Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force Poverty Task Force

Poverty Task Force/United Way Community Update #209

Dear Colleagues, 

This month is National Indigenous History Month, PRIDE and Seniors month.  

National Indigenous History Month in Canada is a time to recognize the rich history, heritage, resilience and diversity of First Nations, Inuit and Métis. Access learning resources at: Learning resources about First Nations, Inuit and Métis across Canada (rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca)

PRIDE events are happening across Grey Bruce throughout the month. Full lineup of events planned as Pride Month kicks off in Grey-Bruce | Hanover Post (thepost.on.ca) Go to Grey Bruce Pride Facebook page for a listing of events: https://www.facebook.com/GreyBrucePride

HEALTH EQUITY

Period Poverty: May 28 marked Menstrual Hygiene Day — bringing awareness to the lack of access to adequate menstrual hygiene products, including here in Canada. https://www.canada.ca/en/women-gender-equality/news/2024/05/government-of-canada-continues-to-advance-menstrual-equity.html

  • In Canada, 1 in 5 who menstruate say they may not be able to afford period products at some point in the next 12 months.
  • Lack of access to menstrual products, education, hygienic facilities, and waste management are closely linked to poverty.
  • 1 in 6 Canadians who menstruate have personally experienced period poverty. This rises to 1 in 4 if their household earns less than $40,000 a year.
  • Period poverty disproportionately impacts youth, single mothers, Indigenous Peoples, Black and other racialized communities, immigrants, people experiencing homelessness, people living with disabilities, gender diverse individuals, and those who live in remote areas. 

Tampon Tuesday (June 4th) is a day to raise awareness.  The United Way of Bruce Grey will also be collecting donations of hygiene products to support 12 local distributing partners (food banks, libraries and drop-in centers). 

Food Banks Canada is working with Women and Gender Equality Canada to lead a national pilot to address period poverty in Canada. Menstrual products are a basic need and food banks across the country see firsthand every day how far too many people are forced to choose between personal hygiene products or buying enough food to eat. https://foodbankscanada.ca/menstrual-equity-fund/

Substance Use in Ontario & Grey Bruce: GBPH has been notified on June 11th, 2024 of 1 fatal and 2 non-fatal suspected opioid-related poisonings, all in Owen Sound, within the past 48 hours. This brings the total to 15 suspected overdoses from June 1-10th (14 non-fatal, 1 fatal). GBPH has also been notified of a concerning trend of meth that appears to be contaminated with opioids, causing poisonings. Additionally, pink/blue fentanyl has also been linked with several overdoses. Grey Bruce Public Health has shared recent statistics from Public Health Ontario as part of its strategic planning for the Community Drug and Alcohol Strategy. 

  • There are currently between 2,500 and 3,000 opioid deaths in Ontario each year.
  • Opioid-related deaths increased by 457% from 2018 (7 deaths) to 2021 (39 deaths). In 2022, this number began to decline with 27 opioid-related deaths, a 30.8% decrease from 2021. (CDAS, June 2024)
  • About ¼ to 1/3 of opioid-related deaths involve prescription opioids. In 2023, there were 19,482 people accessing prescription opioids for pain and 751 individuals receiving Opioid Agonist Therapy in Grey Bruce.  
  • The percentage of Ontario students (grades 7-12) reporting past year non-medical use of prescription opioid pain relievers significantly increased from 2021 (12.7%) to 2023 at 21.8%. 

Brightshores Wellness and Recovery Centre: was officially opened on June 7.  A community open house will be held on June 17th and patients will move in on June 18th. It will provide inpatient (up to 45 at one time) and outpatient services

Wellness & Recovery Centre | Brightshores Health System Owen Sound Hospital Foundation (brightshoresfoundation.ca)

BGDISC 2021 Census Dashboard (bgdisc.ca) is now up on the site in an easy-to-use format for Grey Bruce Census data. 

Employment and Income Profile of Persons with Disabilities: Stats Can has release a new demographic, employment and income profile of persons with disabilities aged 15 years in CanadaA demographic, employment and income profile of persons with disabilities aged 15 years and over in Canada, 2022 (statcan.gc.ca)

  • More than 1 in 4 Canadians aged 15 years and over have a disability.
    • In 2022, the disability rate for persons aged 15 years and over in Canada was 27%. This represents nearly 8 million people who were identified as having one or more disabilities, an increase of 1.7 million people over 2017, when the disability rate was 22% (Table 1.1.A; Table 1.1.B). Disability rates increased with age: one in five (20%) youth aged 15 to 24 years had one or more disabilities in 2022, compared to one in four (24%) adults aged 25 to 64 years and two in five (40%) seniors aged 65 years and over (Chart 1.1; Table 1.1.A).
  • Disabilities related to pain, flexibility, mobility, and mental health remain the most common
  • Women are more likely than men to have a disability related to pain and mental health
  • Prevalence of all disability types increased between 2017 and 2022, with mental health-related disabilities increasing the most
  • Median income of persons with more severe disabilities is 1/3 less than that of those without disabilities.
  • In 2020, 10% of persons with disabilities aged 15 years and over lived in poverty compared to 7% of their counterparts without disabilities.
  • Women with disabilities were more likely than men to indicate unmet needs due to cost for health care services (34% versus 22%) and prescription medication (14% versus 10%). Overall, almost half (45%) of women with disabilities reported unmet needs due to cost for either aids, devices, medications, or healthcare services, compared to a third (35%) of men. 

Ontario Government Anti-Human Trafficking Strategy: the government is seeking input into the strategy. The deadline to provide feedback is July 19, 2024. Visit Ontario’s Regulatory Registry website to learn more.2020-2025 Review of Ontario’s Anti-Human Trafficking Strategy (ontariocanada.com)

TRANSPORTATION

City of Owen Sound: has released its 2023 Annual Transit Report Council Open Report Template (escribemeetings.com)

  • Conventional transit ridership increased by 43% in 2023 compared to 2022 (from 125,802 to 179, 669 riders)
  • Fare revenue increased by $50,412.09, and bus pas revenue rosed by $43,127.29 in 2023 compared to 2022.

HOUSING 

Search for Innovation in a Broken System: the Social Finance & Learning Group of The Institute of Southern Georgian Bay recently presented to the City of Owen Sound’s Community Service Committee and spoke to some issues around overall housing but recommendations were specific to Owen Sound. https://pub-owensound.escribemeetings.com/Players/ISIStandAlonePlayer.aspx?Id=3ae4190b-9a63-4a02-9653-841b83f8e72e

Financialization of Purpose-Built Rental Housing: The final recommendations from Canada’s very first human rights-based review panel on the financialization of purpose-built rental housing has been released. REVIEW PANEL REPORT – The Financialization of Purpose-Built Rental Housing – MAY 2024.pdf (nhc-cnl.ca)

The report is built on all this evidence and testimony from civil society and community and provides human rights-based recommendations for the federal government to address financialization. Some of the recommendations include: 

  • Aligning federal non-market housing funding to match the average funding provided for social housing by other developed Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries.
  • Establish tenant protection agreements with each province and territory to fund and support regional implementation of the national consensus standards for tenant protections.
  • Provide immediate emergency funding to provincial, territorial, municipal, and non-market housing agencies so that they can provide housing subsidies and supports to tenants facing immediate housing precarity that could lead to homelessness.
  • The federal government, specifically the housing minister, now has 120 days to respond.

The Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) has released a new report providing an update on federal spending to address homelessness. Over the term of Canada’s National Housing Strategy, planned spending on homelessness programs is $561 million per year. This is an increase of $443 million per year (374%) in nominal spending over the prior 10 years. This includes an additional $1.3 billion over four years allocated in the 2024 Budget. Read the report here.
Achieving target to halve chronic homelessness would require an additional $3.5 billion per year, says PBO (pbo-dpb.ca)

INCOME SECURITY

Community Safety and Well-Being Plan: the Poverty Task Force as the lead for Income/Poverty for the Community Safety and Well-Being Plan was featured in the CSWBP recent news release: https://cknxnewstoday.ca/midwestern/news/2024/05/29/local-organizations-push-for-basic-income-guarantee

FOOD SECURITY 

Grey Bruce Good Food Box: locations will be running through the summer/year-round – Ayton, Chesley, Kincardine/Ripley/Tiverton, Lucknow, Markdale, Owen Sound, Port Elgin, and Sauble Beach. 

Grey Bruce Community Garden Network: a map of community gardens across Grey Bruce has been updated and technical support is available.  https://www.thesustainabilityproject.ca/projects/community-garden-network

National School Food Program: more details are coming out on this new program. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/national-school-food-program-announcement-1.7160384 We anticipate support to our local schools

Stay well, Jill 

Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force Poverty Task Force

Poverty Task Force/United Way Community Update # 94

Dear Colleagues, 

The provincial election is over and we were able to use our Income Solutions advocacy to raise the issue of basic income and living wage at many All Candidate Debates. We shall continue to hold space for solidarity on justice, equity, diversity and inclusion. Power is held accountable within and outside of the ballot box. We shall continue to raise our rural voices and amplify the voices of the most vulnerable in our communities.

This month is Pride Month and National Indigenous History Month. We recognize the rich history of Indigenous Peoples, the resilience of Indigenous communities and the work being done towards truth and reconciliation. This month, take the time to learn and explore Indigenous history. Access resources and join community activities.

  • National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation: visit their education hub for additional learning and teaching resources.
  • Indigenous People’s Day – Sacred Fire June 21st, 
  • Giiwe Youth-In-Transition and Housing Sharing Circles invites Indigenous and Non-Indigenous partners to join the upcoming Giiwe in-person circle. Friday, June, 17th, 10am-2pm, Traditional Fire at the Grey Sauble Conservation Authority near Inglis Falls. People are welcome to come and bring colleagues, family and friends. Lunch is potluck and Nadia Ellis (is coordinating all donations.   (nadia.ellis@grey.ca) 
  • Anishinaabe Giizhigad (Anishinaabe Day) on June 6. To learn more about this new holiday, have a read via Anishinabek News.

We recognize and celebrate the 2SLGBTQI+ community in Grey Bruce. The Grey Bruce Pride have pulled together a list of events throughout the two counties.

HEALTH EQUITY 

INCOME SUPPORT

  • Ontario government support: people who are affected by a fire (and other circumstances), who are not being supported by OW or ODSP can apply for financial support (under $1,000) at: https://ea.mcss.gov.on.ca/
  • Owen Sound Water Rates:  according to a recent study, the average annual residential Owen Sound water/wastewater bill (for 200 cubic metres of consumption) was $1,344 in 2020, in line with the average for other municipalities with water services in Grey Bruce ($1,371). Water and wastewater surcharge rates have been raised which will impact on many people’s ability to pay bills quarterly. However, people can now negotiate monthly payments to make it easier to make payments. 

HOUSING SUPPORT

  • YMCA Emergency Shelter: ·        
    • In 2019, the YMCA provided 2,569 nights of shelter with 214 nights of shelter/month.
    • In 2020, the YMCA provided 6,513 nights of shelter with 543 nights of shelter/month.
    •  In 2021, the YMCA provided 8,380 nights of shelter with 698 nights of shelter/month.        
    • In Jan-Apr 2022, the YMCA provided 3,875 nights of shelter with 968 nights of shelter/month. 
  • Cooling Stations are open in Grey County and Bruce County: contact 211 for the latest listing. 
  • Hanover Fire Response: community partners continue to provide support for tenants who are homeless after the fire. The trauma of the event is still being felt by tenants as expressed in this first person account. But the community and social service partners are doing their best to assist people to find shelter and recover. 
  • People impacted by the fire should contact 2-1-1 for support. These needs will be channeled to the appropriate service agency. 

FOOD SECURITY SUPPORT 

Recent data collected at Foodbrucegrey.com (20 May 2022): 

  • 46,000 community meals were distributed in the 1st quarter of 2022. This is a slight increase over 2021 but with less organizations providing meals. Community meal programs are busier than anytime in the last 20 months. This is driven by the cost of housing and living right now.
  • 21,000 kilograms of food was diverted under food rescue so far in 2022. 17,000 kilograms were diverted in 2021. Please reach out to Paul Wagenaar or Jill Umbach to assist in onboarding new retailers.
  • 55,000 kilograms of food was distributed by food banks. This is a 32% increase over the same period in 2021.
  • 8,000 volunteer hours were donated in the 1st quarter of 2022. Volunteers are largely seniors and they are doing an incredible job. Reach out and thank these volunteers.
  • Community gardens are in the planning and preparation stages for summer production. Food donations and volunteers are tracked for these important programs as well.

Stay well, Jill