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RESIDENTS RALLY IN SOLIDARITY FOR INCREASED ODSP RATES

MELISSA NOVACASKA mnovacaska@ metroland.com

The provincial election is well underway, and Ontarians are voicing their needs and demands for a better future.

Something advocates want changed, which has made recent headlines, is an increase to the payout rates of the Ontario Disability Service Program (ODSP).

According to the ODSP, the current general rate for a single qualified person is up to $1,169 per month for "basic needs" and a "shelter allowance."

Reports indicated ODSP rates have remained the same since 2018 — with Premier Doug Ford in office.

While the Ontario Liberal party — under Kathleen Wynne at the time — pledged to raise rates by three per cent over a given period of time, Ford raised them by 1.5 per cent when he took office, with no change since.

On April 28, Ford and the Ontario Progressive Conservatives tabled the pre-election budget, with no word on ODSP.

However, in a May 9 statement, Ford said if his party was re-elected, it would "invest $425 million to increase ODSP rates by five per cent, with ongoing funding for annual increases."

The Liberal party had already announced it would raise ODSP rates by 20 per cent over two years — half in 2022, and half in 2023.

The NDP said it would increase rates immediately by 20 per cent, while the Green Party announced it would double rates.

On the same day the preelection budget was tabled, members from the ODSP Action Coalition, Ontario Disability Coalition and Disability

Justice Network of Ontario rallied at Queen's Park with demands for a "better tomorrow."

Members of the ODSP Action Coalition had a number of demands in a statement, from earlier this year. The No. 1 ask was to raise the monthly rates to $2,000, while making sure they "tie" with inflation.

While not everyone could join at Queen's Park, a group of Smiths Falls residents held a rally at the town's ODSP office on Cornelia Street.

Kelley Denham is an ODSP spouse, and an organizer of the local rally.

According to Denham, the group was rallying, with a "simple message" — to "raise the rates."

Denham acknowledged with inflation and rising costs, plus no ODSP increase, it's harder to get by.

Denham said while she's worked on and off, the amount her family receives from benefits hasn't help enough as the years have gone by.

"I can only speak for my case specifics," Denham said. "The math doesn't work. When rates were inadequate in 2018, there was already nothing on the grocery list that was non-essential."

Denham made it clear, ODSP rates should be realistic.

Jessa Perry, a first responder with post-traumatic stress disorder, came to the local rally as an ally — along with her service dog, Stella.

While Perry doesn't receive ODSP, she knows "plenty" of people who do, and said while it may not affect someone personally, it does affect the greater community.

"I want to vocalize this (and) to try to catch people's attention," Perry said. "People with disabilities, these folks, need advocacy."

Patricia Tetley has been an ODSP recipient for over 15 years and is unable to work due to health conditions.

While she's living on her own, Tetley said she "just barely has enough money to get by each month," with her ODSP not covering her entire rent.

"After paying rent, and other bills I do have, I'm left with very little to actually buy food," Tetley said. "ODSP's assistance (has been) stuck at a certain amount for way too long."

According to Tetley, while her general ODSP experience has been OK, and realizes everybody is struggling financially, she doesn't think "anything's going to happen," specifically with the Ford government in power.

For all parties running in the provincial election, Tetley has one thing to say.

"They need to get off their backsides and start helping out people, who are basically going to end up on the streets," she said. "If they don't do something soon."

STORY BEHIND THE STORY: With the Ontario election well underway, ODSP recipients rallied together and demanded for an increase in the financial rates received. Reporter Melissa Novacaska wanted to find out its impacts on local recipients.

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2022-05-19T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-05-19T07:00:00.0000000Z

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