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 # 113

Dear Colleagues,

The impact of rising prices on vulnerable people for rent, food, utilities, etc. and our slow recovery from the pandemic are creating the start of a tough year. It means more people are having to make hard decisions about what they can and can’t afford.

Five weeks into the new year, we are all busy with new strategic planning, advocacy for budgets and the release of new studies.  

NEW ADVOCACY/POLICY 

  • Ontario released Pathways to Safety: Ontario’s Strategy in Response to the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
  • How Can We Confront Homelessness in Rural Ontario: is aTVO panel interview held at the recent Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) meeting.  The Institute of Southern Georgian Bay has been looking at social financialization of housing and the Institute’s Marilyn Struthers was part of the panel.  
  • The Ontario Human Rights Commission issued a statement on human rights and access to cold weather services.  The importance of respecting the rights of people experiencing homelessness was reaffirmed by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice on January 27, 2023 when it denied the municipality of Waterloo’s request to remove an encampment when there is no adequate indoor shelter space as it would violate the residents’ Charter rights to life, liberty, and security of the person. 
  • Rest Stations for Extreme Weather: 211 provides listings of warming stations available in Bruce County and Grey County. 
  • Short Term Shelter Programs in both Counties have worked hard this winter to ensure that people were sheltered before weather systems hit.  Connections were made with prisons and hospitals to ensure that people were not discharged onto the streets during the extreme weather. They reached out to people living in tents to do wellness checks and offer warmer shelter.  
  • Safe N Sound in partnership with the City of Owen Sound extended their hours, including one extreme weather episode providing all night shelter.  

NEW BUDGETS

INCOME SUPPORT

  • Guaranteed Annual Income System (GAINS): The Ontario government is doubling the GAINS payment for seniors for 12 months beginning January 2023. This measure will increase the maximum GAINS payment to $166 per month for single seniors and to $332 per month for couples, a maximum increase of almost $1,000 per person in 2023.
  • Canada Housing Benefit  The one-time top-up aims to help eligible low-income renters with a tax-free one-time payment of $500. Applications are due by March 31st 2023.
  • Ontario Disability Support Program Earnings Exemption: the government has increased monthly earnings exemption for people with disabilities from $200 to $1,000 effective 1 February 2023 and reflected on March 2023 payment. This will mean that the first $1,000 earned in a month is exempt and will not affect ODSP income support. For each dollar earned above $1,000, the 25 cents is exempt from the calculation of income support. However, the total earnings are based on the household income, not the individual’s income on ODSP. 

NEW FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

  • Community Services Recovery Fund (CSRF): responds to the adaptation and modernization needs of non-profit and charitable organizations facing immediate and long-term impacts of the pandemic as they continue to support communities.The deadline to apply is February 21st at 5:00pm. Find out if your organization is eligible and how to apply here. 
  • An online CSRF Q & A Session for Grey Bruce community service organizations applying to the Community Services Recovery Fund is happening on February 9 from 4 – 5 pm. Register here.
  • 2023 Emergency Food Access Grant: as food banks struggle with the urgent and increasing need of their communities, Food Banks Canada has a new fund ($2M in funding). Application deadline is February 19th, 2023. For eligibility or apply here:

NEW RESEARCH 

  • Bruce County Housing Demographic Study: has been released and the link to the Committee item is available at Human Services Committee – February 02, 2023 (escribemeetings.com). 
  • Re-engaging Retreated Workers: After analyzing the participation rates in the Stratford-Bruce Peninsula Economic Region it was noted that 6,000 workers retreated from the workforce in March of 2020 and were no longer participating in the workforce. With close to 90% of the available workforce between the ages of 25 – 54 (Labour Force Survey 2021 Custom Data Purchase) already participating it is more important than ever to re-engage the workers who have retreated. This report by the Four County Labour Market Planning Board looks at challenges to re-engaging workers in the region. 
  • RentSafe’s new suite of resources on mould aims to support proactive and coordinated action to address one of the most pressing habitability concerns in rental housing. RentSafe baseline research found that dampness and mould is one of the most common health concerns in rental housing. 

HOUSING SUPPORT 

NEW SURVEYS/STUDIES

  • Bruce County Strategic Public Engagement: is underway and seeking initial ideas.  Please submit your initial ideas online through the Bruce County 2023-2026 Strategic Plan Public Engagement Survey by Friday, February 10, 2023.
  • Grey Bruce Health Services Addiction Treatment Services: have released 3 new surveys. Community Addiction Treatment (CATS) Services, Withdrawal Management Services (WMS), and WMS survey for friends and family seeking feedback on program and service needs. CATS survey, WMS survey and WMS Survey for Friends/Family. 
  • City of Owen Sound Community Garden Policy Input: closed on 30 January 2023 with input from Grey Bruce Community Garden Network Coordinator. A feedback report will be presented at the February 15th Community Services Committee. This is the first of its kind in Grey Bruce and sets a good framework for other municipalities/towns and cities. 
  • Seniors Home Share:   Bruce County Housing to undertake a local  feasibility study with York University. The team from York University is carrying a literature review/best practices analysis and carrying out key informant interviews/focus group discussions. The study results are expected to be released in March 2023. Contact Matt Meade, mmeade@brucecounty.on.ca, for further info.  
  • West Grey Public Library Children & Youth Service:  Click here to provide input to the programs for kids and teens in West Grey. Contact Kayla, 519-369-2107,   kids@westgreylibrary.com.

FOOD SUPPORT

  • Grey Bruce Foodrescue: nearly 60% of food produced in Canada is lost or wasted each year according to Second Harvest.  1/3 of that waste is still edible, yet it goes to landfills instead of to those who could use it. 
  • No Frills Owen Sound and Foodland Markdale have been added to the program.  OSHaRE continues to be a central hub for pick up, sorting and making surplus food available to community agencies. For more info contact Colleen Seaman, info@oshare.ca or 519-377-7460. 

TRANSPORTATION

  • Grey Transit Route (GTR): route changes have been affected by budget and the Flesherton to Hanover/Walkerton route will be canceled in April 2023.  
  • Student Travel: students at Georgian College’s Owen Sound Campus will be able to access free GTR during the winter semester.  This will help them getting to and from campus as well as to employment and field placements, co-ops or practicums.

The next Poverty Task Force meeting shall be on Friday, February 17th.  

Stay well, Jill 

Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force Poverty Task Force

Poverty Task Force/United Way Community Update # 74

Dear Colleagues, 

Cathy Hird wrote in a Owen Sound Hub article that “one day is not enough”. Many partners hosted or participated in National Truth and Reconciliation Day/Orange Shirt Day last week. But we must continue to improve relations and to understand what actions we are committed to as “treaty people”. 

While May 5th, 2021 was Red Dress Day, this week is Red Dress Awareness Week. October 4th marked Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Awareness Day. A day when we honour the lives of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and gender diverse people, support grieving families, and create opportunities for healing.

The 2021 National Action Plan responds to the many demands to end violence against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people. It is meant to honour and respect Indigenous and 2SLGBTQQIA+ peoples’ values, philosophies, knowledge systems, and agencies through the prioritization of Indigenous-led solutions and services, developed in partnership and sustained through the adequate resourcing of this work. 
The National Action Plan responds to the Reclaiming Power and Place: The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Métis Perspectives of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and LGBTQ2S+ People report.

The National Action Plan is not meant to be frozen in time; it is evergreen, recognizing the urgency for immediate action, but also the importance of continuing to cultivate transformative change over time.

COVID19 IMPACT SURVEY – GREY COUNTY & BRUCE COUNTY

  • A county-wide survey is asking Grey County and Bruce County residents how COVID-19 has impacted their daily lives. Residents are being asked to provide feedback on a range of social, economic, and health-related questions. The survey is in partnership with the University of Guelph. Results will help the County and local municipalities make important decisions regarding pandemic recovery efforts. Go to: Grey County Survey or Bruce County Survey. 

MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS

HOUSING SUPPORTS

  • Tamarack Is hosting a mid-Ontario Rural Community of Practice (CoP)  on Tuesday, October 12th from 1-2pm. Dominica McPherson, Coordinator of the Guelph-Wellington Task Force for Poverty Elimination, will help to kick off our conversation by sharing their YIMBY campaign and how they have reduced overall chronic homelessness by 25% and youth chronic homelessness by 76% in the community. Contact Jill Umbach if you want to join the zoom call. 
  • Rentsafe Owen Sound Collaborative: our Landlord Survey is still open. Recently Erica Phipps and Jill Umbach joined Mary Jane Murray on Rogers TV.  Start at the 30 minute mark for the Rentsafe interview. 

INCOME SUPPORTS

  • New Rules for Employment Insurance: There are new pandemic-related changes coming to the Employment Insurance system that took effect Sunday, September 26. This is a list of a few changes. To see all criteria, visit Service Canada at  https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei.html. 
  • Eligibility: In the last year, EI applicants received a one-time top-up of hours to help them qualify. This ends and is replaced by a requirement to have worked 420 hours to qualify. These hours will be in place until September 24, 2022. 
  • To qualify for EI-Sickness benefits, the government is again requiring a medical certificate proving the applicant is sick and can’t work. This requirement was waived over the last year because of COVID-19. 
  • Benefits: The weekly minimum payment will decline to $300/m from $500/m.  
    • Regional unemployment rates will once again be used to calculate the duration and value of benefits. 
    • Anyone with an existing EI claim won’t see any changes to the value or duration of their benefits with the new rules.  
  • Seasonal workers in 13 regions will still be eligible for 5 extra weeks of EI regular benefits until October 2022. This is specific to seasonal workers who started claims between August 5, 2018 and this coming October 30th and depends on them having 3 claims for regular or fishing benefits in the last 5 years, and at least 2 starting around the same time of year. 

FOOD SECURITY SUPPORTS

  • Meals2Motels: After 19 months, the United Way is phasing out of the Meals to Motels program as of September 30th. Close to 12,500 OSHaRE meals were delivered to those housed in motels. 
    • OSHaRE remains available to support people with meals twice a day. 
    • The YMCA Housing team will ensure there are frozen meals at the Key Motel in Chatsworth.
  • OSHaRE served more than 10,000 meals in August 2021. In all of 2019, OSHaRE served 22,000 meals. 
    • Pre-pandemic, OSHaRE was serving about 100 meals per day, and that rose to about 300 to 350 in the spring of 2020. Currently they are serving  between 150 and 200 people at lunch Monday to Saturday and from 280 to 350 at dinner Monday to Friday. All meals remain take-out due to the pandemic.
    • OSHaRE has observed that the rising cost of food and cost of living in general means they are seeing more people that need our service than ever before. There is no sign of the need waning.
  • Since March 2020, the Owen Sound Salvation Army has provided practical food assistance valued at $1,001,890.00. 
    • They have added an additional 321 new households that have never needed to use Food Bank services since the start of the pandemic.  

  FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

  • The United Way has released its 2022 call for United Way grants. Deadline is December 10th, 2021. Contact Francesca Dobbyn to discuss ideas and potential partnerships.  All the details, online application links, PDFs of the questions and any updates are on the United Way’s website: https://unitedwayofbrucegrey.com/about-us/community-impact-grants/2021-granting-call/
  • The Ontario government has announced a new $1.6 million Anti-Racism Anti-Hate Grant Program. Eligible organizations, including community-based, not-for-profit organizations, can apply for grants of $40,000 over 2 years for independent projects, or $100,000 over 2 years for partnerships between two or more organizations.

 Stay well, Jill