Living Wage - Salaire-subsistance

Roughly a dozen people, mostly with disabilities, gathered outside a Burnaby welfare office Wednesday, demanding the government increase their monthly benefit payments.

"We're fed up being treated like a bunch of beggars. We're angry and we're not going to be silent any longer," said New Westminster resident Tom Page, spokesperson for ACORN, a social justice organization. ACORN's disability rights group was holding the demonstration on Wednesday morning on the corner of Kingsway and McKay Avenue near Metrotown.

According to Page, people receiving disability benefits from the government live in "abject extreme poverty" receiving only $906 a month (which translates to $10,872 annually), while Albertans receive $1,588.

"B.C. has one of the highest costs of living in Canada, but the disability rates have fallen to sixth place," Page told the crowd through a megaphone.

Page also bemoaned the difficulties and wait-times to get on disability and the fact that benefits are not retroactive to the date of application.

ACORN wants the disability rates raised to $1,200 immediately, followed by a study to come up with a livable rate that's indexed for inflation. According to Page, who's on disability, the government hasn't increased the rates since 2007.

Ottawa ACORN has been working hard in the last month to collect signatures on a petition to protest proposed cut backs to the “community start up and maintenance” benefit. Dalton McGuinty’s government is planning on cutting the benefit in January 2013 and ACORN, along with other community groups, are DEMANDING a reversal!

ACORN members teamed up with OPSEU and spent the Pupusa Festival and Labour Day festivities collecting HUNDREDS of signatures on a petition to STOP THE CUTS! We won’t let McGuinty push low income folks around.

To sign the petition, contact the Ottawa ACORN office.

EMC news - Members of ACORN - a poverty advocacy group - challenged the Ontario premier to put food in the budget with a protest held in front of a Food Basics on Merivale Road on May 24.

Kathleen Fortin, a member of Ottawa ACORN's board, said the stagnant rates of social assistance don't work with the rising cost of food.

"It just doesn't add up," she said.

She says that she and her partner are both on disability and can barely make the rent each month. "My boyfriend has had cancer and can't work because of it. His diet is restricted and expensive," she said. "Is he supposed to stop eating properly because he no longer has enough funding to do so? No. We're just going to have to find the money we don't have."

ACORN says it has about 1,600 members in the Ottawa area and Fortin said they challenged Dalton McGuinty to try and pay for the monthly food and grocery bills while receiving a meager allowance on social assistance.

ACORN Canada member challenges premier to live on $1,040 a month.

The poor are getting poorer and the rich are getting richer was the statement repeated through the microphone Friday as grassroots organization ACORN protested the latest budget outside Dalton McGuinty's office.

There were about 50 people in attendance to speak out against the social assistance freeze and the child tax benefit cuts that were announced Tuesday in the provincial budget.

Though McGuinty was in Ottawa on Friday to speak about the budget, he was not at his constituency office during the protest. Office staff locked the door and closed the window blinds during the protest.

Kathleen Fortin is a member of the board for ACORN and has been part of the organization for four years. "I'm here to speak for those who can't speak for themselves," said Fortin. 

On January 17th, Toronto ACORN members from across the city will be rallying at city hall while city council meets to discuss and vote on Mayor Ford's proposed 2012 budget.  Despite the city's close to $150 million surplus, the Ford administration is pushing massive unnecessary service cuts as part of a radical conservative agenda.

Toronto ACORN members will be gathering at 4pm at the front doors of City Hall and progressing into council chambers with the demand that council votes against the proposed cuts to childcare, transit service, community centres, libraries and other services that are essential parts of our neighbourhoods.

Join Us >>
Where: City Hall (100 Queen St. West)
When: 4pm
Why: Call on City Council to reject Ford's cuts

A living wage by definition allows a family to cover basic living expenses - in Metro Vancouver it is calculated at $18.81/hour (including benefits). A municipal living wage policy, like the one adopted in New Westminster, means all city staff are guaranteed a living wage as well as anyone who provides contracted services to the city.

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