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 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 Food Security Action Group, Income Security Action Group, Poverty Task Force

Poverty Task Force/United Way Community Update # 117

Dear Colleagues, 

Food inflation is rising at 9.7% right now.  There has been a 43% increase of food bank visits in Ontario and 1 in 4 children are living in a food insecure home (Stats Can 2021). 

The United Way of Bruce Grey works with community food programs to collect local data on Food Bruce Grey. 

  • Usage is not going down after the pandemic but increasing. Local food banks have reported the fastest growing population attending food banks are people who are employed. 
  • Meaford Food Bank reported, in the first quarter of 2023, food bank usage has increased by 47% compared to the same quarter last year. The pounds of food distributed has increased by 56%, and the number of first time users of the food bank has increased 200%. 

We know that food banks are a last resort. A recent TVO debate spoke to our social safety net being outsourced to food banks. 

We know that the Federal Funding for a National School Lunch Program was not in the 2023 budget.  We know that schools are one conduit for food support to students and their families. 

  • Across Canada, school food programs are speaking about their struggles to make ends meet right now. With the high price of food, it’s costing some programs as much as 25%  more than previous years to keep running. And they’re seeing higher demand too – more children in need of a balanced meal.

We are concerned that this summer food banks and schools shall need to continue to support families. While support is provided for basic food needs, we need to advocate for “transformational change” that invests in income security such as a basic income. 

INCOME SUPPORT 

  • Basic Income:  Bill S-233 has been sent to the Senate Standing Committee on National Finance. The next step is to encourage our elected representatives to follow the example of the Senate. 
  • Follow the progress of Bill S-233 – the National Framework for a Guaranteed Livable Basic Income Act – HERE
  • Click on this link to add to the UBIWorks.ca petition and send an email to your MP.  
  • End of Life Guide: the United Way of Bruce Grey has updated this financial  guidebook for people with low income planning for end of life expenditures.  
  • Grocery Rebate: a one-time payment was announced by the Federal government under Bill C-46, the Cost of Living Act. The rebate will be issued automatically by CRA to households with an income of $38,000 or less, and individuals who make $32,000 or less. 
  • There is no need to apply for the grocery rebate. It will be delivered along with the July GST Credit payment. To receive the payment it is required that recipients have filed their 2021 tax return. 
  • The rebate will be up to $467 for eligible couples with two children, $234 for single Canadians without children, and $225 for seniors.

HEALTH EQUITY 

Grey County SOS Mobile Outreach team: recently presented to Grey County council on health equity challenges they have seen working with people experiencing homelessness: 

  • Identification: obtaining or maintaining government-issued identification is a challenge which has an impact on those attempting to receive healthcare services. 
  • Insurance: during COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Health established temporary funding for healthcare providers to treat those without coverage under the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP). 
  • This program improved health outcomes and reduced financial hardship or barriers to healthcare for those without insurance or with lost or expired health cards in Ontario before the Ministry rescinded it as of April 1, 2023
  • The Ontario Medical Association has voiced its concern that ending this program without consultation or a better solution for Ontario’s uninsured would be detrimental to those in marginalized communities, such as people experiencing homelessness, those facing language barriers or mobility issues, or newcomers, migrant workers, and international students without coverage.
  • Call to Action: the Council of the County of Grey calls on the Ministry of Health to a) extend this program by the 6 months requested by the Ontario Medical Association to provide the opportunity for fulsome consultation with healthcare stakeholders; and b) utilize this program’s experience and insight to introduce a new policy that similarly reduces stigma and barriers for those without insurance to access Ontario healthcare and obtain or maintain a health card  

TRANSPORTATION

  • Grey Transit Route (GTR): has announced free weekend rides on all Grey Transit Route (GTR) buses from May 20th and until Sept. 3.
  • GTR travels between Owen Sound and Wiarton, Owen Sound and Orangeville and Owen Sound and The Blue Mountains.  It also partners with Shelburne to offer weekend service between Dundalk and Shelburne from April 29 to Jan. 28, 2024, and with South Bruce Peninsula and Bruce County to offer service to Sauble Beach from May 20 to Sept. 4, 2023.
  • Adult fares cost between $3 and $5. People are encouraged to book their rides by calling 1-226-910-1001 or book online. Walk-ons are permitted if there’s room.

Stay Well, Jill 

Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force Poverty Task Force

Poverty Task Force/United Way Community Update # 67

Dear Colleagues, 

Health equity issues continue to challenge vulnerable people under the pandemic. Getting a better understanding of inequities has called for more race based health data collection. Statistics Canada has created a new Gender, Diversity and Inclusion Data Hub with COVID19 focused disaggregated data for diverse populations.  

We have moved from 24% of the eligible population fully vaccinated at the end of June 2021 to 60% vaccinated in mid-July 2021. That is a significant increase,  We still need to encourage more people to get vaccinated to achieve target levels to keep ahead of a 4th wave.  Providing low-barrier vaccine clinics is critical now.

Some of the best practices for low-barrier vaccination have been

  • select a safe space
  • select a central location
  • surveillance free environment
  • reach out to diverse populations i.e. Amish, Indigenous, etc. to develop unique strategies  
  • ensure trusted people are on site to provide support and encouragement
  • provide clinics in rural locations outside major towns and cities 
  • walk-in clinics (no appointment) 
  • drive-thru clinics (no appointment)
  • pop-up clinics at locations where people gather i.e. markets, food banks, social housing complexes, etc.
  • no requirement of proof of identification 
  • no requirement of health card
  • no proof of address or postal code
  • paper free process is best but if still being collected
    • allow people to complete forms in advance with support from staff/volunteers
    • have forms available in multiple languages 

Dr. Arra indicated that “the pandemic has unmasked the need for more support for people in our community.” in a Bruce Power town hall COVID19 update event on July 21st. The COVID19 Delta variant has impacted people who are transient and homeless.  It has also impacted people who live in crowded housing and have lower socio-economic status.  

Access to primary care, dental care, paid sick days, living wage, safe & affordable housing and transportation are all social determinants of health. These are but a few gaps in service and barriers people faced before the pandemic but the need has become more evident under the pandemic. 

In Grey County and Bruce

  • 95% of seniors (65+) have access to regular healthcare provider
  • 82.5% of seniors (65+) have access to a medical doctor
  • 53.9% of youth (age 12-17) have access to a regular healthcare provider
  • 54% of adults (age 18-34) have access to a regular healthcare provider 

Overall, access to healthcare providers and/or medical doctors is lower in Grey Bruce than Ontario and Canadian averages. (Source: Grey Bruce Community Health Survey, Stats Can, 2015-2016)  
Response to Opioid Crisis and Harm Reduction Services

  • The Grey Bruce Health Unit (GBHU) has released its Opioid Situation Report #1, July 2021. 
  • In 2020 there were
    • 24 overdose deaths
    • 107 emergency room visits for suspected opioid overdoses
    • EMS responded to 80 suspected opioid overdoses 
  • The GBHU provides leadership for the Opioid Working Group (OWG) subgroup of the Grey Bruce Community Drug and Alcohol Strategy. It brings together professionals and community members to address the opioid epidemic locally, as outlined in the Grey Bruce Opioid ResponsePlan.  
  • The GBHU has a harm reduction program that includes a needle syringe and naloxone program. 
  • Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre (SOAHAC) harm reduction services are not dependent on individuals stopping their use of substances. They take a person-centered approach and meet people where they are at to reduce any health and social harms associated with addiction and substance use. Contact them at 519-376-5508. They are open 8:30-4:30
  • In June 2021, the Big City Mayors called on the government to decriminalize controlled substances in an effort to get ahead of what is being called a drug poisoning crisis. 

INCOME SUPPORTS

  • ODSP is now open from 8:30am-5pm. The front desk will remain closed to the public until further notice. Clients are asked to continue using the interview room to contact the front desk or their caseworker. 
  • Clients are encouraged not to come into the office if they don’t need to and to continue to call, email, fax or use MyBenefits. 
  • Old Age Security increase and one-time payment
    • $500 one-time payment to older seniors will be delivered during the week of August 16th. This payment is for those seniors who are eligible for OAS pension in June 2021 and were born on or before June 30, 1947. No action is required by seniors, who will automatically receive the payment if they are eligible.
    • In July 2021, OAS benefits will automatically increase 1.3%, bringing the maximum monthly OAS pension amount to $626.49, up from $618.45. The Guaranteed Income Supplement and Allowance will also be adjusted for inflation.
    • In July 2022, there will be a permanent increase of 10% to the OAS pension. This will be for seniors aged 75 and over. This will provide an additional $766 to full pensioners over the first year.

COMMUNITY GRANTS AND LOANS

  • Community Needs Grants – Canadian Women’s Foundation
    • New annual grant stream designed to provide one year of flexible funding to cover program costs and/or operational expenses.
    • Target is programming to serve women, girls, Two Spirit, trans, and non-binary people in their communities.
    • Deadline: August 6th, 2021 at 4:00pm EDT
    • Approximately 23 grants up to a maximum of $20,000 each are expected to be granted. 
  • Tourism Businesses Grants and Loans – Federal Government
    • The Federal Government is offering a mix of non-repayable grants of up to $100,000 or no-interest loans of up to $500,000 to finance capital improvements. 
    • At least 1/10th of the $500 million available will go to Indigenous tourism operators and organizations for things like workforce training or national projects and will be non-repayable grants, responding to funding concerns from that part of the tourism sector. 

TRANSPORTATION SUPPORTS

  • Community Transportation Grant Program the Ontario government is extending funding of up to $14 million over2 years for communities providing transportation services in unserved and underserved regions across.  
    • Grey County ($1,850,000 2018-2023, $924,359.66 2023-2025) 
    • City of Owen Sound ($1,246,986.81 2018-2023, $674,054.62 2023-2025). 

NEW RESEARCH 

  • Four County Labour Market Planning Board is conducting new research 
    • The Precarious Living Series will explore critical factors related to precarious employment. They will create a series of narratives/ infographics/ videos on people in our local workforce who are working and living precariously reflecting on their challenges and struggles. For more information or to participate in the project contact may@planningboard.ca, 
    • The Impact of COVID19 on Women in the Workforce will examine women’s labour force participation both currently and after COVID-19.  Identifying the extent to which women’s workforce participation has been impacted by the pandemic may help us further understand the overall economic recovery of our region and identify opportunities for recovery. For more information or to participate in the project contact  tingting@planningboard.ca

Stay well, Jill