Income Security Advocacy Centre - ISAC

07/31/2026

It's the last day of the month. If OW rates had increased based on this year's inflation rate of 1.9%, single people on OW would have $14 more to put toward tomorrow's rent. Instead they are stuck with out-of-date rates that have been eroded by inflation, while rent and other costs go up. Send a letter to your MPP now, calling on them to fix this!

1500 – 55 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5J 2H7 Tel: (416) 597-5820 • Toll Free: 1-866-245-4072 • Fax: (416) 597-5821

07/30/2026

Robin Nobleman, ISAC Staff Lawyer, is quoted in a new Ricochet article on EI reform and income security: “EI “hasn’t kept pace with employment markets,” Nobleman said. “They just keep applying bandages, but the EI system really needs major surgery.”” Read the whole article here:

Working Canadians squeezed by high rents, unstable employment, and inadequate public supports are increasingly turning to food banks. The growing crisis is fuelling calls for permanent EI reform

07/24/2026

Do you care about fixing OW rates and rules? Do you live in one of the following ridings? Your MPP needs to hear from you!

Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill
Brampton East
Brampton North
Brampton South
Brampton West
Carleton
Don Valley East
Etobicoke North
Hastings—Lennox and Addington
Markham—Unionville
Mississauga—Lakeshore
Mississauga—Malton
Mississauga—Streetsville
Mushkegowuk—James Bay
Newmarket—Aurora
Ottawa West—Nepean
Scarborough Centre
Scarborough North
University—Rosedale
Wellington—Halton Hills

Visit our website and use our letter-writing tool to send your MPP a message! https://incomesecurity.org/campaigns/social-assistance-rates-are-stuck-in-time-tell-the-ontario-government-to-fix-ontario-works/

07/22/2026

Midsummer reflections (pt 2): This month, we have focused on info-sharing and producing resources on the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) and the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB), from encouraging individuals to apply for the DTC as soon as possible in order to be eligible to receive retroactive CDB benefits; to sharing information on recent changes to DTC eligibility, application processes, and more (special thanks to Saloni Sohal!); to releasing our NEW CDB Rates Sheet, which shows annual inflation-related changes to CDB rates and limits. The link below leads to all of the CDB-related content in the Updates section of our website. We encourage you to click around and check out all the new posts about our work. We're not done though - we will have new resources out related to CERB overpayments and more soon. Keep checking our website and connect with us on social media and in person at local clinic meetings and events! https://incomesecurity.org/category/canada-disability-benefit-cdb/

07/22/2026

Midsummer reflections (pt 1): It's been a busy one! In June we hosted a well-attended community launch and panel for our recent research paper, In Their Own Words, and since then we have been meeting with MPPs to discuss two major recommendations that came out of the paper: Indexing OW to inflation, and increasing the earnings exemption to allow working recipients to keep more of their social assistance as they get back to stability. We also launched our Social Assistance is Stuck in Time campaign, urging members of the public to write to their MPPs about ongoing problems with OW rules: https://incomesecurity.org/campaigns/social-assistance-rates-are-stuck-in-time-tell-the-ontario-government-to-fix-ontario-works/

07/22/2026

NEW RESOURCE: We've created a new CDB Rates Sheet to help community legal clinics, clients, and the public understand the annual changes in max. CDB amounts or limits. These inflation-related changes preserve access to the Benefit, but may be confusing. This is a general reference document and it may not account for your individual situation. If you are having trouble understanding the info in this document, bring it to a trusted source, or your local community legal clinic. https://incomesecurity.org/new-resource-canada-disability-benefit-rates-sheet/

07/21/2026

New post about the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) is up on our website! We review what's new, what's changed, and where to go for help if you are considering applying for the DTC. Special thanks to Saloni, one of ISAC's summer students, for writing the post.

The federal government has proposed changes to the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) that will make it easier for people with disabilities to access this important tax support. DTC is a non-refundable tax credit that helps offset some of the extra costs associated with living with a disability. For 2026,....

07/20/2026

Social assistance rates are stuck in the past! Help us remind our elected reps that a 0% increase to vital income supports acts like a cut since inflation has been high & food prices have increased. Send a letter using this easy tool on our website: https://incomesecurity.org/campaigns/social-assistance-rates-are-stuck-in-time-tell-the-ontario-government-to-fix-ontario-works/

07/15/2026

NEW TRANSLATION: We have translated two resources: one for those turning 65 and leaving social assistance, one for those who are supporting people who are turning 65 and leaving social assistance. You can find the translated docs in the Publications section of our website, and the original post from March has been updated with the links to the French docs. Though our website is in English, you can "toggle" it to French using the Google widget in the top right corner. Check out the newly translated resources here:

There are many reasons why someone may stop receiving social assistance. For example, a senior may turn 65 and begin receiving seniors benefits that are greater than their Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) income. A mother might return to part-time work once her children are in school, and n...

07/13/2026

The premier finally said something about OW, but he missed the mark. OW is broken for a lot of reasons that he's ignoring: inflation has eroded purchasing power, making $733 worth less today than it was 7+ yrs ago when rates were last raised. Costs have gone up, OW rates haven't. Equally importantly, when people on OW start to work, they're penalized by a steep income clawback which keeps them trapped on OW. These factors are also part of why foodbank use by people who have jobs is up. Send a letter to the premier letting him know where to focus his efforts to fix OW:

1500 – 55 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5J 2H7 Tel: (416) 597-5820 • Toll Free: 1-866-245-4072 • Fax: (416) 597-5821