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Bill 92, Ministry of Community and Social Services Amendment Act (Social Assistance Research Commission), 2022

Miller, Paul

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Acts affected

Original

Bill 92 Original (PDF)

EXPLANATORY

NOTE

The

Bill amends the Ministry of Community and Social Services

Act to establish the Social Assistance Research Commission. The

Commission recommends social assistance rates, and makes other recommendations

about social assistance policy. The Commission consists of people with

expertise relevant to the Commission’s work.

Bill 92 2022

Act to amend the Ministry of Community and Social Services Act to establish the

Social Assistance Research Commission

Her

Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the

Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

Section 1 of the Ministry of Community and Social Services

Act is amended by adding the following definition:

“provincial

social assistance” means basic financial assistance under the Ontario Works Act, 1997 and income support under the Ontario Disability Support Program Act, 1997 . (“aide

sociale provinciale”)

The Act is amended by adding the following section:

Social

Assistance Research Commission

(1) The

Lieutenant Governor in Council shall establish an advisory group to be known in

Commission de recherche sur l’aide sociale.

Membership

(2) The

Commission shall be composed of nine individuals appointed by the Lieutenant

Governor in Council in accordance with this

section and the regulations.

Same

(3) Each

individual appointed to the Commission must have, in the opinion of the

Lieutenant Governor in Council,

(

a) expertise

regarding socioeconomic policy and research in respect of poverty in Ontario;

(

b) expertise

regarding the cost of living in Ontario communities; and

(

c) general

knowledge regarding research into the economic and financial challenges faced

by members of vulnerable groups living in poverty, including but not limited to

the challenges faced by women, youth, members of racialized communities,

individuals with disabilities, aboriginal individuals, immigrants and refugees

and injured workers.

Same

(4) The

Commission’s appointees must include the following:

1. At

least two individuals with specific expertise in the economic and financial

challenges faced by individuals living with disabilities.

2. At

least one individual with specific expertise in the economic and financial

challenges faced by aboriginal individuals in Ontario.

3. At

least one individual who is receiving basic financial assistance under the Ontario Works Act, 1997 at the time of their appointment

or who received basic financial assistance under the Ontario

Works Act, 1997 within the 10 years prior to their appointment.

4. At

least one individual who is receiving income support under the Ontario Disability Support Program Act, 1997 at the time

of their appointment or who received income support under the Ontario Disability Support Program Act, 1997 within the

10 years prior to their appointment.

Chair

(5) The

Minister shall appoint the Commission’s chair from among its members.

Rules

(6) Subject

to any restrictions in the regulations, the Commission may make rules governing

the conduct and administration of the Commission’s affairs.

Mandate

(7) The

Commission shall,

(

a) define

regions of Ontario on the basis of economic geography and the cost of living in

different parts of Ontario; and

(

b) annually,

for each region, recommend rates of provincial social assistance based on,

(

i) an

analysis of the cost in that region for the basic necessities, including,

(

A) a

nutritious food basket appropriate to the individual or family,

(

B) shelter,

basing the assessment of the cost of shelter on research into local housing

costs,

(

C) basic

transportation,

(

D) basic

telephone service,

(

E) Internet

access,

(

F) clothing,

(

G) personal

needs items, including personal hygiene products,

(

H) household

cleaning supplies,

(

I) items

and services relating to the educational and recreational needs of children,

and

(

J) any

other expenses that the Commission considers basic necessities,

(ii) an

analysis of additional expenses that may be incurred by individuals living with

disabilities in order for them to participate fully in society, including but

not limited to expenses related to education, transportation, over-the-counter

medical goods, entertainment, clothing, making necessary modifications to a

rental unit in order to accommodate a disability or renting a unit that is modified

to accommodate a disability,

(iii) an

analysis of additional expenses that may be incurred by recipients of benefits

under the Ontario Works Act, 1997 who face

long-term barriers to employment, and

(iv) other

statutory benefits for which recipients of provincial social assistance are

eligible.

Same

(8) The

Commission may recommend additional periodic benefits for recipients mentioned

in subclause (7) (b) (iii), including recommending additional monthly benefits.

Same

(9) The

Commission shall, from time to time or as directed by the Minister, but no less

frequently than every five years, recommend policy with respect to,

(

a) how

provincial social assistance interacts with precarious employment in Ontario

communities;

(

b) how

to treat child support payments received by those who are also receiving

provincial social assistance, with the objective of ensuring the best interests

of the children affected; and

(

c) the

interaction of provincial social assistance with benefits under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 , with the

objective of ensuring that recipients of provincial social assistance who have

suffered a workplace injury receive appropriate benefits under the appropriate

program.

Same

(10) The

Commission shall report on or provide information about adequate standards of

living as directed by the Minister.

Annual

report

(11) The

Commission shall give its recommendations under subsections (7) and (8) to the

Minister in an annual report.

Additional

reports

(12) The

Commission shall give its recommendations, reports or information under

subsections (9) and (10) to the Minister either in the annual report or in

additional reports.

Publication

(13) The

Minister shall make the annual report and any additional report available to

the public no later than 30 days after receiving it.

Response

(14) The

Minister shall prepare a written response to the recommendations in the annual

report and shall make the written response available to the public within 60

days after receiving the annual report.

Section 17 of the Act is amended by adding the following clause:

(

d) governing

the Social Assistance Research Commission, including the appointment of

members, their terms of office, their remuneration, the selection of

vice-chairs, the filling of vacancies and the retention of experts.

Commencement

This Act comes into force six months after the day it receives Royal Assent.

Short

title

The

short title of this Act is the Ministry of Community

and Social Services Amendment Act (Social Assistance Research Commission), 2022 .

Date Bill stage Event Outcome Committee

March 24, 2022

Second Reading

Ordered referred to Standing Committee

Standing Committee on Social Policy

March 24, 2022

Second Reading

Vote

Carried on division

March 23, 2022

Second Reading

Deferred vote

March 23, 2022

Second Reading

Debated

March 2, 2022

First Reading

Vote

Carried

Debates and Progress

First Reading

March 2, 2022

Committee

Second Reading

March 23, 2022

Mr. Paul Miller, Mrs. Robin Martin, Ms. Effie J. Triantafilopoulos, Mr. Joel Harden, Mr. John Vanthof

Vote deferred.

March 24, 2022

Carried on division. Referred to the Standing Committee on Social Policy.

Committee

Standing Committee on Social Policy

Third Reading

Royal Assent

Acts affected - Bill 92

Most Ontario public acts are available electronically; to view copies of the Acts to be amended by this bill visit e-laws

Ministry of Community and Social Services Act

Legislative Assembly of Ontario

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