This one is a petition entitled “To Raise Social Assistance Rates.” It points out the Market Basket Measure poverty line and the OW, Ontario Works, rates are far, far apart. The Ontario Works rate is $733 a month, and no one in this province can possibly survive on $733 a month. You cannot even rent a room for $733 a month. ODSP is just over $1,300 a month. Again, you cannot survive on that. And so there’s been an open letter to the Premier and to cabinet ministers, with signatures of 230 organizations that are asking that the OW and ODSP rates be doubled. There have been some small increases, but they do not even keep up with the rate of inflation since this government took power in 2018. In fact, the rate of inflation has been 17% since this government took power and the increase in ODSP rates has been only 5%.

They’re asking for a doubling of this—of basic survival. Basic income set with CERB was $2,000 a month. They’re asking for an immediate doubling of social assistance rates to end the destitution of people living on Ontario Works and ODSP.

I fully endorse this petition and will pass it to page Sophie to take to the table.