THUNDER BAY - Poverty Free Thunder Bay had some carols to sing to political leaders in the city, but the message in these songs called for ways to keep people above the poverty line and earning liveable incomes.
As part of the United Nations Human Rights Day, Poverty Free Thunder Bay held rallies outside the office of MPP Judith Monteith-Farrell, Thunder Bay City Hall, and the offices of the Thunder Bay District Social Services Administration Board.
“We called this rally to draw attention to the fact that liveable incomes are part of human rights,” said Sarah Williamson, who is a member of Poverty Free Thunder Bay.
Income can include social assistance, pensions, WSIB benefits, and wages and Williamson said more and more people are facing situations where these no longer constitute a liveable income.
“The worst of it is that people on Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Program, their assistance money has been frozen at the same level for three years and they are way below the poverty line as it is,” she said.
Williamson added that individuals on these programs can make a little over $700 a month. Citing a recent Thunder Bay District Health Unit report that revealed the cost of healthy eating in the district is approximately $256 a month, little is left over for other expenses.
“After you pay that and you only have $733, you still have to pay the rent, pay for transit, you have to pay for clothing, non-prescription medications, utilities, laundry,” Williamson said. “There’s a lot of other necessities that need to be covered and there just isn’t enough to go around.”
The cost of living has also been increasing across the country and the cost of food is expected to go up even more in 2022, which is resulting in many people seeking help through services like food banks.
The high cost of childcare is also forcing people to make a choice between working and caring for a child.
“It’s keeping people out of the workforce and small businesses are saying we can’t get labour,” Williamson said. “If child care isn’t affordable, then people can’t afford to come into work. It’s just stunting people’s careers as they move forward and it just doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t make good economic sense from any angle.”
Williamson added there are many people and organizations in the city who step up to help those in needs, but it’s just a band-aid solution.
“If you can’t have the basic incomes coming in, the things that are lost on the side, that’s one thing, but when you don’t have what you absolutely need, it’s just not right,” she said. “You cannot live with dignity.”
Groups like Poverty Free Thunder Bay are calling on all levels of government to do more to help those living below or near the poverty line by increasing the social assistance rate, fixing the WSIB system, assisting part-time workers and students, and having the wealthy pay a fair share in taxes.
“The more that the public is aware of this and asking the Ontario government and why that is not happening and asking our city council and councillors who are on the District Social Services Administration Board to pass that message on up the line,” Williamson said.
