The Ontario government is cutting two-thirds of the funding for the Ontario Seniors’ Transit Tax Credit program. Whereas previously $9.7 million was allocated for the program, now there is $3.5 million. The spokesperson for the Ontario Ministry of Transportation says, “no negative impacts to seniors are anticipated.” That sounds odd….
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The Ontario PC government has announced the first cues about its plans for social assistance reform. Given that the previous PC government axed social assistance rates by 21.6%, there’s been widespread fear that rate cuts from the Ford government were on the horizon. But last week’s announcement included no…
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Provinces across Canada are either moving towards a $15 minimum wage or keeping minimum wages low while enhancing tax benefits for low-income families. On Tuesday, the Ontario government confirmed that it is switching from the first to the second approach: it is cancelling a scheduled increase to $15, freezing the…
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During an announcement last week, Labour Minister Laurie Scott confirmed plans to freeze the minimum wage at $14. This measure would prevent more than 1 million Ontarians from getting the legislated $1/hour raise next January. The minister provided two pieces of “evidence” as justification. First, she said business owners have…
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In Ontario, there is mourning about the loss of manufacturing jobs. There is concern about the growth of precarious service jobs. And there is enthusiasm about the prospects of knowledge-based jobs. But in the midst of all of this, where are the present-day middle-income jobs? Figure 1 | Share of…
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