New Report Says Ontario is Falling Behind

Friday, August 31, 2012

The Ontario Common Front – an Ontario-wide coalition of more than 90 groups and organizations concerned with growing inequality – released an unprecedented new report today showing that Ontario has sunk to last place in Canada when measured against every important social indicator.

The comprehensive report pulled together national research demonstrating that Ontario is at the bottom of the pack when it comes to equality and social programs and that a growing number of Ontarians are falling behind in the economy. The report found that:
· 40% of Ontarians – fully 600,000 families – are struggling with incomes that are stagnant or declining;

· Ontario funds all of its social programs – including health care to education – at the lowest rate in Canada;

· While poverty rates fell in five provinces, Ontario had the second highest increase in poverty rates and intensity, leaving 393,000 children in poverty (one in seven);

· Ontarians pay the highest school fees, out-of-pocket health care fees and tuition fees in the country; while

· Ontario has led the country on cuts to corporate and income taxes.

Get the report here.