HAMILTON - Ontario is doing more to support low income families in Hamilton who are facing challenging economic times.
The government is proposing to increase the Ontario Child Benefit this July, from $600 to a maximum of $1,100 per child per year. The Ontario Child Benefit helps 1.3 million children by giving moms and dads monthly support.
Ontario is also planning to increase its investment in social and affordable housing to create short-term jobs in construction and renovation while improving the lives of people with low-incomes.
Working with the federal government, Ontario would renovate 50,000 social housing units and build 4,500 new affordable housing units through a joint investment of $1.2 billion. Ontario’s portion of the investment over the next two years includes:
- $352 million to repair social housing units and make them more energy efficient
- $185 million to create new affordable housing for low-income seniors and persons with disabilities
- $87.5 million to extend the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program
QUOTES
“Investing in the Ontario Child Benefit and social housing will help Hamilton’s families significantly, particularly during these difficult economic times," said Sophia Aggelonitis, MPP for Hamilton Mountain.
“If we want our economy to be at its best, we need all Ontarians working at their full potential. That’s why our fight against poverty is so important,” added Ted McMeekin, MPP Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale.
QUICK FACTS
- The province is planning to make permanent the $5 million Ontario Rent Bank to help keep low income Ontarians in their homes. Since 2004, the Rent Bank has prevented 15,500 evictions.
- The funding for renovation and repair will create 23,000 jobs over the course of the program.
- The Ontario Child Benefit is a key part of the strategy to reduce child poverty in Ontario by 25 per cent in five years. The planned July increase would result in an additional $400 million for low income families over three years.