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In response to the dramatic slashing of the Special Diet program ODSP is now facing tough questions and actions from many fronts. Thanks to those activists who did not lay down quietly and take the cuts ODSP is being investigated more thouroughly by at least the Ombudsman and the Human Rights Commission of Ontario. I will be posting more on these topics in the new year and I do expect some great news in 2008. Personally health issues and then a major move resulted in suffering of this site. The worst of the move is now over and we are beginning to settle in. It was quite a move from the centre of the Niagara Pennisula to the Northern Central Ontario region. Lots to change and learn about new serices and items no longer available that were taken for granted. For those interested we are now in Midland, home of Saint Marie amoung the Hurons and the Wye Marsh. Midland is West North West of Barrie on the southern shore of Severn Sound. The actual web space (hosting server) has changed! If you had bookmarked the old site http://home.cogeco.ca/~mmdilts/odsp please update your bookmarks to the new address of http://odsp.magmac.ca. Make sure that you let your friends and other contact know of this important change. Having our own server space will allow for some changes to the site and hopefully improvements of how the site can be re-build to be more friendly. We are always open to ideas and help and I am hoping that now others may be able to take an active roll in developing sections of the site. Today was a day of surfing and I found an excellent site for those who are concerned about internet fraud and identity theft. The site's Title is "The ABCs of Fraud" and has been created with the help of five other Fraud Prevention partners: the RCMP, Manitoba Consumers' Bureau, Financial Services OmbudsNetwork, Edmonton Police, and Industry Canada's Office of Consumer Affairs. The main focus of this site is to launch an online fraud quiz to measure consumers' awareness of fraud following the 2006 campaign. I found the site while visiting The Consumers Council of Canada website. The online Fraud awareness quiz is easy, fun and very informative and a great tool to gain some understanding about Fraud Prevention. The quiz is also available for donwload in Adobe PDF format for offline use. We are looking forward to 2008 being a super year with postive forward actions that will improve the prospects of all ODSP recipients. Maggie and Malcolm Links in this table only JUMP to other areas of this page. Click on the climbing monkey to return to the index below.
 I wish to extend my appreciation for the generous support provided to ODSP Activism & Support by Mach 5. They are providing me with a copy of their M5 Mailer to assist in sending out Press Releases for promoting the work around bringing the plight of ODSP recipient's to our fellow Ontarians. M5 Mailer sends each recipient an individual e-mail customized directly from your own data source. With direct connection to Access and Excel, no importing necessary. Full support for ODBC and text-based databases. For more information visit: 
Go to Mach 5 Mailer Will open in a new window. Here is a handy site for those who are budgeting thier fuel, and who still isn't. Find Ontario Gas Prices City,Prov or Postal Code (eg. Toronto, ON) Niagara UPdate (July, 2007) Day of Action Planning for Niagara I need four or five of you who are willing to help me plan and publicize this Day of Action. For those four or five, we can meet in my office or at a nearby coffee shop for our planning meetings, as well as by e-mail. Others may have access to transportation and be able to transport others on ODSP or OW from their own communities to the event and back home. Others may know (free) or low cost avenues to publicize the event. Also, we need to plan the event itself. I want media there, politicians (if any are interested) as well as many friends and supporters of the anti-poverty movement in Ontario. I may be able to get Peter Kormos to come. I am planning to keep this as simple as possible - a few speakers, an open "mike" and a Petition type of event, as well as a gathering of names to assist in the development of a more formal support group in Niagara for people living in poverty. I want to lay the foundation for the media and for the future Niagara politicians to know that there is a group that is going to be making them accountable. As a group, we'll be stronger. A key focus of this event is the raises the politicians gave themselves, the huge salaries and buy-outs given to Hydro employees, as well as the pittances given to people on ODSP and OW. This will be a chance to tell your story to the media (which I will try to get there - will check as well to make sure nothing else major is going on first so they will be able to at least make an appearance). As far as I know, there is not a lot else in Niagara going on with regards to election planning around poverty issues. If there is, I will keep people notified of these other events as well, but as you know if you live here, it's pretty conservative - but things can change! If you are interested, please e-mail me privately at browne2002ca@yahoo.com and leave your name, e-mail and phone number. Tell me if you want to be part of the planning or just want to be kept informed. Also, let me know if you can offer any assistance, such as transportation for other people who may attend, or if you have a creative imagination and would love to create flyers for the event or something like that ... Hope to hear from you soon! Angela
David Thomasson takes
ODSP to Court David has been punished by ODSP for attempting to claim wages paid to his farm employee as a business expense. David has launched a Charter Challenge in an effort to cause ODSP to accept wages paid out to employees as a business expense. The text of David's Charter Challenge is available online in David's section of this site: http://www.magmac.ca/ODSP/Challenge/DT_Chart_challenge.htm I am currently waiting for reprint permissions to include the text of the article in David's section of this site. In the mean time the acticle may be viewed at: http://www.standard-freeholder.com/webapp/sitepages/content.asp?contentid=603695&catname=local+news OCB Changes (April, 2007)
Ontario Introduces OCB:
In the 2007 budget the Liberals introduced a "New Ontario Child Benefit" program. This program has been discussed at length by members of the Fireside Group and on the ODSP Action Coaltion discussion group. From these discussions it was made very evident that there is a lot of confusion over how the new OCB will impact ODSP recipients. In an effort to provide some clarification members have provided some Q&A sheets and a OCB changes calculator.I wish to thank JB Kelly, Angela Browne and those at ISAC who provided the web information for their efforts and making the following information available to all. JB has prepared a calculator that will help provide a visual representation of how the OCB as currently presented will affect ODSP recipients. I have included a download link below to the calculator. Angela has provided a short Q&A Fact sheet that is available on the ODSP Fireside group (membership is not needed to view the Q&A). ISAC has also provided a Q&A Fact Sheet and I have included a download link below for their report. The following calculator should run on any system that supports a MS Excel spreadsheet - those without can always download the free open-source counterpart of MS Office from "www.openoffice.org". http://www.magmac.ca/ODSP/downloads/OCB_CalculatorV1_2.xls Angela's Q&A fact sheet is available to view at: http://groups.google.ca/group/odspfireside/browse_frm/thread/4d502dae92078f7c/# The ISAC Q&A Fact Sheet can be downloaded from: http://www.magmac.ca/ODSP/downloads/ISAC_OCB_qA_april07.doc (NOTE: Requires Microsoft Word to view) The section of the 2007 Ontario Budget that introduces the OCB is available online at: http://www.ontariobudget.ca/english/chpt1a.html Open Challenge to all Ontarians (January, 2007)
David Thomasson Challenges:
Prove that the ODSP Act / Legislation Fully Conforms to Human Rights Legislation and I Will Give You $1,000.00 This challenge has gone uncollected for days. http://www.magmac.ca/ODSP/Challenge/DT_Menu.htm New ODSP Legislation Resource (January, 2007) To Help Recipients Understand Better Simon Shields has prepared a legal resource site where he as taken the time to re-explain parts of the legislation for ODSP. This new site contains a wealth of information for ODSP recipients. you should find interesting and worth promoting. Simon is a lawyer in Ontario who has had direct dealings with ODSP and OW recipients and realized the need for some 'plain language' deciphering of the Acts and Regulations. He actually has taken some time away from his practice to prepare this material. The web site address for the ODSP section of his site is: http://www.isthatlegal.ca/index.php?name=start.ODSP
Special Diet Challenges (December, 2006) Special Diet Responses Letters from Glenn Hedrich! We are all hoping that ODSP has not had the last word on their Special Diet changes that have devistated so many recipients. Angela has been urging all who have been affected by the changes to the Special Diet Benefits to appeal their new benefit assessments from ODSP. Many have and I have received information that as of the beginning of December 2006 there are over 2000 SBT Special Diet appeals waiting to be processed. The appeals have been submitted on Human Rights violation grounds but the SBT is trying to short cut the review process and looking for ways to avoid the Human Rights questions. Current information indicates that the SBT is going to be reviewing the appeals initialy on regulations violations and then passing them on to HRC if they deem there is merit. In an effort to send smoke screens out apparently SBT has received some HRC invesitgators who will be working in-house during this process. Time will only tell if these HRC invesitgators actually get to see any of the complaints. In addition to requesting an internal review /SBT appeal Glenn had already submitted a complaint to the HRC. Glenn has sent a copy of the letter he included with his HRC complaint for others to review and use as a sample in their own letters or complaints. His letter is available at: http://www.magmac.ca/ODSP/odsp_letters.htm#hrc_glen When Glenn received his notice of termination for his Special Diet Benefits from ODSP he sent them a letter requesting an internal review. A copy of this letter is also available to view and use as a sample: http://www.magmac.ca/ODSP/odsp_letters.htm#engel_glen 4 month payback limit removed (May 25, 2006) Application Retroactive Dates ODSP Blinks Again! For those who disbelieve that quiet but strong action gets results read on. The complaint lodged with the Human Rights Commission against ODSP's untimely processing of applications has apparently born fruit. This week ODSP has announced a reversal of policy on limiting the retroactive time limit to 4 months. To read messages about the change from Nancy Vander Plaats of the ODSP Action Coalition and Barbara Casson (CRO) visit: http://www.magmac.ca/ODSP/odsp_increase_info.htm#retro A link to a copy of the policy as released by ODSP that you may circulate is: http://www.odspaction.ca/download/ODSP_Policy_retroactive_grant.doc Pro Bono Students Canada - Final Report on Changes for ODSP (May 2006) Pathway To Progress Final Report Released David Lyons, Michael Kennedy, Ronan Lougheed, Michael Hassell, Dave Vaillancourt and Morgan
Crockett, Pro Bono Students Canada at the University of Western Ontario,
have completed and released their ODSP report titled The report is available in HTML format
online at: View or Download a copy of the Full
Report in Abode Acrobat format: Class Action against ODSP (March 2006) PROVINCE SUED FOR CHEATING
A landmark class-action lawsuit
has been filed against the Ontario Government claiming millions of dollars
wrongfully withheld by the Ministry of Community and Social Services.
SEVERELY DISABLED PEOPLE Read the Press Release announcing the Class Action at: http://www.magmac.ca/ODSP/odsp_increase_info.htm#class1 Please feel free to circulate the link to the Press Release.
Systemic Change in the ODSP Delivery Model Michael Hassell, Dave Vaillancourt and Morgan Crockett, Pro Bono Students Canada at the University of Western Ontario, are working on an ODSP project called "Systemic Change in the ODSP Delivery Model". A short initial draft of the paper that outlines what it is about is available online at: http://www.magmac.ca/ODSP/ODSP Systemic Change Feb 19-1.htm Please feel free to circulate the link to the draft paper. Letters to Editor Campaign Needed Immediately (December 2005)
*** Attention ***
Your assistance is needed NOW! We have all been talking about getting some action going. The timing is right for letters to editors to flood into news rooms right across this province.
Calling all ODSP recipients and friends! Ms. Pupatello is beginning to feel the pressure of her actions around the Special Diet Program. Interest is finally being generated with the media about what is being done to all ODSP recipients. There are some strong indicators that movement may happen in the near future around adding more conditions to the eligibility for Special Diet Assistance along with reviewing the amounts being allotted for the existing conditions. There are even some hints that the next budget may hold some good news as well. But NOTHING will happen if no one keeps the momentum going. It is all up to you to ensure that positive changes happen in ODSP. Maggie and I have called for letters to be written to your local media. These do not need to be fancy letters, they just need to be from the heart and about one topic. The most common response we hear is "I don't know what to write". Write about YOU! Tell the editor and your neighbours what you are going through. If you wish to focus on how the change to the special diet allowance is going to place additional hardships on you and your family then tell them what the hardships are. Tell them how much you are going to loose and what food you will no longer be able to afford. Tell then if you face loosing your home, tell them to listen and also help by letting their MPP know that they are not pleased with how our government is treating ODSP recipients. If you wish to talk about the need for higher housing allowance totals then talk about the amounts we are expected to find a place to live with. Tell them about how rents keep going up year after year but we still are given almost the same amounts that were inadequate 10 years ago. Everywhere else people receive Cost Of Living Allowance raises or other compensations that help negate the rising housing costs. Only receiving a 1.5 % increase in housing assistance for 10 years is inhumane. There have been bills, petitions and other attempts made to prompt our Ontario governments to act responsibly but all have fallen on deaf ears. For some examples of letters that have been sent to the Minister of Community and Social Services former director Ms. S. Pupatello (ODSP is under this ministry) please visit: http://www.magmac.ca/ODSP/odsp_letters.htm For some examples of Letters to the Editor about ODSP issues that have been published please visit: http://www.magmac.ca/ODSP/odsp_letterstoeditor.htm Your letters do not need to be fancy, just truthful and from the heart! Write your letter NOW! Encourage your family members, friends and other ODSP recipients to write a Letter to your Editor NOW! Until the media in Ontario begins to show some interest in the abuse ODSP recipients receive from ODSP and our Ontario governments nothing is going to happen. Until we peak the interest of Ontario Media by writing letters to them they will not be interested in helping us make Ontarians aware. Until Ontarians become aware of what is really happening with ODSP and begin to voice their concerns Queen's Park will continue to ignore ODSP and hoard public funds away from ODSP recipients and into the hands of their special concerns. Just imagine that if only 1 out of 10 recipients wrote a letter there would be over 20,000 letters. Your future begins with you. Now is the time. JUST DO IT! Major Changes to the Special Diet Program (November 2005) A major change has been implemented by the Liberal Government. No longer can a recepient of ODSP receive an allowance based on a diet given by their Physician or Medical Practionner. Former Minister Pupatello very quietly slipped major changes in the ODSP Act Regulations into force on Friday Afternoon (November 3rd, 2005). Under the new regulations only specific medical conditions will be considered for a small allowance. The new regulation wording and is the new schedule listing the medical conditions that qualify available for reading on the e-laws web site. ODSP Special Diet Regulation Amendment ODSP Special Diet Schedule The same changes have been made to the OW program. The information for the OW Special Diet are: OW Special Diet Regulation Amendment OW Special Diet Schedule More information is available on the ODSP Action Caolition Web Site about how the program will work, what the changes will mean, explanaition of the conditions covered and other topics. Go to the Special Diet Page on the ODSP Action Coalition Web Site.
Violations of the International Covenant (October 2005) During a search for the History of Social Assistance in Ontario I came across the following web page. Summary of Ontario Government Violations reported to United Nations This web page reveals some answers to question that I have been hearing in the last year about what happened to Social Assistance Rates and why no action is being taken by the Ontario Goverment about correcting them. Included are references to the ineffectiveness of and disregard for the Ontario Human Rights Code leaving us again hanging in the wind. It is a summary of the violations contained in a report created by Low Income Families Together entitled "Low Income Families Together" that was Submitted to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights GENEVA, November 1998. Included are links to the introduction of the report, details of the articles that are violated, recommendations and the response form the UN. Information on Earnings & ODSP Entitlement (August 2005) There has been a lot of interest and confusion around our rights and responsibilities in reguard to extra monies that enter an ODSP Benefit Unit (our household funds). ODSP includes all forms of acquiring money as income and provides exemptions to some things. Angela has prepared an article written from a recipient's perspective on how earnings will affect an ODSP recipient. Read Angela's article at: Article on Earnings & ODSP Entitlement Be A Part Of The Solution! (July 2005)
ODSP Offices still making things difficult! (August 2005) Our dear friend Glenn made a visit to his ODSP Office for copies of the MSN Special Diet Application Forms. This was not the first time he has requested the forms and there was never a problem before but on this occasion his request was flatly denied unless he provided the receptionist with his identity. Glenn did give in and provide his identity and received the forms but they did not give out the schedules that list the breakdowns of items that are allowable along with their values. In response to the added stress that this new (new for him at his office) proceedure triggered he wrote a letter of complaint to his local MPP. Read the letter at: Glenn's letter to Mr. Milloy $50.00 for Energy Conservation! (July 2005) ODSP offers recipients who pay thier own hydro costs a DISCRETIONARY BENEFIT FOR LOW-COST ENERGY-CONSERVATION MEASURES and more information on this special benefit is available in the ODSP Policy and Directives Manual under Directive 9.16.
http://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/NR/MCFCS/ODSP/ISDIR/en/9_16.doc and downloaded in PDF format at: http://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/NR/MCFCS/ODSP/ISDIR/en/9_16.pdf There are Four main points to the directive: 1) Payment may be issued only once to a benefit unit and may not exceed $50.00 2) Recipients are to ensure that the items requested are not being offered free of charge by local utility companies or energy conservation and community agencies. 3) All recipients who own and reside in their principal residences are eligible for the Discretionary Benefit. 4) The benefit may also be issued to recipients who reside in a rental unit where it is clear that the landlord is not responsible for providing the items requested (i.e. fluorescent light bulbs). But It Is All There! (June 2005) To many it may seem tedious having to explain the same thing over and over again but everyone deserves the right to understand what the laws of Ontario mean and how they affect them correct? Some of us Ontarians can easily understand all of that legalize but the large number of us cannot. Some even have trouble understanding things put in simple forms and therefore require using speculation to find a way to understand. ODSP even understands that a simplier method of explaining the rules and regulations are needed. I have written a short response to this question of specilation and understanding on the Thoughts page. To read my response please visit: click here. New Heading Added - Did You Know? (May 2005) I have added a new Heading to the Menu for the ODSP Activism Site. This new section will contain entries that could begin with the statement 'Did You Know ...' and provide short, quick access to points of interest for OSDP recipients, applicants and others who wish to see ODSP become a true support system and not just a consciense soother kept to as small a drain on the budget as possible. Between this new section called Did You Know, ODSP Letters, Tips, Help and Thoughts I truly hope that all visitors will leave the site with a real knowledge of that is happening to ODSP recipients and much needed information on dealing with the ODSP offices, Proceedures, Policies and Legislation. Our goal at ODSP Activism & Support is to truly provide points of hope and ways to support the efforts of others in striving to make ODSP more responsible to the people of Ontario and not just to the Government's Budget! I am beginning the life of Did You Know by posting a Profile of David Thomasson. To jump to the 'Did You Know' page now click here or visit the page at any time by clicking on the 'Did You Know' link at the top or bottom of your current page. To jump to the Profile of David Thomasson now click here or visit David's profile at any time by visiting the 'Did You Know' page and clicking on the 'David Thomasson' link in the Did You Know Menu. Budget must help families of disabled(April 2005) I wish to thank Helen Henderson for including our web address in her article "Budget must help families of disabled" published in the Toronto Star on April 9, 2005. Building public awareness of the plight of ODSP recipients is a needed step in bringing reform to the ODSP program. Helen brings to the forefront a great example of the discrimination and challenges that face recipients on a regular basis when dealing with ODSP. If you have not read her column here is a link to the article I am refering to: Budget must help ...
For my thoughts and responce to Ms. Henderson's request for information please go to: Input request response. Manifesto for Persons with Disabilities (March 2005) While serving as Director of the 'Center for Independent Living of North Florida' John R. Woodward (Master of Social Work) created a Manifesto for Persons with Disabilities. This manifesto is so applicable and comprehensive that all disabled persons should adapt this as a standard of life and promote it whereever possible. To read the manifesto go to: Read Manifesto What's New - LOTS! (March 2005) I must start with my appologies for tardyness over the last month. So many great things have been happening that I do not know where to start. The ODSP Action Coalition is growing and currently they are working on preparing a formal Mandate. Letters have been arriving with more horror stories, serious questions, suggestions, complaints and 'Life on ODSP' stories. I wish to thank all of you who write even though I may not get back as quickly as I would like or get to use your material. One point becomming very clear (as if it was not clear already) is that ODSP recipients are very tired, frustrated, confused, angry and downtrodden at having to work with ODSP as it currently is operated. The ODSP Fireside group is growing daily and there are some good discussions happening. Recipients are asking questions that ODSP is not good at providing answers to and experienced recipients are responding. Great things are happening on the Fireside as well, more members are needed always and the project that is starting will need helping hands, hearts and heads. Glenn has done some research with the Ontario Ombudsman and is gathering interesting information on complaints. For the reporting year of 1999 / 2000 he has the numbers for complaints made against the government. If you remove the complaints sent in against the Ministry of Corrections (their numbers are so high it is almost unreal - almost as many against that Ministry as against the entire rest of the government) then ODSP is the department with the third most complaints at 685. This is not a funny situation and really backs our statements that ODSP is structurally not working. Operational changes are in the works and changes have been made under duress from the Labour Unions but only time will tell if these changes actually make things better or worse. The Ministry has finally released new ODSP brochures on Working, MSN (Mandatory Special Needs), Employment/Training Income report, How to apply for ODSP, Assets,and Extended Health. If you would like copies of the new brochures contact your Local ODSP Office for now. I am trying to get electronic copies to include here for you. Many more good things have happened and I will be getting them posted here as quickly as possible. Please bookmark this site if you have not done so already and plan on visiting often. There will be more changes in the site that we hope will be of great benefit to YOU! Changes to ODSP Who says that Queen's Park refuses to hear and that positive Action for change falls on deaf ears? Not Always, as a result of hard work by many including those who met with Deb Matthews, letter writers and ODSP Action Coalition some changes have been made to ODSP policies. The one big change that has been eagerly waited for is the ability to maintain RESP's. For a short list of the changes see: Changes to ODSP For the government press release on December 15th see: http://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/CFCS/en/newsRoom/newsReleases/041215.htm
February 6, 2005 In keeping with everyting else about being an ODSP recipient there is a lot of help out there, we just don't know where to get it. Here is some info that I hope will be of great help to many recipients. Are you in need of Assisted Housing and don't know how to start or would like to apply for Assisted Housing in another area of Ontario? Are you having big problems with ODSP related issues and don't know where to go for help? I have put together a page of contact information and or links to all of the Community Legal Clinics and (hopefully) Social Housing Providers to in Ontario. This new page is available at: Social Housing / Community Legal Links. January 16, 2005 I have finally begun to gather links that will provide direct paths to information from the Ontario government and other sites that are of benefit to ODSP recipients. This new page is available at: Information Links). Need some Humour to offset the frustration of ODSP restrictions and frustrations. Try out the ODSP Antidotes (Humour) page at: ODSP Humour January 4, 2005 After much research into current ODSP regulations and discussion with other ODSP recipients I have prepared a Petition for Presentation to the Ontario Legislature. There were a number of comments about the uselessness of Petitions but petitions do serve a very valuable service. First they are a reminder to the legislature that the public is in support of a certain action and second they provide us with a method of addressing the Legislature as a whole. One trick of petitions is the frequency and quantity of presentations. The more a single idea is presented the more awareness is generated and if a single petition attracts enough awareness then eventually the press will come on board. Major changes in unpopular legislation (and lets face facts - spending money on ODSP recipients is not a popular idea ... for background see: (What We Are Up Against). The ODSP Legislation Petition page can be found at: ODSP Legislation Petition. December 30, 2004 The upgrade to this website is underway, the change will be slight but I am hoping that the small changes will make the site more friendly. I will be moving all information about increases to ODSP benefits onto a new page and removing them from this page. As this is the main site page it will contain new postings about information for ODSP recipients. The new Increses Information page can be found at: Information on Increases to ODSP Benefits. For now when you click on a page link the page will open in a new browser window. My hope is that this will allow you to keep this page open and use it as a reference point. Please feel free to contact me with suggestions on making the ODSP Activism Web Site a place where you can go to often for information and help while existing on ODSP. Email a suggestion!  December 28, 2004 This morning I was privileged to have a super communication about a new ODSP Petition that I am preparing. The communication was brief but a lot of great points came out that exemplify why we (ODSP recipients and all dis-advantaged Ontarions) cannot count on the Ontario Government for help. To read the short exchange and a listing of the points please visit: What are we up against? December 18, 2004 We are beginning to settle in after our move to Niagara on the Lake and will be able to return to updating this site. My wife and I wish to extend blessings and best wishes for all readers who will or are celebrating special events during the upcomming festive season. The design of this site will be changing and I will be appreciative of receiving input on how to improve the site for visitors. Please email your ideas and suggestions to: My ideas and suggestions.
December 1, 2004 The website host change has been completed and the old site web address http://home.cablerocket.com/~mdilts/index.html will be discontinued at any time. If you had bookmarked this site using the old address please replace your bookmark. November 12, 2004 The ODSP Action Coalition is beginning the process of creating an online presence. This group works to raise awareness of issues affecting persons in receipt of Ontario Disability Support Program ("ODSP") benefits. For more information about the Coalition please visit: ODSP Interim Web Site October 27, 2004 Have you been told that your ODSP benefits will be refused, cancelled or reduced and you don't understand why. This article hopefully will provide some help in understanding what happened, how to prevent you from being affected and how to challenge a reduction, refusal or cancellation ruling. Go to ODSP Tips Page October 7, 2004 Are you being told that you must cash-in your RESP's before receiving assistance? The Ontaro Government held a press conference yesterday to announce that they are planning to scrap that rule. "It's a dumb rule that works at cross-purposes to what welfare is suppose to be doing for people and their families ... that rule is going to be eliminated," Former ODSP Minister Sandra Pupatello told the Toronto Star yesterday. To read the aritcle printed by the Toronto Star: Star Article on Pupatello's announcement October 6, 2004 I have added two new pages to the web site. One page is for letters that have been written and sent to Former ODSP Minister Sandra Pupatello. These letters may provide help in writing your own letter. Go to ODSP Letters Page The second page contains announcemts from the ODSP Action Coalition. ODSP Action Coalition Announcements September 28, 2004 I want to take a minute to thank Glenn for his submission of this article. Part of the purpose of this site is to provide information 'From the ODSP Recipients Point of View'. Do you have an issue with ODSP that requires a decision and don't know what to do if you are turned down. You may have another chance to get an approval. The appeal process is not easy but it does work if you play by the ODSP rules. Appealing an ODSP Decision September 25, 2004 Hello and thank you for joining us! I have posted a tip / warning for those who are just starting out on their ODSP journey that provides some REAL advice on ODSP. This article may also provide some direction if you are banging your head against a wall and wondering why your application is not going anywhere. For those of us who have succeeded in getting approval the article may provide a chuckle or trigger yucky memories. This article is posted unsigned as there is evidence that ODSP can made life difficult for recipients who openly attack the ODSP and expose their agendas. We must stay aware of our rights and exercise those rights with the same vigour that ODSP exercises their power on our responsibilities to ensure that the minimum resources are dispensed to Ontarions in Need. ODSP Application Tips
September 22, 2004 The first installment of Tips and Information for ODSP Recipients is available at: Tips and Information for ODSP Recipients September 21, 2004 The Ontario Coalition for Social Justice is promoting an Ontario Needs a Raise Awaremess Campaign slated for October 2nd, 2004. More information and downloads of the Brochure and Exercise leaflets are available at: ONR Downloads September 16, 2004 I received two emails today that are worth sharing. The first was inquiring about my statement that not everyone will receive the increase on their shelter allowance. To read the email and my explanation go to: Why I may not receive an increase to my shelter allowance. The second email was about making contact with our local MPP. To read the email exerpt and my suggestions please go to: Making contact with my local MPP. I have been asked to gather names of ODSP recipients across Ontario who are willing to be matched up with other recipients in their area to work together as a group to promote ODSP awareness and become support groups. For more information please visit: ODSP Recipient Group Information. July 21, 2004 I was directed to the National Council of Welfare web site and found some interesting information. Ontarions depending on ODSP for survival have seen their assistance value errode to the lowest point since 1989. ProRating the dollar purchsing value to 2003 levels the amount of assistance has varied from $12,400 in 1989 to a high of $13,822 in 1992 to the current low of $11,446 in 2003. Below is a chart of how the ODSP assistance benefits have fared against the poverty line since 1989. 
To download an Adobe Acrobat Version of the report visit: Welfare Incomes 2003 Report or Visit their main wab page at: National Council of Welfare
How can you Help -Click Here This web page is posted and maintained by: Malcolm Dilts Midland, Ontario email: mm@magmac.ca The following Questions about Raising Assistance Rates in Ontario were raised by Howard Hampton, MPP and NDP Leader, in the Ontario Legislature on April 29, 2004 Mr Howard Hampton (Kenora-Rainy River): My question is for the Premier. This morning I spoke to a rally of hundreds of courageous anti-poverty activists in front of this building. Some of these people had walked from as far away as Sarnia to send you a message: Ontario needs a raise. Ontario's poorest citizens have had their incomes reduced by 34% since 1995. They struggle to feed their children. They often can't pay their rent. You know it's not fair, you know it must be fixed, yet your government and you have not kept your promise to increase social assistance benefits. Premier, when will you stop breaking your promises and give Ontario's poorest citizens the raise they deserve? Hon Dalton McGuinty (Premier, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs): I thank the leader of the NDP for the question. In particular I want to thank the group for making its way to Queen's Park and to thank them for the representations they made. I know the Minister of Community and Social Services had the opportunity to meet with representatives. I can say that we are listening to the case made by our most vulnerable and we look forward to doing more. But I can say that we take some pride in what we've already done. We have increased the minimum wage. We have eliminated the automatic rent increase this year. We're back in the business of building new affordable housing in the province of Ontario. We've created a rent bank and an emergency hydro assistance fund. We've taken a first and important step when it comes to addressing the problem of domestic violence in Ontario. We've just begun, and we look forward to doing so much more.
Many of the courageous people I saw this morning are people with disabilities. Their incomes have been reduced by 18% since 1995. This includes people like 61-year-old Brandy Crocker of Toronto. From the Ontario disability support plan she receives $930 a month, but her rent is $896 a month. She cannot feed herself and she is at the brink of becoming homeless. Premier, how can you break your promise to Brandy Crocker? Why are you breaking your promises to the poorest people in the province? Hon Mr McGuinty: I say with the greatest respect to the leader of the NDP that he does not have a monopoly on social consciousness in this Legislature. We have taken a number of important steps, and we look forward to taking more. We welcomed the representations that were made by the group that gathered this morning. As I said, the minister took the time to meet with representatives of the group. I can say to the member opposite and to those who gathered this morning on the lawn of Queen's Park that we look forward to doing much more. We can say that we also look forward to having some announcements of this nature included in our budget.
Welfare Statistics
Ontario Disability Support Program and Ontario Works Quarterly Statistical Reports - Caseloads and Beneficiaries - five years of statistics on ODSP and OW caseloads (i.e., number of households) and beneficiaries (i.e., number of individual recipients) - includes stat breakdowns by family type (singles / couples / sole support parents) Ontario Disability Support Program Quarterly Statistical Report Ontario Works Quarterly Statistical Report
NOTE: Kudos to the Ontario Government for finally making ODSP statistics publicly available for the first time since the mid-1990s! [ the policy of the former government was to make OW statistics available on the website, but if someone wanted to know the number of people on ODSP, they had to submit a request, by regular mail or e-mail and wait for a beneficient bureaucrat of the Ontario Government to reply...] NOTE TO EXPLAIN THE PREVIOUS NOTE: Why is it important for ODSP stats to be as readily available as OW on the government's site? Because any comparison of Ontario's welfare stats with those of other Canadian provinces and territories must include both the "expected-to-work" and the " not-expected-to-work" components of the welfare caseload. The above
information was extracted from
Canadian Social Research Links
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