McGuinty
Government Continues To Support Ontarians with Low Incomes
We all know friends, family or neighbours who need assistance. I’m speaking particularly of the families with young children who encounter daily challenges providing a safe and nurturing home for their family and who depend upon provincial income tested programs to help them afford these basic things.
The McGuinty government promised to do more, and we are committed to our promise. We are putting our words into practice. I am especially proud that we will introduce legislation to remove the new federal benefit from income when calculating eligibility for all income tested provincial programs.
If passed, this legislation will ensure the UCCB fulfills its purpose of providing assistance to the families that need it. Also, the McGuinty government proposes to exclude the UCCB from income used to calculate eligibility for Ontario Property and Sales Tax Credits.
As a result
of this proposed legislation, some examples of provincial income-tested
programs that will not be affected by the UCCB include: social assistance,
subsidized child care fees, the Ontario Child Care Supplement for Working
Families, Rent-Geared-to-Income, the Ontario Student Assistance Program,
the Guaranteed Annual Income System, Women in Skilled Trades, Information
Technology Training for Women, Domiciliary Hostels, Assistance for
Children with Severe Disabilities, the Ontario Drug Benefit Program, the
Trillium Drug Program, Mental Health Supportive Housing, the Long-Term
Care Homes Co-Payment, the Hospital Chronic Care Co-Payment, Homes for
Special Care, and Community Support Services.
Furthermore, Ontario’s decision to exclude the federal UCCB from provincial programs complements the increased spending for at-risk youth and vulnerable adults and families announced in our 2006 Budget.
Since the last Budget, Ontario has increased its support for at-risk youth and vulnerable adults and families by $218 million, bringing spending to a total of $10.3 billion. The initiatives this investment in our youth and most vulnerable includes:
· Making permanent the flow-through of the July 2004, 2005 and 2006 increases to the National Child Benefit Supplement;
· Increasing social assistance rates by two per cent for recipients of Ontario Works and the Ontario Disability Support Program, in addition to the three per cent increase in 2004-05;
· Enriching the Ontario Property and Sales Tax Credits so that seniors who receive the guaranteed minimum level of income from governments would get the full benefit of the credits;
· Providing additional support for at-risk youth; and
· Investing in developmental services, other supports for the vulnerable and affordable housing.
The federal government has determined that the UCCB will be included in taxable income for tax purposes. Under the Tax Collection Agreement that Ontario has with the federal government, the same definition of taxable income is used for both provincial and federal purposes. That is why this proposed legislation is essential in order to exclude the UCCB as income under major provincial programs
The McGuinty Government has always been, and will continue to be, committed to supporting those who are vulnerable and those with low incomes throughout Ontario. By excluding this benefit as income from consideration under income-tested provincial programs, we are sending a clear message that we are behind those that need our help the most.
For more information contact:
Office of Harinder Takhar, MPP
Mississauga Centre
905-897-8815
htakhar.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org
