Federal Election 2008 – Peel Speaks Out

What We Told Them

1. Support Poverty Reduction Initiatives

Background

People who live in poverty have higher rates of chronic illness, reduced levels of emotional and mental development and lower levels of academic achievement.
20% of children in Peel live in poverty.
As of June 2008 there were 2,697 families on wait lists in Peel for subsidized child care. The federal child care benefit is inadequate for any meaningful level of child care.
Families are unable to commit to either full employment or retraining without reliable child care. This has a direct affect on the economy.
Early childhood development is at risk in many families due to the lack of early childhood education opportunities. This affects the future of the children, the community and the economy.

Proposals

Set target dates, e.g., five years, to reduce the number of Canadians living below the poverty line.
Develop a national sustainable strategy to ensure all families in need can have access to child care.
Dedicate $6 billion (equivalent to one cent of the GST) to municipalities to apply where needed on an ongoing basis.
Note: This will only increase the municipal share of taxes collected in Canada from 8% to 9%.

2. Facilitate a More Creative Approach to Assisted Housing

Background

The severe shortage of affordable housing in Peel has created the longest wait list for subsidized housing in Ontario (over 13,500 households).
Only 7% of applicants are placed in a subsidized unit each year.
Tenants placed today have waited ten years or more for an available subsidized unit.
Peel’s supply of affordable housing continues to slip relative to other Canadian cities (FCM).
Much of Peel’s social housing is 20 years old and more and repair and maintenance costs continue to rise.
Low-cost rental housing is a vital element in the reduction of poverty, ultimately saving on health care and other social spending.
In 2005, the Federal government diverted $45 million in savings in social housing mortgage subsidy costs to other areas.

Proposals

The Government of Canada should lead a national housing strategy.
Provide ongoing program funding with the flexibility to be applied to new buildings and to the maintenance of current stock.
Leverage existing social housing assets by folding CMHC interest and principal payments back into local projects rather than into general revenue.

3. Provide Fairness to Immigrants to Fully Engage Them in the Community and Strengthen the Economy.

Background

Immigrants make up 49% of Peel’s population and about 80% of Peel’s annual growth.
In 2002, 46% of immigrants had one post-secondary degree, exceeding the Canadian average of 22%.
About 60% of new immigrants do not work in the same occupational field as they did before entering Canada.
The lack of recognition of international credentials is a barrier to working in a related field and hinders families from re-establishing in Canada.
Peel’s and Ontario’s immigration settlement funding will increase substantially by 2009-2010 but will still remain below that of other provinces.

Proposals:

Consult with municipalities to reform the immigration point system to meet the needs of regional economies such as Peel’s. Manufacturing and trade sectors require a broader spectrum of skills.
Provide more realistic funding for immigrant settlement support on the basis of GDP or other recognized economic indicators, and require provinces to use allocations only for immigrant settlement supports.
Allocate settlement funding one year after landing to the province where service is provided, rather than to the province of entry.
Provide a federal subsidy for first time job experience and internship programs for underemployed newcomers.
Establish employer mentorship incentive program to support internationally trained professionals, e.g., health professionals.

4. Provide Ontarians with the Same Employment Insurance (EI) Benefits as Other Canadians.

Background

Unemployed workers in Ontario receive $4,630 less in EI benefits than the average unemployed worker in the rest of Canada.
Only 22% of unemployed workers in the Metropolitan Toronto Census Area received EI benefits in 2004, compared to the national average of 43%.
Increased part-time and temporary work in Ontario means workers have to work more hours to qualify and they receive benefits for a shorter duration.
Peel’s unemployment rate jumped from 6.4% in 2006 to 6.9% in 2007.
Manufacturing makes up 20% of Peel’s economy and has been hit hard by the current slowdown and by its dependence on the US economy.
Peel expects to have 600 more monthly social assistance caseloads in 2009. The cost to Peel taxpayers is $0.2 million per year for each 100 new monthly cases.
For unemployed workers in Peel, social assistance is effectively replacing Canada’s EI Program as the social safety net of first resort.

Proposals

Revise the qualification requirements for EI in Ontario to provide unemployed Ontario workers with the same EI benefits as other Canadians.

5. Fund Ontario’s health care system on a per capita basis immediately rather than phase it in by 2014-15.

Background

Lack of per capita funding in the Canada Health Transfer will cost Ontario’s health care system an estimated $733 million in 2008-09 and a continued shortfall each year until the health transfer is phased in by 2014-15.

Proposals

Increase Canada Health Transfer to per capita funding now rather than phase it in by 2014-2015.

6. Recognize Peel as a strong partner and ideal location for new programs; Peel is a leading innovator of municipal services.

Revised: Tuesday September 23 2008

Region of Peel