Let’s make Poverty an Election Issue!
Send your local party candidates the message below. IT IS EASY
1. Click on the Candidates or Ontario Party's Leader name below and press allow to open into an email.
2. Copy and paste the letter below into the email, sign and send
Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock Riding Candidates
Party Leaders
Doug Ford, Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
Andrea Horwath, Leader of the New Democratic Party of Ontario
Mike Schreiner, Leader of the Green Party of Ontario
Kathleen Wynne, Leader of the Liberal Party of Ontario
Dear
Poverty is a serious problem for our community and the province. Poverty affects an individual’s physical and mental health as well as their dignity and quality of life. Everyone needs enough money to meet their basic needs of housing, food, employment, education, transportation, childcare, and other necessities.
In the City of Kawartha Lakes, 13.1% of all households are considered low-income, of which, 16.5% are children age 0-17[1]. In Haliburton County, 17.2% of all households are considered low-income, of which, 22.9% are children age 0-17.[2]
The lack of affordable housing has resulted in 1,415 households waiting 3-5 years for subsidized housing in the City of Kawartha Lakes and Haliburton County[3]. The waitlist for subsidized housing has tripled since 2013. In the City of Kawartha Lakes, 51.6% of renters are paying 30% or more of their income on housing.[4]
Food insecurity is also a serious problem in our community. More than one in ten households are food insecure in the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge district[5]. After paying for basic needs such as rent and utilities most people with low incomes do not have enough money left over to buy adequate healthy food.
The shortage of affordable licensed childcare is another concern. We have no licensed childcare for infants age 0-18 months in Haliburton County and a limited number of spaces in the City of Kawartha Lakes. The cost of childcare is also a barrier. This makes it difficult for parents to be employed or pursue education.
Every level of government has a role to play in poverty reduction so that everyone has their basic needs met with dignity and respect. Food banks, charity programs and other social programs provide some short-term relief but are not designed to address the root causes of poverty.
Income is one solution to poverty. The three-year Ontario Basic Income Pilot study is currently in progress to test if a basic income is an effective and sustainable way to reduce poverty. The results of the Basic Income Pilot study could reveal significant improvements in the lives of low income Ontarians.
The Ontario Basic Income Pilot is a start, but more needs to be done. Other income-based solutions, such as minimum wage rates that are reflective of a living wage and increases to social assistance rates are needed. There also needs to be job creation, improvements to employment standards, and more affordable housing and licensed childcare.
Thank you for your time and consideration. If elected, I look forward to seeing how your party will implement the suggested poverty reduction strategies in Ontario.
Your Name and Address
[1] Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit. (April 2018) Inform Summary of Statistics Canada’s 2016 Census CITY OF KAWARTHA LAKES
[2] Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit. (April 2018) Inform Summary of Statistics Canada’s 2016 Census HALIBURTON COUNTY
[3] Housing Help Centre. April 2018. City of Kawartha Lakes
[4] Lindsay Advocate Volume 1, Issue 2 May 2018 http://lindsayadvocate.ca/
[5] Haliburton, Kawartha, Pineridge District Health Unit “Addressing Food Insecurity Through Income” Report https://www.haliburtoncountyfoodnet.com/addresing-food-insecurity-through-income-report-2017.html
Send your local party candidates the message below. IT IS EASY
1. Click on the Candidates or Ontario Party's Leader name below and press allow to open into an email.
2. Copy and paste the letter below into the email, sign and send
Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock Riding Candidates
- Gene Balfour, Libertarian Party
- Brooklynne Cramp-Waldinsperger, Liberal
- Zac Miller, NDP
- Laurie Scott, Progressive Conservative
- Lynn Therien, Green
Party Leaders
Doug Ford, Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
Andrea Horwath, Leader of the New Democratic Party of Ontario
Mike Schreiner, Leader of the Green Party of Ontario
Kathleen Wynne, Leader of the Liberal Party of Ontario
Dear
Poverty is a serious problem for our community and the province. Poverty affects an individual’s physical and mental health as well as their dignity and quality of life. Everyone needs enough money to meet their basic needs of housing, food, employment, education, transportation, childcare, and other necessities.
In the City of Kawartha Lakes, 13.1% of all households are considered low-income, of which, 16.5% are children age 0-17[1]. In Haliburton County, 17.2% of all households are considered low-income, of which, 22.9% are children age 0-17.[2]
The lack of affordable housing has resulted in 1,415 households waiting 3-5 years for subsidized housing in the City of Kawartha Lakes and Haliburton County[3]. The waitlist for subsidized housing has tripled since 2013. In the City of Kawartha Lakes, 51.6% of renters are paying 30% or more of their income on housing.[4]
Food insecurity is also a serious problem in our community. More than one in ten households are food insecure in the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge district[5]. After paying for basic needs such as rent and utilities most people with low incomes do not have enough money left over to buy adequate healthy food.
The shortage of affordable licensed childcare is another concern. We have no licensed childcare for infants age 0-18 months in Haliburton County and a limited number of spaces in the City of Kawartha Lakes. The cost of childcare is also a barrier. This makes it difficult for parents to be employed or pursue education.
Every level of government has a role to play in poverty reduction so that everyone has their basic needs met with dignity and respect. Food banks, charity programs and other social programs provide some short-term relief but are not designed to address the root causes of poverty.
Income is one solution to poverty. The three-year Ontario Basic Income Pilot study is currently in progress to test if a basic income is an effective and sustainable way to reduce poverty. The results of the Basic Income Pilot study could reveal significant improvements in the lives of low income Ontarians.
The Ontario Basic Income Pilot is a start, but more needs to be done. Other income-based solutions, such as minimum wage rates that are reflective of a living wage and increases to social assistance rates are needed. There also needs to be job creation, improvements to employment standards, and more affordable housing and licensed childcare.
Thank you for your time and consideration. If elected, I look forward to seeing how your party will implement the suggested poverty reduction strategies in Ontario.
Your Name and Address
[1] Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit. (April 2018) Inform Summary of Statistics Canada’s 2016 Census CITY OF KAWARTHA LAKES
[2] Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit. (April 2018) Inform Summary of Statistics Canada’s 2016 Census HALIBURTON COUNTY
[3] Housing Help Centre. April 2018. City of Kawartha Lakes
[4] Lindsay Advocate Volume 1, Issue 2 May 2018 http://lindsayadvocate.ca/
[5] Haliburton, Kawartha, Pineridge District Health Unit “Addressing Food Insecurity Through Income” Report https://www.haliburtoncountyfoodnet.com/addresing-food-insecurity-through-income-report-2017.html
