A much needed minimum wage boost has come to Ontario. The Government recognized the impact of higher labour costs on the small business. The nonprofit sector requires similar consideration! The Social Planning Network of Ontario urges you to tell your MPP and to share the campaign in your networks: Help Us Help Ontario! 

2017 Pre-budget submission to the Ontario Ministry of Finance: "It is not necessary to undertake a complicated pilot project to prove people are better off with more income. This has already been proven time and again. We urge you to consider the ethics of this plan and to not delay increasing basic assistance to people who face real desperation. Increase or augment social assistance rates to at least 80% of the Low Income Measure and increase Discretionary Benefits to at $15 per person... It is important that the provincial budget reflect what is important for people in a coherent, integrated and understandable way. A piecemeal approach that offers small gains for various groups will not reflect a rational perspective of what is necessary and appropriate for the investment of shared tax dollars to benefit Ontarians individually and collectively." 

The purpose behind the revisions of the Elections Finances Act are the principles of fairness, providing an even playing field, democratic process, transparency and openness. We truly support these principles and want these front and centre in elections and everything related to political life. However, due to the lack of clarity regarding what 'political advertising' includes, the proposed changes are problematic for a community organization such as ours that devotes time to educating and advocating on various social issues. The definition blurs an important line between political partisan activity and issue focused activity. With this definition, at any point in time in the six months prior to an election call and during the election period, community organizations may not be able to address issues or participate in public dialogue on social issues for fear these might become identified with a party or candidate. Read the full submission to the Standing Committee on General Government Regarding Bill 201.

We are expecting you on Tuesday June 28th, 2016 at the Hearth Rm, 74 Frederick St. Kitchener. The Annual General Meeting starts at 6pm and at 7pm we will open up a community forum: Progress and Next Stage Action. We have worked together with many partners and allies on the priorities we identified in 2014: Community Social Planning; Strong Neighbourhoods; Poverty; Inclusion; Diversity; Access to Information, Digital Inclusion, Environment. They are evolving year after year and we want to hear from you not only about how the context we live in changes, but how our action needs to transform too.