York Region is asking the province to step up in social assistance efforts, including implementing basic income policies, increasing Ontario work rates and reducing food insecurity.
Regional staff said that poverty and affordability issues are increasing and creating more demand for regional social services, according to a health and well-being review report to council March 6.
Staff said there is a need for more funding from upper levels of government, with policy changes to address rising affordability challenges. Council gave initial approval to a motion calling for policy changes and plans to advocate for them.
Newmarket Mayor John Taylor said change is needed.
“We can't keep putting Band-Aids on,” he said. “As a society, are we OK with 20 per cent of the people living on the poverty line? Are we OK with 50 per cent spending more than what’s tenable on rent, on housing?
“We’ve got to give people an opportunity to have a living wage, to have enough money to rent a place. We’re not going to magically make housing more affordable in the next five years,” he added. “The key is to give people an opportunity to have dignity in terms of the amount of money they earn or receive through assistance.”
The report examined the most recent, reliable data available on regional population, income, and social and health trends.
According to the report:
- 18.6 per cent of York Region residents are below the low-income threshold ($25,418 for a single person) as of 2022, up from the pre-pandemic level of 16.8 per cent in 2029.
- An estimated 19.4 per cent of York Region households experienced food insecurity in 2022, up from 15.5 per cent in 2021.
- Housing affordability is also at issue, with 26.9 per cent of homeowners and 46.9 per cent of renters in York Region spending above a recommended threshold of 30 per cent of their income on housing costs in 2021, the highest proportions in the province.
- York Regional Police reports that between 2020 and 2023, there were 27 per cent more calls related to mental health occurrences and an 85 per cent increase in suicide attempts.
- In the same timeframe, York Region Paramedic Services reports a 29 per cent increase in suspected opioid overdose occurrences.
Commissioner of community and health services Lisa Gonsalves said the region's social services is making help available. But she said advocacy efforts with partners would be important to address the gaps and shortfalls, with staff estimating a $70 million funding shortfall from upper levels of government to meet regional social service demand.
“The region cannot sustain the investments needed to address income security,” she said. “This work is a shared responsibility that demands support from all levels of government.”
Staff recommended circulating the report to neighbouring municipalities and relevant provincial ministries as part of advocacy efforts to address the issues.
Georgina Mayor Margaret Quirk that ultimately solutions like food pantries are a Band-Aid.
“The overall issue, a lot of times, is income,” she said. “It’s support for mental health, it’s support (for) Ontario Works. It’s income levels.”
Richmond Hill Mayor David West said a lot of the issues stem from people being stuck in precarious housing situations or not being housed, and there also needs to be advocacy to fund lower-income housing.
West said they should also advocate for governments to fund that housing “in a way that’s going to make a meaningful difference in moving the needle.”
Taylor said the provincial government is going to be getting requests for funding increases in many areas.
“The only way to get at the top of the pile is to get the public engaged and to get all the stakeholders engaged to create a very large conversation,” he said.