housing | Andrew Phillip Chernoff

GATINEAU, QC, April 5, 2015 /CNW Telbec/ – Today, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, made the following statement:

“Investments in social infrastructure will build stronger communities─ it’s about investing in people. The $3.4B investment in social infrastructure that was announced as part of Budget 2016 will be an integral part of our strategy to strengthen the middle class, promote inclusive growth for Canadians, and help lift more Canadians –including children and seniors– out of poverty. It offers immediate help to those who need it most and lays the groundwork for sustained, inclusive economic growth that will benefit Canada’s middle class and those working hard to join it.

Investments in affordable housing, early learning and child care as well as cultural and recreational infrastructure will improve the quality of life for Canadians and will strengthen communities, making them a better place to live and work, including Indigenous communities and the North.

The Government is taking action now, with immediate investments over the next two years to:

improve access to affordable housing for more than 100,000 low-income individuals and families, including seniors;
repair and modernize existing social and affordable housing, including energy and water efficiency retrofits;
repair and build housing units in First Nation communities and Inuits and in the North;
repair and build new shelters for women and children fleeing violence, including in First Nation communities;
enhance services to address homelessness;
repair and upgrade child care and health facilities on reserves;
support over 100 community cultural and recreational infrastructure projects; and
develop a National Early Learning and Child Care Framework over the coming year in collaboration with provinces, territories and Indigenous communities, with immediate supports to upgrade Indigenous child care resources; significant new investments will flow from the Framework as of 2017-18.

The Government of Canada is committed to working in partnership with provinces, territories, municipalities, Indigenous partners and stakeholders to improve current programs and to identify and prioritize longer-term social infrastructure needs.

These investments in social infrastructure will contribute to improving the lives of Canadians both socially and economically.”

The Honourable, Jean-Yves Duclos P.C., M.P.
Minister of Families, Children and Social Development

Associated Link

Growth for the Middle Class – Investing in Social Infrastructure

SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada

For further information: Minister Duclos, Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, media@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca, Follow us on Twitter; Media Relations , Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, 613-748-2734, jrotondo@cmhc-schl.gc.ca

Source: Statement by the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development – Minister Duclos on Social

Wednesday, 24 July 2013 http://www.canadianlabour.ca

OTTAWA ― The Canadian Labour Congress is pleased Ontario has pledged to continue to press for an expanded Canada Pension Plan at this week’s Council of the Federation meetings.

Ken Georgetti, the President of the Canadian Labour Congress says he was pleased to learn that Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynn is keeping CPP expansion on the agenda for the premiers to discuss. The leadership of provincial governments have been a key factor building majority support in favour of increasing the amount that Canadians save through the CPP to avoid a future retirement income crisis.

“While the federal government drags its feet, it falls on the provinces to lead the way to ensure that Canadians have enough for a decent retirement after a lifetime of work. The future cost of caring for those who don’t have a workplace pension to help them save for retirement – housing, health care, community and social services – will be our children’s to bear, if government fails to act now,” says Georgetti.

According to Georgetti, it’s time for the Premiers to make it crystal clear to the federal government that the formula required to expand the CPP already exists and it’s time to get on with the work to make it a reality.

“The time for excuses is over. We’ve got 40 years of experience with voluntary pooled pension schemes, whether you call them RRSPs or PRPPs. The bottom line is they don’t get the job done. They are an inadequate and expensive savings vehicle for the vast majority of Canadians, and the federal government knows it. They just need to stop listening to financial industry lobbyists and the selective arguments of some selfish business interests.” he said.

A recent Harvard University study echoed the Canadian government’s own findings earlier this year that showed improving taxpayer subsidies (deductions for PRPP or RRSP contributions and Tax Free Savings Accounts) only benefit people who are already actively saving for retirement, whereas automatic contributions (like CPP premiums) greatly increase the savings of passive savers – the large majority of people who need a retirement plan like the CPP.

Georgetti says “The choice for today’s political leaders is stark – you can help business save a little more today by dragging your feet on retirement income security or you can take steps to prevent a retirement income crisis that will result in a generation of impoverished seniors whose care will come at a very high social and economic cost to the Canadian public and business alike.”

The Canadian Labour Congress, the national voice of the labour movement, represents 3.3 million Canadian workers. The CLC brings together Canada’s national and international unions along with the provincial and territorial federations of labour and 130 district labour councils. Web site: www.canadianlabour.ca Follow us on Twitter @CanadianLabour

Andrew Phillip Chernoff

The Outer Limits To The Inner Depths

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