Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force Poverty Task Force

Vital Signs 2026

Vital Signs 2026 is a community check-up that measures vitality, identifies significant trends and supports action on issues that are critical to our quality of life. Our report contains important data on 6 topics related to life in Grey Bruce: health and wellness, the environment, living standards, arts and culture, education, and community connections.

This report is part of a nation-wide movement where numerous Community Foundations from across Canada release their individual Vital Signs reports. Visit the Vital Signs website at www.vitalsignscanada.ca to read reports from other regions.

The Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force is a contributing member of the Vital Signs Advisory Committee along with other partners. Our partner perspective is featured in the 2026 Report in the section on living standards. Living standards refers to the distribution of wealth and economic security, including employment opportunities, housing and homelessness, poverty, food security and transportation.

The Report includes the Living Wage 2025 Rate for Grey Bruce, household food insecurity rates and household income data which indicates the level of people living with low income in our communities and experiencing poverty.

Affordable housing and addressing homelessness are major considerations in providing community health, economic vitality, and reducing public costs on health care and emergency services. This Report has a dedicated section focused on housing and homelessness. This follows up on the Vital Conversations on Housing Report 2021.

Read the full report here: Vital Signs 2026 Report

Share it with your neighbours, friends and family. Use it as a conversation starter on how we can strengthen our communities.

Read the Data Document that the report is based on here: Vital Signs 2026 Data Source Document

Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force Advocacy, Food Security Action Group, Income Security, Income Security Action Group, Poverty Task Force

Written Submission to the Federal 2026 Pre-Budget Consultation

Between 2021 and 2023, 18.3% of households in Grey Bruce experienced food insecurity, an increase from 17.5% in 2020. At the same time, the cost of groceries has become unaffordable for many families. In 2024, a family of four required approximately $1,250 per month for groceries alone.

These are not just statistics —they show a crisis in our communities rooted in poverty, policy, and systemic inequality. Food insecurity is not a matter of charity. It is a matter of justice.

The Poverty Task Force’s recent Written Submission to the Federal 2026 Pre-Budget Consultation urges the Government of Canada to take immediate action in its 2026 Budget to address rising poverty, food insecurity, homelessness, and economic inequality in rural communities. Across Grey and Bruce Counties, local organizations are facing unprecedented demand for emergency food programs, housing supports, and financial assistance while families struggle to keep up with the rising cost of living.

Rural communities are increasingly being asked to compensate for gaps in public policy through charitable food programs and emergency supports. While these programs are vital, they cannot replace strong income security systems, affordable housing, accessible childcare, and equitable social supports.

Food insecurity, homelessness, and poverty are not caused by individual failure. They are the result of inadequate incomes, unaffordable housing, low wages, and insufficient public investment in social infrastructure. Budget 2026 presents an opportunity for the federal government to strengthen Canada’s social safety net and ensure that all Canadians can meet their basic needs with dignity.

A Call to Action

Food insecurity, homelessness, and poverty are not caused by individual failure. They are the result of inadequate incomes, unaffordable housing, low wages, and insufficient public investment in social infrastructure. Budget 2026 presents an opportunity for the federal government to strengthen Canada’s social safety net and ensure that all Canadians can meet their basic needs with dignity.

The Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force recommends the following federal priorities:

  • Improve transportation and employment opportunities for youth.
  • Reduce household food insecurity through stronger income supports and investments in equitable food systems.
  • Strengthen the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit.
  • Increase the Canada Disability Benefit to end disability poverty.
  • Simplify and expand eligibility for disability-related federal benefits.
  • Invest in affordable childcare and the early learning workforce.
  • Expand affordable and supportive housing in rural communities.
Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force Poverty Task Force

United Ways of Ontario Call for the Province to repeal Schedule 12, Bill 60, the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025

Ontario is at a critical point. Housing need is rising, homelessness is growing, federal investment is starting to move but new home construction is slowing in Ontario. The Province’s goal to create conditions for faster homebuilding, through predictable approvals and transit-oriented projects makes sense but decisions made now will set the course for years.

The legislative changes to the Residential Tenancies Act in Schedule 12 of Bill 60, move policy in the wrong direction and will serve to escalate the homelessness crisis across Ontario. They weaken security of tenure, speed eviction and narrow review windows. This is not a solution for people who are precariously housed and will level even greater pressure on municipalities and community agencies struggling to address need.

The focus should be on keeping people housed while new supply comes online. That means maintaining reasonable grace periods for arrears, ensuring tenants can raise legitimate health and safety concerns without undue barriers, preserving fair compensation and clear standards in no-fault evictions with consequences for bad-faith cases and keeping review and appeal timelines workable so disputes are resolved on their merits. These measures protect due process, prevent avoidable evictions, and steady the system as we build.

We join colleagues from across the community services sector in calling on the Province to repeal Schedule 12 of Bill 60 and commit to meaningful consultation with tenants, sector partners and municipalities on proposed amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act and provincial housing policies that impact tenants.

United Ways across Ontario partner with regional and municipal governments and are ready to work with the Province to keep people housed while Ontario builds the homes our communities need.

Please find a link to the statement on the UWGT website:  https://www.unitedwaygt.org/public-policy/united-ways-of-ontario-call-for-the-province-to-repeal-schedule-12-bill-60-the-fighting-delays-building-faster-act-2025/

Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force Poverty Task Force

Joint Ontario United Ways Submission to the Build Canada Homes Design

Meeting Canada’s affordable housing goals is not the private market’s mandate — nor has it ever been. 

That’s why Ontario United Ways have come together with a joint submission to the Build Canada Homes Design.

A healthy housing system provides access to affordable housing options that meet people’s needs at different stages of life. Yet, rising costs and the declining availability of housing stock and housing choices, coupled with stagnating incomes, have left too many people without safe, stable, accessible and affordable homes. High rates of core housing need are not being met with relief. Instead, deeply affordable and supportive housing options are shrinking, driving up waitlists, pushing more people into homelessness, contributing to socio-economic challenges and heightening inequalities.

A critical pitfall of our current housing system is the lack of sustained focus and investment in stimulating the community housing sector in favour of encouraging a private market-dominated landscape. Approximately 95% of Canada’s housing stock is privately owned. At only 3.5%, the proportion of community housing falls far behind that of our OECD peers. While community housing providers have successfully brought projects to completion despite being constrained by insufficient and inconsistent funding, they have not yet been able to bring the full force of their expertise to bear or operate at the scale possible — and needed.

A fundamental shift in how housing is planned, funded and delivered is required — and, if done correctly, Build Canada Homes could be the catalyst we need in realizing the full potential of Canada’s community housing sector across the country.

Read the full Ontario United Ways Submission to the Build Canada Homes Design.