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Ontario's Food Banks present plan to cut poverty in half by 2020

TORONTO, ON. Aug. 19 /CNW/ - The Ontario Association of Food Banks (OAFB) released a new report today, entitled Our Choice for a Better Ontario, in response to a call for submissions from the provincial government's Cabinet Committee on Poverty Reduction. The report sets a goal of cutting poverty in half by 2020 through a renewed investment by the federal and provincial governments.

"We believe that now is the time to be bold," says Adam Spence, Executive Director of the OAFB. "Given tough economic times and disproportionately high levels of poverty, we cannot focus on short-term efficiency and risk management. We must look long-term towards our collective progress and prosperity."

The report includes thirty key recommendations for reducing poverty in Ontario. Some of the key recommendations include:

* ensuring that every Ontarian has a comfortable and affordable place to live by 2020 by improving the affordability of market housing with a new housing allowance program for all low-income Ontarians, and building 100,000 new units of affordable housing by 2020;
* ensuring that all Ontarians have economic security through adequate benefits and protections by indexing adult and child benefit rates to a low-income inflation index, and lowering eligibility requirements for the Employment Insurance (EI) program;
* fostering opportunity for economic and political empowerment by guaranteeing child care and education for single parents living in poverty, and creating a Canadian Experience Initiative that will provide new Canadians with an opportunity to gain marketable work experience; and
* ensuring public responsibility through a high level government commitment that includes goals and targets with annual progress reports to all Ontarians, and a public declaration committing leaders across the province, including mayors, community leaders, opposition parties and the provincial government to the shared responsibility of reducing poverty in Ontario.

"When food banks began in the early eighties, it was ordinary citizens making a choice. We chose to make sure that our neighbours were able to put food on their tables. Twenty years later, we think it is time for all Ontarians to make a new choice," added Spence. "We believe that we can cut poverty in half by 2020. The choice is up to us."

If you would like to access a copy of the report, please click here

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.

For further information: Adam Spence, Executive Director, Ontario Association of Food Banks (OAFB), T: (416) 656-4100, C: (416) 543-0897, E: adam@oafb.ca