Poverty Task Force Community Update #214

Dear Colleagues, 

We recognize the ongoing impact of the almost 200 wildfires in Northern Ontario right now. Thirteen communities have had to evacuate their homes, with First Nations being disproportionately being affected.  Attached are mental health resources compiled by Women’s College Hospital Indigenous Health. 

Across Canada, the impacts of climate change are becoming more visible. Beyond floods, wildfires, and rising temperatures, many people are carrying fear, grief, exhaustion, and a deep sense of uncertainty about the future. These emotional realities are becoming more common, but they are still rarely named or addressed in formal climate action spaces.

• In Bow Valley, Alberta, the Active Hope: Navigating Climate Grief & Anxietyworkshops offered a different way forward. Led by the Biosphere Institute of the Bow Valley, with support from the Tamarack Institute, this initiative created welcoming and culturally grounded spaces where people could come together to talk honestly about how climate change feels and what it means for their lives, their communities, and the places they love and call home. 
• In Grey Bruce, we are feeling the impact of the wildfires on our air quality. Our current work at RentSafe Owen Sound in partnership with RentSafe Ontario explores the feasibility of improving climate resilience in low-income rental housing. Our discussions focus on the impacts of extreme heat, poor air quality, flooding, mould, and other climate-related challenges, as well as opportunities to strengthen existing policies, programs, and partnerships. 

NEW REPORTS

• The Vital Signs 2026 was released on June 17^thVital Signs 2026 – Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force as well as the Vial Signs Data Document bgdisc.ca/post/vital-signs-2026
• CFOS Open Line: Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force joined Stuart Reid, Executive Director, Community Foundation GB and Vital Signs Chair Alanna Leffley on CFOS Open Line to discuss the newly released Vital Signs Report. Together, they explored the trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping our communities. The conversation highlights important topics like housing affordability, community well-being, environmental sustainability, and the strength of local partnerships. Listen now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ox2OR7UVk8U

HOUSING

• City of Owen Sound Agenda: the minutes of the City of Owen Sound Corporate Services Committee from July 9th are on the Agenda for approval of Vital Services By-Law and updates to mould by-laws within Property Standards By-Law on July 27th. These were recommendations put forth by RentSafe Owen Sound to the City in 2024. eSCRIBE MinutesVideo of discussion on Vital Services By-Law and strengthening mould by-laws can be found here.  
• RentSafe Owen Sound Climate Resiliency Roundtable: will be held on Tuesday, September 29th, 12noon to 4:30pm (includes lunch), Community Impact Lab, Sydenham Campus, Owen Sound. This collaborative session will be led by Jessica Flynn, Community Impact Lab and Geri Blinick, RentSafe Ontario/Canadian Partnership for Children’s Health and Environment (CPCHE).
  • Public health professionals, environmental experts, rental housing providers, legal advocates, county planners, landlords, tenants, and community service organizations have been invited to explore the feasibility of improving climate resilience in low-income rental housing in the City of Owen Sound.
  • For more information, please review our backgrounder and learn more about RentSafe’s Collaborating for Climate Resilience project. Register here.
• Community Outreach and Support Team (COAST): has been awareded funding to extend the work of Bruce County Outreach. They will deliver wraparound support to individuals experiencing substance use challenges and overdose risk. COAST will use real-time data to guide targeted outreach in high-need areas, alongside scheduled community engagement. A mobile medical van will be introduced in the future; however in the interim, the team will operate from a decommissioned and rebranded ambulance. Funding is confirmed through March 31, 2027. Bruce County launches COAST | Bruce County

HEALTH EQUITY 

• Equitable Access to Palliative Care: Kait Dickinson led the discussion on Safe N Sound’s project. She shared their impact video:  Walking with People – Equity in Palliative Care in Grey and Bruce (IEAPC) and slides are available at: Publications – Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force

INCOME SECURITY 

• Income Security Advocacy Centre has launched a letter writing campaignSocial Assistance Rates are Stuck in Time: Tell the Ontario Government to Fix Ontario Works! – Income Security Advocacy Centre. This follows the In Their Own Words Report Launch and Community Panel Discussion held on June 25th which included the Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force.  In Their Own Words: The State of Social Assistance in Ontario – Report Launch and Community Discussion – Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force.
• The Income & Employment Security Action Group met in June to discuss the report in a rural context. Slides and our position paper for the panel presentation are available at:  Publications – Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force
• Seniors Retiring with Low-Income Education Sessions: John Stapleton, Open Policy Ontario, delivered 2 educational sessions to social service workers on March 4th and 6th. And a 3-part educational series on May 8th, May 22nd and June 5th to seniors.The educational sessions to seniors were delivered through a hybrid model with an online presentation connecting participants across Grey and Bruce Counties at 12 in-person host locations (4 libraries, 1 Indigenous Friendship Centre, 1 community health centre, 2 non-profit organizations, 2 social service agencies) in Grey County (Meaford, Markdale, Dundalk, Hanover, Owen Sound (3), Thornbury) and Bruce County (Kincardine, Port Elgin, Wiarton). The zoom meetings have been converted into training videos and along with the presentation slides are available here. 
• Grey Bruce Community Volunteer Income Tax Program Network: volunteers continue to file taxes for people with low income until the end of December 2026.Don’t Miss Out: Filing Your Taxes Could Unlock the Financial Support You Need – Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force
• Maytree Welfare in Canada Report, July 2026, has been released and looks at the total incomes available in 2025 to those relying on social assistance. 

FOOD SECURITY 

• Grey Bruce Food Share Expansion: 40 people from 23 partner organizations involved with the Grey Bruce Food Share/Food Rescue and the Food Security Action Group met on June 26th at the new OSHaRE Food Depot (767 2nd Avenue East, Owen Sound).
  • Partners learned about the expansion of the food rescue program. There is a new online ordering system which requires new registration, ordering, and reporting.
  • All organizations accessing the program must register with Second Harvest’s Food Rescue and register with OSHaRE’s online ordering portal.
  • Contact Colleen Seaman Trask, info@oshare.ca, to receive access to the ordering portal. 
  • Orders online will be reserved for registered organizations, but there will also be a grab-and-go section and sharing boxes at the Food Depot.
  • Orders will be made on Mondays, the depot closed on Tuesdays to fill orders and Wednesday to Saturday am for organizations to pick-up. Any food not picked up by the next Monday will be returned to the inventory.  OSHaRE will also announce Depot Days for clearing out excess food; no ordering required. Organization ID cards will be issued to allow shopping/pickup. It is mandatory to weigh and record all food.   
• Food Insecurity in Southwestern Ontario: Public health units across the region are concerned about the growing number of households struggling to afford basic needs, including food. In 2024, 1 in 4 households in the Southwestern Ontario region experienced household food insecurity, meaning they did not have reliable access to enough food due to financial challenges (Public Health Ontario, 2025). Rising housing and living costs are forcing many individuals and families to make difficult choices between paying rent and buying groceries. News Releases

ALL CANDIDATES EDUCATION SESSION

• The Next Poverty Task Force Meeting will be on Friday, September 18th, 2026, 10am-11:30am and it will be a Poverty 101 Panel presentation/discussion with All Municipal Candidates.  A poster and details for the event will be sent out to all candidates.  Poverty Task Force Partners are invited to contact Jill Umbach, povertytaskforce@unitedwaybg.com, if they are interested in joining our panel of presenters.  

Cheers, Jill