Ontario’s next provincial election is fast approaching on February 27. As the election candidates develop their platforms, they must keep health equity – fairness – at the forefront.
Currently, low-income groups, racialized communities, newcomers and people with disabilities living in Ontario have significantly worse health. Party leaders should articulate how they will take action to make the province a place that takes health and wellness seriously and ensures a better future for all residents.
There are many social issues that cause poorer health and that can be changed through wise government action. Below, we discuss four areas where policy improvement is possible and urgently needed. (Keep an eye on this space in the coming weeks for more about what Wellesley Institute expects from candidates in other important areas including housing and the health system.)
Poverty, as well as income insecurity, are major barriers to health and well-being. Rising costs of living, including for resources for critical for health such as rent, healthy food and transportation are affecting the ability of more and more Ontarians to meet their day-to-day expenses. This particularly impacts low-income groups, who are being forced to make difficult financial decisions to survive, such as choosing between paying rent or buying nutritious food.
Wellesley Institute’s thriving framework outlines the resources needed to meet physical, social and psychological health needs now and in the future. It includes having resources to meet health needs related to food and nutrition, physical activity, personal care and shelter. Our thriving for families framework further considers resources such as quality child care, which is an essential service that many families rely on so they can work or attend school.
To ensure the well-being of Ontarians, candidates should also go beyond the basics and commit to policies that will lead to Ontario residents having the resources they need to thrive and live a healthy life.
To start, our current social assistance programs, namely the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) and Ontario Works (OW), are inadequate in providing sufficient income for recipients to afford even the basic necessities. Current rates, which are approximately $1,308 a month for ODSP recipients and $733 a month for OW recipients, leave most people far below the poverty line. In the past four years, the current government has done little to address this, only increasing ODSP rates to inflation and changing rules to allow recipients to earn up to $1,000 per month without any impacts on their eligibility. Rates for OW have been frozen since 2018.
Leaders should increase OW and ODSP immediately.
They should also commit to raising rates for both ODSP and OW to a level that meets the needs of recipients. The next Premier should lead a consultation process that aims to evaluate the existing programs and determine an adequate rate for both ODSP and OW that ensures those who need it can lead healthy lives. This should also include updating eligibility criteria and eliminating “clawbacks” – program rules that reduce the low income rates provided due to outside income.
Action on other social factors that impact health determinants of health is also critical for thriving.
Food insecurity is a huge issue for many Ontario residents. The University of Toronto’s PROOF lab estimates that 24.5 per cent of Ontarians and 30.7 per cent of Ontario children under the age of 18 lived in food insecure households in 2023. We have not seen significant new steps in recent years in Ontario to improve access to healthy food for those who need it, forcing many to rely on food banks and other community programs. Political leaders should commit to working with other levels of government to tackle and end food insecurity. In the short-term, they should commit to providing targeted funding for community food programs and increasing access to school meal programs.
The next provincial government can also make a difference in access to public transportation, including addressing access and affordability. This should include increases in their financial support to municipalities, funding the improvement and expansion of regional public transit and supporting operational funding to decrease fare costs.
Finally, access to child care is a fundamental aspect to thriving for families with children. The federal government’s national program has decreased parent fees for many households with access to a participating child-care centre. However, too many families have not been able to benefit from the program due to a lack of child-care spaces and failures to put in place recruitment and retention strategies for the child-care workforce. Ontario, in particular, has fallen behind other provinces. The candidates should commit to taking action to make the child-care program in Ontario more equitable, including through implementing a comprehensive workforce strategy, rapidly increasing the number of spaces, and further reducing costs with an emphasis on ensuring affordability for lower income families who need it.
These are just a few areas that will help move Ontarians towards thriving. While much more needs to be done to achieve health equity for all, candidates should ensure their platforms prioritize improving health and well-being by enabling Ontarians to access the resources they need to thrive – to live healthy, engaged lives.