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Food banks hope Liberal election plan for poverty reduction ignites broader discussion

TORONTO, ON (March 17, 2008) – The Ontario Association of Food Banks (OAFB) welcomes the provincial government’s morning announcement of an initial downpayment on a poverty reduction plan with an up-front investment in dental care, affordable housing, and student nutrition.

Today’s announcement featured investments which are in line with recommendations made by the OAFB, including:

• $135 million over three years to enhance access to dental benefits for low-income Ontarians targeting prevention and treatment services;
• $100 million to repair social housing units in greatest need of care; and
• $500 million in loan assistance which will be made available to repair social housing.

“The provincial government is heading in the right direction with an up-front investment in a few key components of a poverty reduction strategy,” said Adam Spence, Executive Director of the OAFB.  “These investments will improve the health and quality of life of low-income Ontarians.  But this is not a complete road map.”

The OAFB calls on the provincial government to ensure dental services are available to all low-income Ontarians by expanding eligibility to the new program, and to improve the affordability of housing by introducing an emergency housing allowance program targeting low-income households in urgent need on the social housing waiting list.  In addition, the OAFB also calls on the government to make investments in more adequate and accessible social assistance, enhanced child benefits, supports for social enterprise, and savings-building initiatives for low-income households.

“This can only be the beginning,” said Sandy Singers, Chair of the OAFB and Executive Director of Partners in Mission Food Bank.  “We are looking forward to the upcoming provincial budget, the poverty reduction plan consultations and release, and the provincial budget in 2009 as the ultimate fulfillment of a commitment to all Ontarians living in poverty.”

The provincial government has made a commitment to complete the poverty reduction plan by the end of 2008, including program investments, legislative changes, targets, and indicators.  It will require an unprecedented effort by government to ensure that the plan is completed and supported by a significant and necessary investment, progressive legislative changes, effective indicators, and aggressive targets in order to reduce hunger and poverty for the hundreds of thousands of Ontarians that are forced to turn to food banks every month.

“There is a lot of work to do in a very short period of time,” said Spence.  “The official countdown has now begun for the completion of the plan in 2008 and the expected investment in the provincial budget in spring 2009.”

The Ontario Association of Food Banks (OAFB) is a network of over 100 food banks including communities across the province from Ottawa to Windsor, and Niagara Falls to Thunder Bay.  Over 330,000 Ontarians are served by food banks every month, and 40 per cent of those served are children.  For more information about the OAFB, and hunger and poverty in Ontario, please visit www.oafb.ca.

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For further information, contact:
Adam Spence, Executive Director, Ontario Association of Food Banks (OAFB),
w: 416.656.4100, c: 416.543.0897