Ontario Office

A new report by Toronto Community Foundation shows the gap between low and high income neighbourhoods in Toronto is growing while the middle class is shrinking. In 1970, 66 per cent of neighbourhoods were middle income. Today that number has shrunk to 29 per cent.

Read more here, or download the report here.

New analysis by CCPA Research Associate Sheila Block shows Ontarians from racialized backgrounds are far more likely to live in poverty, face barriers to finding a job, and receive less pay for work. Sexism and racial discrimination pack a double wallop, hampering racialized women’s earning power. To read the report, click here.

The Ontario government tabled its budget today, putting deficit reduction ahead of jobs. The budget also penalizes social assistance recipients and threatens to burden postsecondary students with tuition fee hikes. For full details, see Off target:
Ontario budget misses the point on economic recovery, by CCPA research associate Hugh Mackenzie.

The CCPA Ontario office released its prescription for this year's provincial budget, calling on the Ontario government to make job creation -- not deficit reduction -- a top priority. It shows how hard hit Ontario has been by the global recession. Ontario accounted for 59% of the nation's permanent job losses last year. By focusing on a strong job creation plan, the Ontario government can get Ontarians working again, which is good for the economy and will be important to the province's future deficit reduction efforts.

The full report, Steering Ontario Out of Recession by CCPA Research Associate Hugh Mackenzie, is available here.