Reducing Poverty in Ontario

New comprehensive plan will help get more people get back to work and participating in Ontario’s economic recovery from COVID-19

Today, our PC government released its new Poverty Reduction Strategy, which will help more people get back to work and participate in the province’s economic recovery from COVID-19. The five-year strategy will help support Ontario’s economic recovery by connecting people experiencing poverty with training, health, and other supports. This will set them on a pathway to jobs and financial resiliency, while helping people keep more of their hard-earned money.

The strategy focuses will focus on:

  • Encouraging job creation and connecting people to employment
  • Connecting people with the right supports and services
  • Making life more affordable and building financial resiliency
  • Accelerating action and driving progress

In the short term, it is about connecting people to opportunities and making life more affordable, and in the long-term, the aim is to empower people so economic downturns are less likely to lead to poverty. The strategy recognizes the different experiences of poverty and disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on certain populations, including youth, women, Black and racialized communities, and Indigenous people.

Though COVID-19 has presented many new social and economic challenges, our government is committed to mitigating the damage caused by the outbreak. Our new poverty reduction strategy will play a key part in Ontario’s economic recovery and long-term economic growth.