Thank you, Etan.
As you know, 2009 has not been kind to many Canadian families. Plant closures, factory layoffs, and fluctuating markets have removed much of the economic security that Canadian families deserve, and our members are seeing the results first-hand on a daily basis. Compounding the problem, federal supports such as employment insurance have failed to provide a sufficient safety net for the victims of Canada’s economic restructuring. We believe that the federal government must step in and reinforce that safety net with direct and immediate improvements to our nation’s employment insurance program. By improving EI through changes to eligibility requirements, the federal government can lift those Canadian families who are in danger of slipping into poverty because of unemployment. Such EI improvements will help keep these families on a more secure financial footing and will accelerate our country's economic turnaround.
If EI improvements offer the most immediate benefits, our recommendation to expand investments in affordable housing and homelessness prevention focuses on mid-term outcomes. OMSSA appreciates the current government’s investment to make affordable housing available to more Canadians. The infusion of funds into social housing and other housing programs has been welcomed by our communities across this country. And I can assure you, we're making the very best use of those dollars. But it is not enough, and the planned withdrawal of federal funds, starting in 2011, is a huge cause for concern.
Furthermore, affordable housing is more than bricks and mortar. Being able to afford a place to live is not as meaningful when a person has no access to sustainable employment, child care, good schools, recreational opportunities, and mental health and other services. Therefore, OMSSA recommends that the government expand its housing investment to allow for the development of human infrastructure, not just houses themselves but the human and social services that turn a house into a home and a neighbourhood into a community. For example, sustainable programs for mental health or addiction counselling can make a difference in preventing homelessness and can help the government’s bottom line.
But the benefits don't stop there. In Toronto, for example, the Streets to Homes program reduced demand for public services by moving homeless people into more permanent shelter. Emergency room use declined by 40% and police-facilitated detox admissions fell by 75%.
Finally, our third recommendation brings with it the greatest long-term rewards: investing in the children of Canada. OMSSA agrees with the federal government's position that parents are in the best position to decide on and make choices for the care of their children. If parents can choose safe nurturing environments for their young children to play and learn, then our families, our communities, and our society will become stronger. Yet in 2010, Ontario’s children and families will have their choices limited because of the withdrawal of federal support for the early learning and child care system. Almost 9,000 child care spaces are at risk, at a cost of $63.5 million federal dollars, leaving Ontario’s parents with 9,000 fewer choices for their children’s healthy development.
OMSSA strongly recommends that the government recommit to our children’s future by investing in a true system of early learning and child care services. In this way, the federal government can take a leadership role in providing parents with real choices for quality early learning for their children. A recommitment to the children of Ontario makes good economic sense as well. Modern economic realities mean that most parents are in the workforce. Being able to choose a quality early learning system means they can confidently enter and remain in the workforce, knowing that their children are being cared for in a safe and stimulating environment.