Poverty

By tesszayyad

  • First Upper Canada Statute

    Lt. Gov. John Graves Simcoe creates government for Upper Canada but excludes British Poor Law freeing the colony from responsibility for the poor.

  • Charity Aid Act – Upper Canada

    First declaration of public responsibility for the poor — but assigned to churches and charity.

  • Confederation

    Ontario signs BNA Act, which confers responsibility for issues related to poverty and civil rights to provinces.

  • First Distinct Government Role in Poverty Alleviation

    Ontario and Toronto move to administer and fund programs for the poor rather than leave it to churches or charities. Leads to creation of the first municipal “relief” workers in Toronto.

  • First Mothers Allowance

    First direct cash assistance for the poor. Widows who were British subjects, had at least two children and were “fit mothers” were paid $55 a month in Toronto.

  • Great Depression

    The Great Depression was a big cause to a large amount of money being lost and to our markets

  • Unemployment

    Rates rise up from 3.2% to 8.7%

  • First Social Assistance Rates (Direct Cash Relief)

    Led to 1935 provincial Unemployment Relief Act, which mandated Queen’s Park to meet needs of all poor for the first time. First legislative call for direct cash relief.

  • Food Stamps

    Food Stamps were made by the Federal Government to provide food to low income individuals

  • First Nutrition Standards in assistance to poor

    : Ontario introduces assistance rates based on the cost of healthy food. Leads to 43 annual Guides to Family Budgeting. First direct link between nutritional needs of the poor and cash payments.

  • Canada Assistance Plan

    Ontario pushes first Canada-wide cost-sharing of social assistance with national standards.

  • International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

    International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is a day to support and make the poverty get better. This day got people to gather around the world to honor victims that were in extreme poverty.

  • Report of the Social Assistance Review Committee

    Widely seen as the most comprehensive review of social assistance in provincial and national history.

  • 21.6 per cent cut to general welfare and family benefits.

    Led to creation of Ontario Works, which required the poor to work, volunteer or train to receive help and followed by a nine-year freeze in rates.

  • Cuts

    Sachs soon heard that the government wants to cut poverty in half in the year 2015 and eliminate all of it by 2025