March of Dimes Canada issued an open letter to each of the provincial party leaders, asking them to commit to building an Ontario where people with disabilities can thrive. You can read March of Dimes Canada’s President and CEO Len Baker’s letter to the party leaders below – and we’ll post their responses here as they’re received.
Dear provincial party leaders,
Over the past two years, the curtain has been pulled back on many of our province’s inequities. For people with disabilities in Ontario, it has become clear that for far too long, many have been barely scraping by to survive.
As we move beyond pandemic restrictions, the June 2nd Ontario general election presents an historic opportunity to invest in a province where Ontarians with disabilities are able to do more than just scrape by. We can work together to ensure that Ontarians with disabilities of all ages, can thrive – with independence, financial security, and greater connectedness to their communities.
March of Dimes Canada works with governments at all levels to improve and deliver essential services, supports, and resources, delivering positive outcomes for people with disabilities throughout Ontario and nationwide.
To empower people with disabilities to thrive in our province, we are asking all political parties in Ontario to actively commit to building an inclusive and equitable society in four key policy areas:
1. Full financial security
Ontarians with disabilities are three times as likely to live with low income than those without disabilities.1 It is essential that the next government of Ontario concretely addresses disability poverty.
March of Dimes Canada is asking for your commitment to the following three solutions:
- Work with the federal government to ensure Ontarians with disabilities receive the full benefit of the upcoming Canada Disability Benefit, without claw backs or other downstream impacts;
- Increase ODSP rates to reflect the high cost of living with a disability as well as rising inflation; and
- Incentivize employment for those who are able to work by significantly increasing the earned income threshold for ODSP recipients.
Financial security is the foundation on which everything else rests. As one of our community members recently shared with us, “Living with a disability means being marginalized. Being poor also equates to marginalization. To have both disability and poverty is too much to bear.” Without access to a livable income, people with disabilities will not be able to live independent, active and healthy lives. It is well past time that we provide that foundation for every person with a disability in this province.
2. Expanded home and community care
As you know, the home and community care sector provides crucial care for more than one million Ontarians to remain independent at home, including personal support services, assisted living, supportive housing and more. Our research shows that over three-quarters of Canadians want to age in their current homes, but just one quarter predict they’ll be able to do so.2 Yet Ontario has only increased sector funding by 19 per cent in the last five years, far less than other provinces’ average of 30 per cent.3 This has resulted in the system being strained, underused and short-staffed.
As one of the province’s largest providers of attendant care services,
March of Dimes Canada is asking for your commitment to increase the volume of home and community care services, invest in the infrastructure of home and community care organizations, and implement wage parity to address staff shortages. This will ensure Ontarians can access the right care, at the right place, at the right time.
3. Increased access to home and vehicle modifications
For the past two decades, the provincially-funded Home and Vehicle Modification Program (HVMP) has enabled Ontarians with disabilities to remain safe and independent at home via direct grants for accessibility modifications to their homes and/or vehicles. Yet over the years, this program has become increasingly underfunded, now only serving about a third of eligible applicants each year.
March of Dimes Canada welcomed the announcement of an additional $5 million each year for three years for HVMP in the 2022 Budget. We expect that the government of Ontario elected on June 2nd will make this increase a reality, as a first step toward serving the unmet demand for the program.
We are asking for your commitment to honour this funding increase if elected.
4. More post-stroke services
In Ontario, more than 25,000 people experience a stroke each year and more than 100,000 currently live with the consequences of stroke.4 Stroke is one of the leading causes of adult disability in our province.
The Ontario government recently invested in post-stroke rehabilitation services to support stroke survivors in their return to normal life after a stroke. But rehabilitation is only one part of the journey for a stroke survivor and their family. Survivors face immense challenges to regaining their active, healthy and connected lives, with stroke having ripple effects into every area of life. As stroke survivor Lara Kaufman of Toronto, Ontario shared with us, “Stroke recovery is like climbing a mountain. It takes hard work, perseverance and patience, but the view from the top is spectacular.”
For this reason,
we are asking the next government of Ontario to build on the recent investment in post-stroke rehabilitation services with complementary, ongoing investments in community-based stroke support like March of Dimes Canada’s
After Stroke program. After Stroke enables stroke survivors and their families to continue to work toward their personal goals after rehabilitation so they can live their best life after a stroke. Our After Stroke Coordinators support stroke survivors and their caregivers in finding peer connections, navigating the labyrinth of community services, or setting practical personal goals like returning to work.
I would appreciate you taking the time to respond regarding your party’s commitment to an Ontario where people with disabilities will thrive. All responses will be public posted and shared with March of Dimes Canada’s community. We look forward to connecting with you and your team in the coming months.
Sincerely,
Len Baker
President & CEO
March of Dimes Canada
