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If You Are On Welfare In Toronto - Read This!

Submitted by ocap on Wed, 07/08/2009 - 19:13.

The City has closed all but 3 welfare offices that are open for "emergencies only" during the CUPE strike.

The offices that are open are:

  • Etobicoke North – 220 Attwell Dr – 416 392-6400
  • Downtown – 111 Wellesley St E – 416 392-5300
  • Scarborough West – 1225 Kennedy Rd – 416 392-2800

The City says that they are for emergencies only. To them, this means that cheques are frozen and people cannot get any new benefits, the basic things that people need.

Under the City's rules, if you move you cannot get community start-up, you cannot get your special diet forms or if they have been filled out, you won't get the money until the strike ends. If you worked last month but didn't work this month, you will not your full cheque, the money you are entitled to, even if you have no other income. The City says these aren't emergencies.

But we know that if you are on welfare it is always an emergency. The City has a legal and moral duty to give people their money. If the City refuses to provide a mechanism for people to get their money, we will have to work together to create a mechanism for people to get their money.

If you didn’t get any of your benefits, all of your money or your special diet forms, we cannot wait until the strike is over to get these things. These things could be the difference between paying your rent and becoming homeless, between eating and going hungry.
The City is blaming its poorest paid workers and people on welfare for its financial problems. It is trying to use the economic crisis to gain concessions against workers and justify reducing people on welfare’s benefits. We are not going to accept concessions, especially when bankers and rich people are getting bailouts from the government. We will keep fighting to get what we need.

We have to work together to get what we need. Call us immediately if you aren't getting something you are entitled to and we will work with you to get it!

OCAP: 416-925-6939

Note, if you are on ODSP, your cheque will be unaffected by the strike except your volunteer money could be affected. If you didn't get your volunteer money, call us. "