Women’s Poverty
Women who work full-time, year-round earn only 71 cents for every dollar earned by men. 20% of women are in low-wage occupations, compared to 10% of men.
Almost half (47%) of people receiving Ontario Works are sole support parents and their children – the vast majority are sole support mothers.
Lone mothers receiving social assistance are not allowed to keep child support payments from the father.
The Ontario government deducts these payments from their social assistance cheque. In Quebec,
parents are allowed to keep $100/month.
Poverty often traps women in abusive relationships. Without access to adequate income, housing,
childcare and decent employment, many women and their children are trapped.
Source: 2010 Ontario Report Card on Child & Family Poverty
Many Ontario women are living on incomes below the poverty line. Are you one of these women? Their income does not provide them with enough to pay the rent and feed their family. It’s particularly tough for women raising children on their own.
Whether you are on welfare, disability, or working for low wages, women need affordable child care, affordable housing, and training and education to get better jobs.
The Ontario government has developed a strategy to reduce poverty and has commissioned the review of social assistance in Ontario. Consultations on the review of social assistance were held in 2011 and an Options Paper will be released in early 2012. For further information visit http://sareview.ca/
Full day kindergarten is being phased in and the government has announced a long-term affordable housing strategy.
These changes could have a profound effect on women’s lives across the province so it’s important that women share their experiences and ideas with the government and other organizations.
We would like to find out what are the best ways to involve women across the province in these discussions. We want to have your voice heard.
Over the longer term we are exploring the idea of building a provincial network connecting low and modest income women to express their views and provide input on programs for women’s economic security.
With the support of the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the project has partnered with 11 community organizations across the province and held workshops in Toronto (central), Region of Peel, Windsor, Sault Ste. Marie, North Bay, Bracebridge, Ottawa, Pembroke, Etobicoke and Scarborough. So far, more than 200 women, most raising children on their own, participated and shared experiences and concerns about government policies that affect their lives. For more info about what we have heard and learned, read the Key Messages Document.
The website for the social assistance review was launched in early June. The materials include a discussion paper; a summary and workbook; and a guide to hosting a community conversation. Here’s the website: http://www.socialassistancereview.ca/home
To get more info on issues go to our FACT SHEETS page and visit the TAKE ACTION page for more ideas.
Give us your FEEDBACK. Let us know what will it take to have your voice heard.
"Bringing in Women's Voices from the Margins" is a project developed by the Ontario Campaign 2000 and the Income Security Advocacy Centre in collaboration with 11 community partners. During 2011 this project will explore and identify strategies to increase the engagement of low-income women in public discussions on economic security issues so that their interests are better reflected in government policies and programs that impact them and their children.
"Bringing in Women's Voices from the Margins" is funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation - http://www.trilliumfoundation.org - which is an agency of the government of Ontario.
Copyright © Campaign 2000.