time a large number of people protested the plan to move 20 mental health beds from RVAP to Centenary hospital in Scarborough. The transfer and the plan to cut up to 220 jobs in the Rouge Valley Health System over three years are expected to help recoup its $78-million in long-term debt and capital deficiencies. The RVHS also claims it will enhance mental health care. The plan was approved in March by the Central East Local Health Integration Network, which requested a 30-day consultation period; it has now ended.
"We hope that maybe it will change some minds when they see the outcry in the community," Mr. Parish said.
Pickering Mayor Dave Ryan said the beds should stay in Ajax, and added Pickering council was against the marriage of the Ajax-Pickering hospital with Centenary in 1999.
"It was a shot-gun wedding," he said. "It hasn't worked. It has to be dissolved." He added people with mental health issues are real people, not statistics.
Ajax Mayor Steve Parish said the public consultation invoked by the CE LHIN was simply educating the public, not genuine consultation.
Patient representative Lynn-Marie Ramjass said "the issues that really need addressing are continuously ignored: the mentally ill," adding Ajax should get the nine beds that were announced for the unit in December.
Greg Hubka, vice president of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union, said OPSEU doesn't agree care will be improved through the plan.
"We're committed to doing everything we can to bring awareness to the government to what our position is and the importance of keeping these services in Durham Region," he said.
OPSEU has filed an injunction with the Ontario Supreme Court with a hearing to take place May 16.
Master of ceremonies Wendy Holliday felt confident about the end result.
"We will win," she said. "I believe it. I have no doubts we're going to win this."

Payday lending legislation introduced in Ontario

2008-04-04T17:28:00.000-07:00

Province meets ACORN's demands for ban on rollover loans and licensing of lenders

Toronto and Ottawa- ACORN Canada has been leading the fight for the regulation of the predatory payday lending industry across Canada for nearly 4 years. We applaud the decision of the Government of Ontario for taking strong first steps for regulation and licensing of this rogue industry.

While the legislation fails to set a hard cap for interest rates, it does fulfill ACORN’s demands on other key points: A ban on rollover loans, and licensing of lenders by the province.

This is a good first step and ACORN is committed to securing a hard cap on interest rates that will bring this industry into the financial mainstream.

ACORN members like Roy Anderson who lives on a small pension, is a victim of the payday loan industry and says he wants “the government to intervene right away” because “these companies circumvent the law, charging extraordinary high interest rates and we want the government to regulate them at a reasonable amount.”

John Redins, another ACORN member agrees: “These companies don’t think they’re loan sharking and we need the provincial government to deal with this problem now.” John has used payday loans to help pay his rent and support his family, becoming yet another victim of this predatory industry.

For comment contact

Toronto: James Wardaw – 416.832.2982

Ottawa: Jill O’Rielly – 613.808.6523

ACORN responds to McGuinty's Anti-Poverty Initiatives

2008-03-18T15:51:00.000-07:00

ACORN responds to McGuinty's Anti-Poverty Initiatives

We offer this response to the announcement made today by Premier Dalton McGuinty;

While we are encouraged by the announcement of new resources for social housing, dental care and student nutrition, it falls far short of the comprehensive poverty reduction strategy the Premier has promised, and that Ontarians deserve.

What was layed out by Premier McGuinty today are incremental pieces of a larger puzzle of how to reduce poverty in Ontario. As a membership owned organization, with a large constituency of low and moderate income families, including many members living in social housing, our members call on the provincial government to systemically address the growing rates of poverty in our province by implementing the following platform;

· Regulation of the payday lending industry with a 60% interest rate cap, licensing of lenders and a ban on roll over loans.
· Asset development program for tenants in social housing, allowing them to save their rent increases in an escrow account for use purchasing a home or skills retraining.
· Full rent controls to bring private rental housing costs back under control.
· Universal childcare based on Quebec’s $7/day program.
· Licensing of temp agencies to guarantee the protection of workers basic labour rights.
· Peg the minimum wage to inflation
· Raise social assistance and ODSP rates by 40% and peg to inflation.

McGuinty Brushes Up On Social Programs

2008-03-17T21:59:00.000-07:00

Monday March 17, 2008
CityNews.ca Staff

Premier Dalton McGuinty followed students back from March Break, and ended up at Cliffside Public School.

His break was a little longer than most - Queen's Park hasn't been in session since December - but the premier lost little time in making new announcements.

On Monday, he said that Ontario would spend $267 million to improve affordable housing, and to help low-income residents get proper dental care.

"We're going to invest for the first time $45 million to help families who don't have access to dental care, which is essentially an extension of health care. We want to make sure that families are getting access to basic treatment and prevention opportunities, which they have lacked in the past," he promised.

And in a move that would directly benefit some Cliffside students, he pledged to expend the student nutrition program with a three-year $32 million investment.

And then it's back to the legislature. Before sessions even began, NDP leader Howard Hampton called McGuinty's plan "grossly inadequate," and his Conservative counterpart John Tory said the best way to cure poverty is with a strong economy.

Discussions of Ontario's economy will continue as the budget is tabled next week.

ACORN Financial Justice Centers open in Toronto and New Westminster

2008-02-22T13:48:00.000-08:00

ACORN Financial Justice Centers open in Toronto and New Westminster

At the ACORN Financial Justice Center you can:
File your income taxes for free!
Claim the New Working Income Tax Credit - of up to $1000 in 2007
Get ALL the money you deserve - GST tax credit, CCTB, transit tax credit, and the childcare tax credit
Save money not going to commercial tax preparers who regularly charge up to $80 for a simple tax filing!
Learn about ACORN's financial justice campaigns
Get your money deposited straight into your account
To book an appointment in Toronto, Call 647.477.2648
To book an appointment in the GVRD, Call 604.522.8737
Remember to bring the following; photo id, SIN number, income slips (T4's), interest and investment slips (T3, T4PS, T5), Last years tax return if available, checkbook for direct deposit or refund.

St.Paul's On The Hill Food Bank.

2007-10-04T17:30:00.000-07:00

Local food bank in need of juice, pasta and rice

Tue Oct 02, 2007

DURHAM -- No child should ever go to school hungry, says an executive member of a local food bank.

But this has been happening more and more in Ajax and Pickering and the St. Paul's on-the-Hill Community Food Bank's Thanksgiving Drive, which will run until Oct. 14, hopes to help this problem.

"This is to sustain us for the whole year," said executive member Donna Cook. "This is what we rely on."

The food bank has been providing food for hungry families in Pickering and Ajax for the past 17 years. Open all year round, more than 50 volunteers currently keep the food bank on its feet, many of whom continuously donate themselves. And although staff thanks the generous donors in Ajax and Pickering, the food bank is finding itself struggling to feed all of west Durham's hungry stomachs.

"We're out of pasta," said director Rae Coulter. "We haven't been out of pasta in 17 years."

Other items the bank needs include rice, canned meat and tuna, peanut butter, cereal, Kraft Dinner, flour, canned fruit and children's snacks.

Ms. Cook stressed the importance of donating food that has not reached its expiry date, and hasn't been opened. She said they want the families who use the food bank to have dignity.

"If it's not good enough for you, then the poor don't want it," she said. "Give what you would eat."

In September, nearly 200 families used the food bank, which fed almost 550 people. Ms. Cook explained more than 2,200 families use the food bank each year and it feeds more than 7,000 people.

The food bank spends $500 each week on groceries, buying fresh food, such as eggs, but has to pay retail price like everybody else, and roughly $2,000 in rent per month at Parkway Storage.

"Our client base is building and we need more food," Ms. Cook said.

The food drive is non-denominational and any family can benefit from it by providing government papers (such as Social Assistance), income and something to prove that every family member lives at the same address. They then receive a card which allows them to pick up their food boxes twice a month. The size of the basket depends on the amount and ages of family members.

Fast facts

Anyone interested in donating non-perishable food items can do so at:

- Any grocery store in Pickering

- Both Sobey's stores in Ajax

- Pickering and Ajax fire halls

- 1537 Pickering Pkwy. (open each Tuesday and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to noon for donations and 10 a.m. to noon for pick-up). It's closed each first full week of the month.

- St. Paul's On-the-Hill Anglican Church at 882 Kingston Rd.

Those interested in volunteering can call 905-839-9537.

TorontoAntiPoverty

2007-09-30T18:48:00.000-07:00

WILL YOU STAND UP AND ALLOW YOUR VOICE TO BE HEARD

2007-09-26T08:17:00.000-07:00

WILL YOU STAND UP AND ALLOW YOUR VOICE TO BE HEARD THROUGHOUT DURHAM REGION!!!

YOU WILL BE GIVEN THAT OPPORTUNITY ON OCTOBER 10th, 2007. WILL YOU DO YOUR PART AND STAND UP TO Dalton McGuinty GOVERNMENT

"DURHAM REGIONAL NEW ACORN CHAPTER IS HERE!!!"

Durham Region-Pickering ACORN Chapter is looking for New:

VOLUNTEERS

MEMBERS

CANVASSERS

SUPPORTERS

Everyone is most welcome to participate and very much appreciated,

it is time to come together and stand up for our rights and that our voices be heard loud and clear

TODAY WE MARCH,TOMORROW WE VOTE!

Working families to the Province: We Pay our bills, why can't you?

2007-09-25T21:24:00.000-07:00

Fund Social housing – We deserve to live above the municipal code!

Upload Social Assistance – The city can’t pay social assistance off property taxes!

No more TTC fare hikes – Restore the provincial cuts to the capital budget!

ACORN and Toronto and York Region Labour Council are working together to win a fair deal for the City of Toronto. Each year billions of tax dollars go from Toronto to the Province and Federal government, yet Toronto only gets 6 cents of every tax dollar to deliver public services like affordable housing, transit, social assistance, parks, child care and public health. As a result we have constantly rising TTC fares, and constantly deteriorating public housing.

We are seeking $5,000 in monthly pledges so we can continue to engage, mobilize and organize Canada’s working family neighbourhoods around this issue. With a provincial election looming, ask yourself, if Ontario’s working families could be mobilized in large enough numbers to compel the Ontario government to take action on a fair deal for Toronto, how much money would you be willing to contribute to making it happen?

Click here to support the campaign

Click here to take action on the campaign

Ontario ACORN People's Platform

2007-09-25T19:20:00.000-07:00

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

TODAY WE MARCH,TOMORROW WE VOTE!

2007-09-23T12:35:00.000-07:00

TODAY WE MARCH,
TOMORROW WE VOTE!

RESPECT People. RESPECT Work. RESPECT Communities.

Demand action from the McGuinty government:

1). Tenants Rights / Rent Freeze / Rent Control!

2). $10 Minimum Wage Now!

3). Reign in Payday Lending!

4). Public Social Housing, Not Private!

5). $1.9 Billion for Affordable Housing Now!

6). Recognize International Credentials!

7). Community Access to Public Schools!

8). Increase Social Assistance Rates By 40%!

Working families in Ontario are feeling the pressure from all angles:
stagnant low wages and job losses in combination with inflation and
high rents are heightening poverty in Ontario. In the manufacturing
sector alone, 150,000 Ontario jobs have been lost in the past two
years, despite last year’s corporate profits soaring at $200 billion. Our
provincial government is failing us and we demand immediate action.

Today we march,
Tomorrow we vote!

Call ACORN for more information -- 416-461-9233 -- 1324 Danforth
Ave M4J 1M9
www.canada.acorn.org and/or http://gcuthbert2007.tripod.com/

DURHAM REGION – PICKERING ACORN CHAPTER

Call ACORN for more information -- 905 839 9031 -- 106 – 1990
Whites Road Pickering, Ontario L1V P65
JOIN ACORN AND FIGHT FOR JUSTICE!

Man believes ACORN could help Durham

2007-09-23T12:04:00.000-07:00

DURHAM -- Garry Cuthbert has experienced the struggles of living on a low-income and with a disability, but he has also seen how one organization can make a difference.

ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, is a community organization of low-and-moderate-income families, working for social and economic justice and stronger communities. Mr. Cuthbert joined the province-wide initiative and is looking for Durham residents to join him.

"I hope it will grow throughout Durham Region because all of the cities and towns here have the same problems," he said.

He wants to help make a difference in the community for the benefit of low-and-middle-income people as well as seniors and those with disabilities.

"Given the opportunity we can make a difference," he said. "With numbers we can move mountains."

Mr. Cuthbert became interested after he saw an article in a Toronto newspaper about ACORN and it immediately resonated with him.

"Durham Region needs that organization here," he said.

Mr. Cuthbert has cerebral palsy and uses an electric wheelchair. He had difficulty finding affordable and appropriate housing, but now lives in Durham Regional housing in Pickering, in a wheelchair-accessible unit. Now, helping people who face housing challenges, as he did, motivates him.

"I have seen what the chapter in Toronto has done," he said. "They clean up slum housing and crack houses and shut down slum landlords."

With more than 300,000 member families, ACORN is organized in 850 neighborhood chapters in more than 100 cities across Canada, the U.S., the Dominican Republic, Peru and Mexico. ACORN's goal is to represent the interests of Toronto and Canada's low-and-moderate-income urban communities on the critical issues of social and economic justice.

ACORN members participate in meetings and work on campaigns, elect leadership from the neighbourhood level up, and pay the organization's core expenses through membership dues and grassroots fundraisers.

Anyone interested in joining

DURHAM REGIONAL PICKERING ACORN CHAPTER

106-1990 Whites Road,

Pickering, Ontario L1V 6P5

(905) 839 9031

Contact: Garry Cuthbert

Coordinator and Recruiter
E-mail:gcuthbert@rogers.com
Web Site:http://gcuthbert2007.tripod.com/