Tax incentives recommended for improving accessibility in Canada

Government Relations submits paper to Federal Finance Committee. This document is available for download in PDF and Word formats.

March of Dimes responds to Manitoba’s “Opening Doors”

Read what March of Dimes offers in the way of feedback, comments and recommendations on the Discussion Paper entitled “Opening Doors: Manitoba’s Commitment to Persons with Disabilities” issued by the Manitoba Disabilities Issues Office 2009. Download available in Word and PDF formats.

Ontario Government announces public review of the proposed Built Environment Standard of the AODA.

Anyone can comment.  Click here to access the relevant documents and to learn how to provide your feedback.

March of Dimes and the AODA Employment Standard: Recommendations to the Minister

The Response to the Initial Proposed Employment Accessibility Standard is now available.

This document may be downloaded in PDF and Text formats.

Employment Standard Now Available for Review

The Initial Proposed Employment Accessibility Standard is now available for public review and input.  The Standard was issued earlier today by Hon. Madeleine Meiller, Minister of Community and Social Services.  The Employment Standard is the fourth regulation developed under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, and was created by a committee comprised of business representatives and people with disabilities – including March of Dimes.

 

Everyone has an opportunity to participate in this important public policy initiative. The Ministry is receiving feedback on the proposed standard until April 15, 2009.  Visit the Ministry website at http://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/mcss/english/news/releases/090218.htm  to learn more about the Standard and to submit your comments online.

 

March of Dimes is currently in the process of preparing an official response to the Standard.  That response will be posted at this website once it becomes available.

Historic Election for People with Disabilities

 

On March 5th people with disabilities who live in the riding of Haliburton – Kawartha Lakes – Brock in central Ontario will have the first-ever opportunity to cast their ballot independently using new voting technology. Electronic voting with the use of “voting tabulators” will be available at all advance polling stations on multiple dates prior to the by-election date. While it would take new legislation to be able to introduce electronic voting in a regular election, this by-election will be an important testing ground to see if the voting tabulator machine makes a significant difference for people with disabilities. As well, all electors who choose to vote at advance polls will be using the new equipment.

Here are the names of the candidates running in Haliburton – Kawartha Lakes – Brock:

John Tory, Conservative

Rick Johnson, Liberal

Lyn Edwards, NDP

Mike Schreiner, Green

Bill Denby, Freedom

Jason Taylor, Independent

Read below for all the details and for a look at the electronic voting machine and its hand-held voting device. 

Government Relations & Advocacy Report 2009

We see many inspiring moments and notes of achievement as we reflect on 2008: the official launch of the first-ever RDSP; awareness-raising events for the 60th anniversary of the UN Convention on Human Rights; the launch of Moore on the Issues, March of Dimes’ newest advocacy project, including its very own Facebook group; the passage of the first legal Standard of the AODA, and the swift introduction of three others; representation on more than a dozen government committees; a new provincial policy for allowing people with disabilities to acquire simpler, fairer and more effective government-issued photo identification; a major presentation to the Ontario Minister of Finance to broaden services in HVMP, caregiving and supportive housing; a hands-on political outreach initiative connecting directly with provincial and federal representatives’ constituency offices in the GTA and beyond, promoting partnership with March of Dimes in delivering vital services to people with disabilities; three studies on the legal framework that affects our corporate structure; a major sector-wide effort to recommend improvements to federal guidelines that govern charitable fundraising; and the commencement of a new international initiative to build a framework for emergency preparedness for people with disabilities, to name a few.

March of Dimes’ zone of influence on provincial and national public policy is broad and growing, which is due to the strength and effectiveness of our programs and our mission – a point that was recently acknowledged by the Office of the Prime Minister: “March of Dimes Canada’s long-time commitment to promoting quality programs and services for Canadians with physical disabilities is truly commendable. The Government of Canada looks forward to receiving your input and counsel over the coming months as we work to develop initiatives that respond better to the needs of people with disabilities across our country.”

In many ways, we are seeing a tremendous opening of opportunity and a galvanizing of interest among government decision makers around issues that affect Canadians with disabilities. Despite some rather bleak forecasts for the economy over the next several months, it’s these inspiring moments and notes of achievement that encourage us to treat 2009 as one of our most concerted efforts to effect positive change for Canadians with disabilities, their colleagues, friends and family.

While we will continue expanding on existing programs and initiatives, appearing before government committees and parliamentary inquiries, here are a few of the following areas that we will be giving special attention to during 2009.

We’ll be expanding the national campaign for caregiving, home modifications, disability legislation and supportive housing, a campaign that we have been referring to as the National Ability Plan. Canada is among the very few countries without such a national framework, and we’re going to work to ensure that this changes.

Unique in Canada, we’ll be working to ensure government participation and funding for a new Emergency Preparedness initiative for people with disabilities. This expands on a recently established relationship with the most prominent agency of its kind in the United States, the Center for Disability and Special Needs Preparedness in Washington, D.C.

Accompanying these efforts will be our ongoing focus to expand and enhance our national relationships in every major region of Canada by building our network of supporters and professional associations in every provincial capital.

Of course, the unfolding of Ontario’s landmark legislation, the AODA, will continue keeping us busy both with policy makers at Queen’s Park and with private and public partners in the sectors affected.

As concerns over the economy increase, and uncertainty surrounds the worlds of commerce, finance and the overall economy, we want to assure you that we will be working harder than ever, and employing the most innovative and effective networking technologies available to us, in the areas that matter most to March of Dimes and the consumers we serve as we continue creating a society inclusive of people with disabilities.

Private member, Bill Murdoch, Bruce – Grey – Owen Sound, introduced Bill 109, Taxation Amendment Act (Equipment Purchased for Persons with Disabilities) 2008. Significant support was expressed by many organizations in our sector. March of Dimes Government Relations team and an associate were on hand to show our support.

Court ruling: Airlines must make room for disabled
By Jim Brown, The Canadian Press
November 20, 2008
(Excerpted from The Toronto Sun)

“Further news about free airline seats for attendants for people with disabilities, first reported in The Advocate: Issue One – Summer 2008.”

Government Relations Update
Fiscal and Services Delivery in Ontario
October 31, 2008

The Provincial-Municipal Fiscal and Service Delivery Review, in which Ontario March of Dimes participated during the stakeholder consultations in the summer of 2007, completed its mandate today. Nearly three years of consultation, stakeholder meetings, and recommendations culminated today in an announcement of long-range provincial-municipal program financing and service delivery.

Today’s announcement commenced with a background briefing, followed by a press conference (attended by Finance Minister Duncan, Municipal Affairs & Housing Minister Watson, Toronto Mayor Miller, and Mississauga Mayor, to name a few) and a Q&A.

Overall, by 2018, municipalities will see a $1.5 billion per year net benefit from this agreement.

In 2007, during the early stages of the Review, the government announced the upload of the Ontario Disability Support Payments program and the Ontario Drug Benefits program, to be completed by 2011.

The municipal costs for Ontario Drug Benefits were uploaded effective January 1, 2008, as was further outlined in the 2008 Ontario Budget.

Starting in 2009, the Province will begin the upload of municipal costs for the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP). The ODSP portion of the upload will be completed by 2011.

Today’s announcement provides the further upload of Ontario Works benefits and court security costs. Starting in 2010, the Province will upload the municipal costs of Ontario Works benefits (income and employment assistance) over 9 years. Starting in 2012, the Province will upload the costs of court security (including offender transportation) over seven years, by providing funding to municipalities to a maximum of $125 million annually.

Other notable features of today’s agreement…

• The Province and municipalities will work towards consolidating the many existing housing and homelessness programs into an Outcome-focused housing service managed at the municipal level.
• Provincial pressure on the federal government will accelerate on the topic of existing federal commitments for affordable housing, poverty reduction and adequate Employment Insurance for vulnerable people
• The Province will immediately begin developing an accountability framework for social services that focuses on results.
• Work will begin to simplify and modernize the delivery of income assistance and employment-related supports.

A particularly noteworthy component found in today’s briefing looks to notion of accountability and program effectiveness, a topic Ontario March of Dimes’ representatives having been urging Ontario government representatives to more carefully consider. As the release states, “several accountability mechanisms are used for cost-share programs. These are linked mainly to “units of service” rather than outcomes for the people being served. The municipal and provincial governments will joint develop an accountability framework for social services that focuses strongly on the results that programs achieve.”

In other words, today’s announcement recognizes the need that we require new paradigms in service delivery, similar to what Ontario March of Dimes has been recommending, and not just changes to levels of funding.

Read the full Provincial-Municipal Fiscal and Service Delivery Review.

National Ability Plan Update
Canadian Caregiver Strategy:
October 24, 2008

Statistics Canada confirms that Canada needs a national caregiving strategy.

Family caregivers in Canada contribute over $5 billion of unpaid care. 23% of Canadians report caring for a family member or close friend with a serious health problem in the last 12 months.

The absence of public policy that responds to the needs of family caregivers is a serious omission in Canada's social framework and requires urgent attention. The Report is a strong message for our legislators: providing care for the frail elderly is a growing and demanding responsibility.

Full report:
Component of Statistics Canada
Catalogue no. 11-008-X
Canadian Social Trends
Article "Eldercare: What we know today" October 21, 2008