Tonight: Fix Social Assistance Now, ACORN Film Launch

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Oct. 25, 2012) - Ottawa ACORN (Ottawa Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) members are fighting to improve social assistance in Ontario. Members were appalled by the past announcement that the Ontario government wanted to freeze social assistance and scale back the child tax benefit increase. Member held a large protest in March 30, 2012 about the budget proposal and then celebrated a small victory when the government decided to increase social assistance by 1% and child tax in the final Ontario budget. Members have been campaigning over the past year for the provincial government to take immediate action and commit to reversing the rate cuts from the Harris years, ensure individuals are able to maintain special diet allowance, stopping the clawback of income earned for people transitioning back into the workforce from social assistance.

Members participated in the province social assistance review last fall and are increasingly worried by the continued delay of its release from the government. Moreover, the McGuinty Liberals voted to cut the community start up and maintenance benefit in half by January 2013. The benefit allows 16,000 OW/ODSP recipients a month to access stable housing if people need first and last month's rent coming from a shelter situation, help connect their hydro, or add accessible features to their unit if the person becomes increasingly disabled, for instance. Members feel this is an affront to low income families and will continue to campaign to reverse the cuts, and fix social assistance.

Our "You Tube" launch is designed to show politicians and the public the stories from people affected by the cuts and social assistance crisis, to act now and fix social assistance.

Check out the video teaser at:

http://www.acorncanada.org/ottawa-living-wage/642-video-ottawa-acorn-members-on-disability-rights