Helping Families In Need
McGuinty Government To Increase Ontario Child Benefit And Invest
In Affordable Housing
TORONTO, March 20 /CNW/ -
NEWS
Ontario is doing more to support low income families 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
"These major new initiatives are a significant step toward our goal of
helping Ontario families right now and reaching our long-term goal of reducing poverty in Ontario."
- Dalton McGuinty, Premier of Ontario.
"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."
- Deb Matthews, Minister of Children and Youth Services.
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.
