News in Campaigns and Law Reform
New campaign to protect legal support for refugees in Ontario launches on Refugee Rights Day
The Access to Justice Campaign calls on the Province to ensure appropriate Legal Aid Ontario funding for refugees.
25 in 5 Calls for Action on Ontario Budget 2013
25 in 5's submission to the province's pre-budget consultations urges all parties to put fairness back in the budget and allow low-income Ontarians to Earn More, Keep More and Restore incomes.
Campaign to Raise the Minimum Wage
The Workers' Action Centre is demanding an immediate minimum wage increase, launching the Campaign to Raise the Minimum Wage and calling for a province-wide day of action on March 21st.
Street sex workers and allies stand up for full decriminalization of their lives
Sex workers with street level experience and their allies state their support for the repeal of all prostitution offenses in Canada, including section 213 prohibiting communicating in public for the purposes of prostitution.
Take Action on Budget 2013!
25in5 Network for Poverty Reduction has launched an online pre-budget campaign to urge all of Ontario's political parties to make important investments to support people living on low incomes.
Toronto declared 'sanctuary city' to non-status migrants
Toronto has become the first Canadian city with a formal policy allowing undocumented migrants to access services regardless of immigration status.
Fair Ontario still a faint hope for people in deep poverty
Poverty Free Ontario says they hope that the measures mentioned in the Speech from the Throne are only the beginning of the new government's social justice agenda.
Opinion: Ensuring basic rights in Toronto for undocumented newcomers
In this opinion piece, the authors say Toronto City Council should vote for a motion that will ensure improved access to city services for residents lacking immigration status.
Bill C-400: It's time for a national housing strategy
Dignity For All is calling for help promoting Bill C-400, a private member's bill currently before Parliament that addresses the crisis of homelessness and inadequate housing in Canada.
Register today for our Feb 21 webinar - Exploring an Electricity Affordability Program for Ontario's Low-Income Consumers
When: February 21, 2013 at 12:00 E.S.T.
Where: Online
February 21, 2013 at 12:00 p.m. E.S.T. - With electricity bills projected to increase by 46% from 2010-2015, low-income residential consumers in Ontario (about 733,000 households) may face housing affordability problems and could be forced to make difficult spending decisions such as paying for heat or food. To proactively address this looming crisis, the Low-Income Energy Network (LIEN) is working with a consultant Roger Colton, a U.S. based expert on low-income energy issues, to develop a ratepayer-funded electricity rate affordability program along with a cost estimate for delivering it to Ontario’s low-income consumers.
LIEN has renewed its efforts to advocate for such a program and is working to build public awareness about, and support for, this proposal. The webinar will begin with an overview of LIEN’s advocacy activities and culminate with a detailed presentation of the electricity rate affordability program.
