Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force Poverty Task Force

Poverty Task Force/United Way Community Update #213

Dear Colleagues,

We are starting 2025 with an impactful series of meetings on Community Hubs in Grey Bruce. 

Colleen Seaman Trask’s presentation this Friday on OSHaRE will provide valuable insights into how community hubs can evolve and expand their services to meet a variety of needs. Grey Bruce Food Share, Supportive Outreach Services, Family Assist Market and other health clinics at OSHaRE are great examples of how a community hub can become a multi-faceted resource.

Our discussion will be on:

  1. The Evolution of Community Meal Programs: Highlighting how OSHaRE’s meal program started and transformed into a more comprehensive service that addresses food insecurity, health care access, and community connections.
  2. Partnerships and Collaboration: The role of partnerships with local organizations, food rescue, and volunteers in making these services sustainable and impactful. And how the OSHaRE model can be adapted or implemented in other areas of Grey Bruce.
  3. Sustainability Challenges: How OSHaRE has navigated the challenges of funding and resources. And what long-term sustainability challenges exist in meeting the diverse needs of the community.

Please join us for some insightful conversation! 

FOOD SECURITY

2024 was a rough year for many households.  We have seen a significant increase in the number of people accessing shelters, food banks, community meals and seeking financial assistance. Bruce Power distributed $300,000 to food banks this past year to support the need. It is important to upload your data to Food Bruce Grey to ensure that you are on the Bruce Power distribution list. 

  • OSHaRE: distributed 25,000 meals in the month of November and 23,000 in December 2024.  These monthly numbers still remain higher per month than pre-pandemic annual numbers.  A total of 197,128 meals in 2024. 
  • Meaford Food Bank: added 96 new households in 2024. 211 households were served food hampers in December 2024 and 256 children benefited from their Christmas Star shopping program. 
  • St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church: on average provide food hampers to 55 people weekly.  They saw a slight decline in December to 27 people/week. 
  • Grey Bruce Good Food Box: volunteers packed 17,878 boxes and 2,700 tokens were distributed across the region (note: not all December data is included) at 23 locations. 

Go to Food Bruce Grey to look at more data on Food Banks, Community Meal Programs and Food Rescue in 2024. https://www.foodbrucegrey.com/all-dashboards

HOUSING SECURITY 

AMO Municipalities Under Pressure Report: Ontario has seen a staggering increase in homelessness in recent years. For the first time, this report collected and analyzed data from all 47 consolidated municipal services managers in the province to fully illustrate the scope of the crisis. Report data demonstrates a systemic failure that extends beyond housing, reflecting deep gaps in healthcare, mental-health services, justice systems and more. Reports on Ontario’s Homelessness Crisis, Water and Wastewater Utility Feasibility | AMO

  • In 2024, 81,515 people experienced homelessness and 41,512 people experienced chronic homelessness in Ontario.
  • 17,000 permanent shelter beds exist in Ontario. 
  •  Without significant intervention, homelessness could more than triple by 2035, leaving up to 294,266 people without stable housing. 

In Grey County: 

  • Grey County is experiencing similar trends to other rural communities across the province. Locally, a point in time count in 2024 revealed 375 individuals experiencing homelessness in Grey County.  Of these individuals, 65 identify as Indigenous, 80 are children 15 and under, and 45 are youth ages 16-24. Adults account for 252 of the individuals and seniors (65+) 8. 253 of individuals are experiencing chronic homelessness.
  • Grey County also provides subsidized housing and maintains a housing waitlist. The waitlist has grown from 1,517 in 2022 to 2,230 in 2024.
  • In 2024, funding for housing and homelessness in Ontario was estimated at $4.1 billion. Of the three levels of government, 51.5% of was funded by municipalities. Grey County has invested $6.55 million since 2022 in homelessness support with projects including the purchase and renovation of a property in Owen Sound for supportive housing and the purchase of a former motel for short-term emergency shelter.
  • In 2023 Grey County partnered with CMHA to offer transitional, supportive housing to residents of Grey County who have experienced chronic homelessness.  The first participants of the program moved in December 2023 and since that time seven have graduated to permanent, stable housing with ongoing connection to CMHA supports.  This program offers opportunities to build skills and work on personal goals with the objective of being successful in maintaining permanent housing and ending the cycle of homelessness. 
  • Grey County took a major step in providing expanded short-term housing options with our acquisition of a 22-room motel in Owen Sound in February of 2024. This acquisition has allowed for reduced operating costs, improved access to staff and supports on site and a higher level of dignity for community members experiencing homelessness. This expansion of program services will allow for an increase of 5,600 nights of accommodations bringing the total capacity to 13,000 nights of short-term accommodations with the same level of operating funding. 
  • In addition to the 2 facilities, Grey County provides funding to Safe N Sound Grey Bruce to operate an overnight warming space for up to 18 individuals nightly. This provides a supportive environment with staff on site providing referrals to services, someone to talk to and refreshments. These spaces throughout the course of the winter support more than 3,000 nights of warmth to members of our community. 
  • Over the course of 2024, Grey County staff and community partners supported 176 households in exiting homelessness into stable accommodations, of those households 123 maintain those accommodations at the present time. 

The report notes the disparities of those facing homelessness in rural communities compared to cities including shelter capacity and affordable housing shortages, specialized supports, urban inflow pressures and transportation barriers. Without significant investment and coordination across all three levels of government, it will not be possible to scale up the infrastructure needed to create a system where homelessness is rare, brief, and non-recurring.   https://www.grey.ca/news/providing-grey-county-perspective-amo-municipalities-under-pressure-report

  • Safe N Sound Presentation to Council – County Council – November 28, 2024
  • The National Indigenous Women’s Housing Network and Women’s National Housing and Homelessness Network: launched “Mobilizing on the Right to Housing for Women and Gender-Diverse People in Canada: A Community Organizer’s Guide!”  The Guide mobilizes communities to contribute to Canada’s first-ever human rights-based review panel on homelessness for women and gender-diverse people. Download the resource   About Us — Gender Housing Justice

HEALTH EQUITY 

INCOME SECURITY

  • Tax Breaks: starting December 14th, 2024, the government has paused the GST & HST on groceries, kids’ clothes/toys, and other essentials. Those eligible for the rebate must be 18 years or older at the end of 2023; be a resident in Ontario on December 31, 2023; have filed their 2023 Income Tax and Benefit Return by December 31, 2024; and not be bankrupt or incarcerated in 2024. 
  • Disability Without Poverty Report: 1 in 3 people with disabilities living alone in Canada face poverty. Read the full Campaign 2000 report.   https://www.disabilitywithoutpoverty.ca/2024-disability-poverty-report-card/
  • Basic Income Guaranteed Forum Report:  was released after a national conference. The approach favoured in Canada is that of a basic income guarantee that takes other income into account and provides most help to those who need it most. Basic income is a strategic investment to improve wellbeing. It can tackle the polycrisis we are facing far more effectively than our current patchwork of programs.  BIG Success in the Making Doc – Eng + Fr
  • National Automatic Tax Filing Pilot Program:  83% of more than 2 million eligible Canadians filed their 2023 tax returns by phone, online or by mail using the agency Simple File services. Ottawa moving ahead on automatic tax filing. Here’s what to know – National | Globalnews.ca
  • Canada Pension Report: this Toronto case study shows too many people are not accessing OAS benefits they are eligible for and many of those people have English or French as a second language. https://www.wellesleyinstitute.com/publications/unclaimed-benefits/

TRANSPORTATION

TAMARACK PUBLIC WEBINARS

PUBLIC WEBINAR | From Policy to Practice: Advancing the National Poverty Reduction Strategy | January 22 | 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. ET | This webinar will explore what the Council heard from people across Canada in 2024, the federal government’s role in reducing poverty, as well as highlighting how communities – local organizations, collaboratives, associations and individual community members – can action this report.  WEBINAR | From Policy to Practice: Advancing the National Poverty Reduction Strategy

Cheers, Jill 

Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force Advocacy, Community Updates, Income Security

Poverty Task Force/United Way Community Update # 211

There has been a lot of work happening over the Summer of 2024. And while we may think that we are constantly “holding the line” or “trying to keep people from dying”, the work has not gone unnoticed. We want to recognize all our partners who are on the frontlines of saving lives, feeding the hungry and keeping people housed.

The deepening homelessness and opioid crisis has been on every agenda and will continue to be so as rates of poverty and homelessness increases. We need leadership from all sectors and all levels of government to work together with all social sectors to address the issues.

MUNICIPAL ENGAGEMENT 

INCOME SECURITY UPDATES

Four key takeaways:

  • Deep inadequacy: In 2023, welfare incomes remained deeply inadequate. 55 out of 56 (98%) of households were in poverty, with 40 of them (71%) living in deep poverty.
  • Federal contribution: Despite the need, the federal government’s support for households receiving social assistance remained minimal.
  • Cost-of-living impact: The expiration of temporary cost-of-living-related payments in 2023 negatively affected households.
  • Growing gap: Income support investments varied across jurisdictions. Some made improvements, while others lagged.

FOOD SECURITY UPDATES

  • Food insecurity continues to grow in our region. Since January 2020 to the end of August 2024, Grey Bruce community meal programs have reported over 800,000 meals were distributed. 115,000 meals were distributed in 2023.  All Dashboards | Food Bruce Grey
  • OSHaRE Community Meal Program:  17,000 meals were distributed in the month of July 2024 and 17,500 meals in August 2024 compared to 20,000 meals distributed over the whole year in 2020. In 2024, OSHaRE  shared 146,625 meals with the community. 
  • Family Assist Market (FAM): is held bi-weekly at OSHaRE/Owen Sound. It has grown from 4 families to 80 families since its startup in June 2024. The FAM provides access to community support services with multiple agencies as well as food hampers (Good Food Box/The Salvation Army) and large family size meals from OSHaRE. 
  • Grey Bruce Good Food Box: has released a new flyer for the Fall season. Hanover GFB has a new host organization at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church. Chatsworth GFB is amalgamating with Owen Sound GFB. Orders and pickup can be made through Owen Sound GFB at OSHARE. Good Food Box – United Way of Bruce Grey
  • Feed Ontario: has released 2024 Hunger Report saw a 25% increase in food bank visits over last year.   https://feedontario.ca/news/ontarians-are-drowning-amid-surging-affordability-crisis/  Feed Ontario has the latest food bank usage data for each municipality at: Hunger in my Riding – Feed Ontario
  • National School Food Policy: describes the long-term vision for school food programs in Canada, as well as the guiding principles and objectives that will help make this vision a reality. It lays the groundwork for a future where all children can have access to nutritious school meals.   Newfoundland and Labrador has become the first province in Canada to sign on to the federal government’s school food program.  4624-National_School_Food_Policy-E.pdf (canada.ca)

HOUSING SECURITY UPDATES

Thanks to Pam Hanington for pulling together these latest Housing Reports. 

Stay well, Jill

Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force Poverty Task Force

Poverty Task Force/United Way Community Update # 106

ELECTION EDUCATION # 8

Dear Colleagues, 

The 2022 Municipal Elections are over! We now prepare to welcome returning and new municipal representatives to Council. We seek to renew our efforts to address poverty related issues and to welcome new representatives to contribute to the work. 

The goals remain the same as during the election debates!  People of all economic levels want:  a steady and sufficient income, a home that is safe and affordable; good health care and representatives in government that work together to improve our well-being.  

  • During the election period, we sent out 7 weekly Election Education Community Updates via email and as blog posts on our website. Number 8 will be our last one. We shall continue to send out bi-weekly Community Updates.  You can subscribe to our Community Updates via our website or email. Anyone is welcome to receive them!  
  • We have updated the information on our Poverty, Voting and Elections page to reflect the election results.  The issues that are still front and centre for the work we do remain on the page. 

ELECTION ANALYSIS

electHERnow.ca Grey Bruce is a non-partisan volunteer group committed to gender balance in the municipal government.  They have provided a breakdown of women municipal representatives for each municipality. 

  • In Grey Bruce, 27% of municipal positions were held by women prior to this municipal election. As of October 24, 2022, 29% of municipal positions in Grey Bruce are held by women, whereas 51% of the Grey Bruce region’s population are women. (Source: 2021 Census Release of Population/Gender and electHERnow.ca). 
  • At the County level, 0% of Bruce County Council positions are held by women and 28% of Grey County Council positions are held by women. 
  • Per Municipality Council level, positions held by women ranged from 14% (6), 20% (3), 29% (1) 43% (4), 44% (2) to 57% (1). Not all councils have the same number of members so the ratios of men:women vary. See the breakdown of representation per municipality prepared by electHERnow.ca

AMO‘s 2022 Ontario Municipal Election website provides a running analysis of previous election results compared to 2022 election results. We have included the links to each municipalities’ election results and statistics on our Poverty, Voting and Elections page.  

  • How votes are cast continues to move to technology-based methods. In 2022, 15 out of 17 municipal governments in Grey Bruce used an internet/phone combined method. The use of mail-in ballots was used in 2 municipalities (Meaford and Chatsworth) and 1 municipality used an internet/paper combined method (Grey Highlands). 
  • Voter turnout ranged from 27.19% to 43.60% against Ontario’s average of 36%. 

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

We don’t have any statistics yet on diversity and representation per council. We hope to have more analysis soon. 

We encourage new Councilors to read our Community Voices’ Diversity and Inclusion of People on Low Income in municipal government.  We All Live Here (infographic) speaks to the need for more diversity and inclusion in municipal decision-making.

MUNICIPAL REPRESENTATION AT POVERTY TASK FORCE

We have benefited from strong leadership from Bruce County and Grey County Councils, Wardens and Human Services representatives. All municipal, provincial and federal representatives are welcome to attend Poverty Task Force and Action Group meetings. Please contact Jill Umbach @ povertytaskforce@unitedwaybg.com to join.  

Recently, the City of Owen Sound passed a motion to have formal representation to the Poverty Task Force. We look forward to this formal representation and will be extending an invitation to all lower-tier municipalities to join us! 

Stay well, Jill 

Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force Poverty Task Force

Poverty Task Force/United Way Community Update # 101

Election Education # 4

Dear Colleagues, 

Affordable housing is a key municipal election issue. The trend of urban out migration to rural Ontario has made the available housing stock in our communities much more expensive and harder to find. 

We have added the following reports from the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) to BruceGreyVotes.com and other municipal resources: 

Seniors and Homelessness

  • Grey Bruce By-Name List: is delving into the plight of seniors who are homeless. At present, 42 seniors are on the list (age 62-84). Of those, 11 are deemed actively engaged. Most recently an 83 year old was housed by Bruce County Housing.   
  • Homeless Hub: according to a National Shelter study, over 8.3% of shelter users are 55 and over and tend to have longer shelter stays compared to younger adults.  According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada, seniors will be the group that experiences the highest rate of mental illness in Canada by 2041.
  • Seniors experience homelessness for a variety of reasons, including the lack of income to pay for housing (low government assistance, insufficient pensions, low wages and/or savings), the shortage of affordable and secure housing, deteriorating physical and mental health, a relationship breakdown and/or suffering from violence and abuse. (Source: Homeless Hub)
  • The risk of homelessness for seniors can also be increased by the death of a spouse, social isolation, discrimination, or a lack of awareness of available benefits and services.(Source: Homeless Hub) 
  • Senior citizens are twice as likely to access a food bank long-term than those under 65. (Source: Feed Ontario)    

BruceGreyVotes.com In the News

How Do People Know about the Change in Voting method?  

This municipal election people will need to vote online or via phone. We included the links for each municipality’s voter information on our website. 

  • Voting Period is Oct 14th-24th. 
  • We know each municipality will mail out Voter Information Letters – most are scheduled to go out at the end of September or beginning of October. 
  • The Voter Information Letters will also contain the location and hours of Voter Help Centres or Desks that will be available during the voting period.
  • Municipalities are mandated to set up Voter Help Desks (in-person and by phone) to assist people to vote online or by phone. 
  • People can be directed to their municipality link on BruceGreyVotes.com, 

Basic Income Campaign 

CERB and other basic income-like emergency benefits contributed to the largest 1-year reduction in poverty in nearly 50 years. Meanwhile, poverty costs Canadian taxpayers over $80B/year. 

  • Recent surveys from the UK and Europe showed an increase in support for a universal basic income.  
  • Halifax Regional Council has voted to urge the federal government to move forward with a guaranteed livable basic income in this country.
  • We have updated our postcards to be more accessible for readers. Please find them attached. 

PTF Election Education Outreach

  • Getting the Word Out: we ask that our partner organizations spread the information of the content from BruceGreyVotes.com to the community they serve via newsletters, emails and phone calls/wellness checks, etc. and especially to those people who have challenges accessing online or phone voting systems. 
  • Tamarack Institute Roundtable on Getting Equity on the Political Agenda: will explore examples from across Canada on what local roundtables and equity-seeking groups are doing to get their voices heard and bring equity/social justice to the forefront as part of the democratic process. Register here for the Sept 28th online event. 

Stay well, Jill