Ontario’s economically vulnerable ‘worse off’ after pandemic: McMaster report

A new report from McMaster University supports that those who were most economically vulnerable in Ontario prior to the COVID-19 pandemic are “worse off” than before.

The report by McMaster Political Science and Labour Studies researchers and the Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction looked at the experiences of Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) recipients from March to October of 2020 and then followed up once more in the summer and fall of 2022.

Those who received $1,169 per month when the study began and $1,228 by the time of follow-up interviews emerged from the pandemic farther behind in the areas of financial hardships, food and housing insecurity and declining physical and mental health.

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With many falling $800 below the low-income threshold, the study supported that the economic effects left participants without savings and disconnected from their communities.

“Our findings show the critical need for immediate reforms at both the provincial and federal levels, to support the most vulnerable members of our society,” says lead author Peter Graefe.

Researchers say that while some pandemic challenges have eased, others have been overshadowed by inflation, particularly in food prices, which has led social-assistance recipients worse-off as they strain to afford basic necessities.

The study points to the ineligibility of most recipients for emergency income measures such as the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), as an additional loss of “crucial financial support” during this time period.

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Housing insecurity continues to be a significant concern among ODSP recipients as housing costs continue to rise and affordable housing becomes increasingly difficult to find.

Researchers say there was a “profound psychological impact of the federal government’s decision not to extend the $2,000 monthly CERB benefit to social assistance recipients.”

The report details severe; policy recommendations at both the provincial and federal levels, including increasing social-assistance benefits to align with the Low-Income Measure, implementing legislation to protect tenant rights and developing a robust Canadian Disability benefit, among others.

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