COMMISSION FOR THE REVIEW OF SOCIAL ASSISTANCE IN ONTARIO


In July, the residents of Thunder Bay had the opportunity to share their views on social assistance to Commissioner Frances Lankin from the Commission for the Review of Social Assistance in Ontario. As part of their Poverty Reduction Strategy, the Ontario government appointed Honourable Frances Lankin and Dr. Munir A. Sheikh to examine social assistance through engagement, research and analysis and to provide the government with a concrete action plan to improve the system for the people who need it.

A local coordinating committee that included the staff from the Kinna-aweya Legal clinic organized two sessions. On Wednesday July 20th, 64 people, primarily recipients of Ontario Works (OW) and the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP), gathered to share their views for addressing the current systems. On Thursday July 21st, 85 people, primarily frontline, advocacy and other agency workers, shared their views on the changes needed to make OW and ODSP better for recipients.

A report summarizing the sessions: Need for Change: Citizen Perspectives for Improving Social Assistance










Return to Kinna-aweya Legal Clinic Home