Toronto - A City Fit for Children
One School Age Child at a Time

Middle Childhood Matters Coalition Toronto is hosting a one day interactive forum with leading Canadian researchers and dynamic speakers in the field of middle childhood.

When: Wednesday, May 12th, 2010
Where: Metro Central YMCA, 20 Grosvenor St.
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Cost: $50.00 per person before March 19th, $65.00 thereafter

Read the responding Letter to the Editor from Jonah Schein.

Drought in giving scorches non-profit sector

By Carol Goar for Toronto Star

It was a stirring call to arms. "Give the leaders of business and politics hell because that's where we're all going to end up," John Andras, co-founder of the Recession Relief Coalition, told a roomful of community activists. "We must remind them that they have a responsibility not just to the privileged few, but to all of us."

This map from Statistics Canada demonstrates the percentage change in the number of EI recipients in Ontario between August 08 and August 09.

The City of Toronto's official data set catalogue (beta version) has opened. Access City data, get information about City data and the City's OpenTO initiative and give them feedback.

We're "All" in this Together is a quarterly newsletter from the Recession Relief Coalition designed to keep you informed about the real story of this recession.

New laws governing the treatment of Temporary Workers came into effect November 6th. These include rights to public holidays, not being charged for services, access to full employment and more. Read the Worker's Action Centre fact sheet for details. [PDF]

The City of Toronto's proposed 2010 capital budget and 10-year plan were presented at the City's Budget Committee on Tuesday, November 3.  Find more details on how you can make a submission, read the analyst's notes and more on the city website.

Standing Committee on Public Accounts and Standing Committee on Social Policy
Committee Clerk, Room 1405
Whitney Block/Bureau 1405, Queen’s Park
Toronto ON, M7A 1A2
Fax: (416) 325-3505

Attention: Mr. Katch Koch
Clerk to the Standing Committee

Social Planning Toronto hosted a lively discussion back in September on the issue of public use of schools, community hubs and school board processes in school closure situations. The audience included not only students and community members, but also a number of senior politicians and school trustees. Below you can find the proceedings notes compiled by Navjeet Sidhu as well as links to the presentation materials of the speakers.

Social Planning Toronto Research and Policy Forum

The People's Recession - One Year Later

Please join us for our November forum with:

• Armine Yalnizyan, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
  Recession and Realcovery: What’s Community Service Got to Do with It?
• Beth Wilson, Social Planning Toronto and the Social Planning Network of Ontario
  SPNO’s Hard Hit: Impact of the Economic Downturn on Nonprofit Community Social Services in Ontario
• Ann FitzpatrickRecession Relief Coalition
  Taking action on the people’s recession

• Date: Wednesday, November 11, 2009
• Time: 9:30 a.m. - Noon
• Location: Lillian H. Smith Library, 239 College Street (just east of Spadina) Room BC

All are welcome but space is limited.

The Social Planning Toronto Research and Policy Forum is held monthly to present new research and discuss emerging policy issues.