Support Fairness for Temp Agency Workers

1. Public Holiday Pay - It's the LAW

Temp agency workers now have the right to be paid for the 9 public holidays in Ontario as of January 2, 2009. Family Day was on February 16, 2009.

• Make sure the agency you work for pays you for this holiday! Call Workers' Action Centre for more information. Report agencies that don't pay to our website.
• Check out our poster and fact sheet on public holiday pay! Help us spread the word!

You, Me and We: Making a Difference with Compassionate Communication 
An Introduction led by Henry Wai

Young or old, timid or bold – clarify needs and choices, resolve conflicts and solve problems with a simple, proven, hands-on, transformative process all ages can use. Please note that while this process works for any age, the format of this introduction suits people age 14 and older.

KCC Scholarship Program is at it again. We have an exciting session coming up. We have a panel of professionals that will be giving presentations on their careers. This is a free event.

Ever wonder why people choose the careers they choose? Why sports or law or education or media or accounting? Well, you can find out at this session!

CSPC-T Monthly Research and Policy Forum

Please join us for our February forum with:

• Janet Mosher, Professor, York University
• Ruth Koleszar-Green, Aboriginal Academic Support Advisor, Ryerson Aboriginal Student Services 

Wednesday's meeting to review and mobilize around the 2009 City of Toronto operating budget, hosted by the Community Social Planning Council of Toronto, highlighted some of the key messages coming from the budget, and identified main themes that the community sector could employ in responding to the message.

A Blueprint for Economic Stimulus and Poverty Reduction in Ontario – the result of consultations in 30 Ontario communities – lays out a plan that could reduce the number of poor Ontarians by 197,420 (15 per cent) and reduce the number of poor children in Ontario by 62,000 (19 per cent) within the next three years.

Read more

The Council has put together a quick snapshot of the proposed City of Toronto operating budget in terms of areas which are most likely to impact the community services sector.

You can download it here in PDF format for printing: City of Toronto Operating Budget Highlights

City of Toronto Operating Budget Highlights

The following are the City's recommended budget figures for a select few city programs and services for 2009. The overall net operating budget this year is $3.397 billion- a 2.5% increase from 2008.

Chronic and severe health conditions hit poor Ontarians at rates that are far higher than those of average Ontarians, according to new research released today. Diabetes, heart disease, chronic bronchitis and mood disorders are found at rates as much as 4.5 times higher among social assistance recipients than the non-poor, according to the study by the Community Social Planning Council of Toronto, the University of Toronto's Social Assistance in the New Economy Project, and the Wellesley Institute.

The Recession Relief Fund Coalition will be meeting next Tuesday (Feb 3) at 5pm in Toronto to discuss next steps.

Meeting location: Research Capital, 199 Bay Street, Suite 4500, Commerce Court West, Toronto.

All are welcome.

For those unable to attend, feel free to email them your ideas, concerns, and comments and they will do their best to include them at the meeting. Alternatively, you can use the discussion board on the Recession Relief Fund Coalition Facebook group (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=54616996258) to post and discuss ideas.

On January 14th, the Community Social Planning Council of Toronto hosted its regular Research and Policy Forum.  January's forum focused on housing issues with an excellent line-up of speakers - Yutaka Dirks (Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario; ACTO), Elinor Mahoney (Parkdale Community Legal Services) and Michael Shapcott (Wellesley Institute).  Despite being a frigid day, the forum brought together a full room of activists, students, social service workers, researchers and community members for engaging presentations on emerging affordable housing and tenant issues.