Federal Poverty Reduction Plan:
Working in Partnership Towards Reducing Poverty in Canada (PDF - 1.7MB, 316 pages)
November 17, 2010
Seventh Report of the House of Commons
Standing Committee on Human Resources,
Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities
Chair: Candice Hoeppner, MP
Source:
House of Commons Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and
Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities ("HUMA")

Related Canadian Social Research Links pages:

Anti-Poverty Strategies and Campaigns:
* Provincial and territorial
* National and international

If you're not sure how welfare works in Canada, I highly recommend the following resource:

Social Assistance in Canada: An Overview * (7 pages)
*This is the second chapter of:

Social Assistance Statistical Report: 2008
July 2011
Produced by the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Directors of Income Support
This report includes a description of, and statistics related to, the welfare system in each province and territory, information about federal-provincial-territorial jurisdictional and funding issues, a bit of historical info on the Canada Assistance Plan and the Canada Health and Social Transfer, etc.

Source:
[ Human Resources and Skills Development Canada ]

Department responsible for welfare
Advanced Education and Skills

Name of the welfare program
Income Support

Legislation
Income and Employment Support Act
- Income and Employment Support Regulations
Source:
Statutes and Regulations (House of Assembly)

Policy Manual
- Income Support (no welfare policy manual as such, but the home page of the Income Support Program offers links to more info about the Income Support (Social Assistance) program, including : * Program Overview * Monthly Rates * Applying for Income Support * Child Benefit * Health Related Services * Moving into the Workforce * more...

Welfare statistics
Income Support Cases and Recipients, 1992 to date (PDF - 13K, 1 page) [Source: Newfoundland and Labrador Statistics Agency]
Historical Statistics of Newfoundland and Labrador (PDF - 1.1MB, 13 pages) - October 1970 - incl. social assistance stats from 1951-1969 (under "Health and Welfare") (Source : NL Statistics Agency)
See also: 
Number of People on Welfare, March 1995 to March 2005 (PDF file - 133K, 1 page)
Source: National Council of Welfare

Welfare rates (benefits)
Monthly rates (from Program Overview)
- incl. Family and Individual Benefit Rates + shelter
See Regulations section 13 foll.
NOTE : the former "Newfoundland and Labrador Family Benefit" no longer appears on the Dept. website; instead, the income support rates page refers to a Family and Individual Benefit (to assist with expenses such as food, clothing, personal care, household maintenance and utilities) and a Shelter benefit. Assistance for children in welfare households is provided through the combined Newfoundland and Labrador Child Benefit and the Canada Child Tax Benefit paid by the federal government.

Latest search results on Google.ca for
"welfare, Newfoundland"
- Web search results
- News search results
- Blog search results

Related Links
* Department of Advanced Education and Skills Annual Report 2011 - 2012 (PDF - 1.3MB, 52 pages)
* Poverty Reduction Strategy
* Programs and Services for Individuals and Families Guidebook - Revised August 2010
* Province of Newfoundland and Labrador Launches Poverty Reduction Consultations (October 16/08)
* 2008 NL Consultations - Home page
* Reducing Poverty: An Action Plan for Newfoundland and Labrador (PDF - 1.6MB, 60 pages) - June 2006
* Reducing Poverty in Newfoundland and Labrador : Working Towards a Solution (June 2005, PDF - 1.5MB, 44 pages)
* Poverty Reduction Strategies in Quebec and in Newfoundland and Labrador (Oct/07) (from Parliamentary Research Library)
* 2008-2011 HRLE Strategic Plan (PDF - 4.3MB, 28 pages)
* 2005-06 Annual Report - Dept. of Human Resources, Labour & Employment (PDF - 1.3MB, 35 pages)
* January 2002 welfare reform press release - incl. Backgrounders
* More Human Resources, Labour and Employment Publications

- Go to the Canadian Social Research Links Newfoundland and Labrador page -
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/nfbkmrk.htm

Department responsible for welfare
Community Services and Seniors

Name of the welfare program
Social Assistance
(formerly Welfare Assistance)

Legislation

Social Assistance Act (PDF file - 488K, 10 pages)
- General Regulations (PDF file - 552K, 25 pages)
Source:
Statutes and Regulations of Prince Edward Island

Policy Manual

Social Assistance Policy Manual

Welfare statistics
Number of People on Welfare,
March 1995 to March 2005 (PDF file - 133K, 1 page)
Source: National Council of Welfare

Welfare rates (benefits)
See sections 5 & 6 of the
Social Assistance Policy Manual
(Basic and Special Need Items)

Latest search results on Google.ca for
"welfare, -child, -animal, Prince Edward Island"
- Web search results
- News search results
- Blog search results

Related Links
* Community Services, Seniors and Labour Annual Report for the Fiscal Year April 2010 to March 2011 (PDF - 1.4MB, 37 pages)
* Preventing and Reducing Poverty in PEI - A strategy for engagement - July 2011
* 2007-2008 Social Services and Seniors Annual Report (PDF - 967K, 37 pages)
Published May 12, 2009
[ earlier annual reports and other departmental publications ]

- Go to the Canadian Social Research Links Prince Edward Island page -
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/pebkmrk.htm 

Department responsible for welfare
Community Services

Name of the welfare program
Employment Support and Income Assistance

Legislation
Employment Support and Income Assistance Act
- Employment Support and Income Assistance Regulations ===> main welfare regulations
- Assistance Appeal Regulations
Source:
- Consolidated Public Statutes of Nova Scotia
- Nova Scotia Regulations

Policy Manual
Employment Support and Income Assistance Policy
- incl. links to the latest version of the manual and to revision logs (showing recent changes)

Welfare statistics
Number of People on Welfare, March 1995 to March 2005 (PDF file - 133K, 1 page)
Source: National Council of Welfare

Welfare rates (benefits)
A Description of Basic Assistance
Or
Appendix "A" of the Regulations

Latest search results on Google.ca for
"welfare, -child, -animal, Nova Scotia"
- Web search results
- News search results
- Blog search results

Related links
* Nova Scotia Department of Community Services Recent reports:
--- Dept of Community Services Statement of Mandate 2012-2013 (PDF - 620K, 16 pages)
--- Dept of Community Services Annual Accountability Report Fiscal Year 2011-2012 (PDF - 1.4MB, 26 pages)
--- Dept of Community Services Statement of Mandate 2011-2012 (PDF - 312K, 18 pages)
* The Cost of Poverty in Nova Scotia (PDF - 760K, 12 pages)
October 2010 (Source: CCPA Nova Scotia Office )
* Fast Facts: The Cost of Poverty in Nova Scotia (PDF - 400K, 2 pages) October 2010 (also from CCPA)
* Nova Scotia Poverty Reduction Strategy - April 2009
* Nova Scotia’s Poverty Reduction Strategy: Preventing Poverty, Promoting Prosperity (PDF - 1.4MB, 45 pages) - April 2009
* Report of the Nova Scotia Poverty Reduction Working Group (PDF - 129K, 41 pages) - June 26, 2008
* Government Seeks Public Input on Poverty Strategy - March 5, 2008
* Poverty Backgrounder (2008) - Research and statistics about poverty in Nova Scotia
* Department of Community Services Annual Accountability Report 2007-2008 (PDF - 229K, 40 pages)
Reporting of outcomes against Community Services’ business plan information for the fiscal year 2007-2008.
* Department of Community Services Business Plan 2007 - 2008 (PDF - 262K, 25 pages)
Source: Department of Community Services Publications, Policies & Reports<===contains links to dozens of earlier reports, plans, strategies, etc.
* Report to the Community 2007 (PDF file - 415K, 2 pages) - May 18/07
* IMPACT! The effect of Nova Scotia's new income assistance system on people who need assistance (PDF file - 155K, 23 pages) November 2003 (from the Nova Scotia Association of Social Workers )

- Go to the Canadian Social Research Links Nova Scotia page -
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/nsbkmrk.htm

Department responsible for welfare
Social Development

Name of the welfare program
Social Assistance

Legislation
Family Income Security Act
- Family Security Regulation
Source:
NB Acts and Regulations

Policy Manual
New Brunswick Welfare Policy Manual + link to legislation 

Welfare statistics
Caseload Trends
Caseload Profile
Caseload and Recipients

Welfare rates (benefits)
Social Assistance Rate Schedules - (See Schedules A, B)
Family Security Regulation - (See Schedules A, B)

Latest search results on Google.ca for
"welfare, -child, -animal, New Brunswick"
- Web search results
- News search results
- Blog search results

Related Links
* 2010-2011 Annual Report, Department of Social Development (PDF - 420K, 65 pages)
* Economic and Social Inclusion Corporation (poverty reduction plan)
* Overcoming Poverty Together: The New Brunswick Economic and Social Inclusion Plan (PDF - 100K, 5 pages) - November 13, 2009
* Department of Social Development Annual Report 2008-09 (PDF - 942K, 74 pages) [ links to earlier annual reports and other publications of the Department ]
* New Brunswick Advisory Council on the Status of Women
* Discussion Paper on Social Policy (PDF file - 115K, 20 pages)
- February 1999 <<<=== excellent historical document

- Go to the Canadian Social Research Links New Brunswick page -
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/nbkmrk.htm

Department responsible for welfare
Ministère de l'Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale (English Home Page)
(Employment and Social Solidarity)

Name of the welfare programs
Social Assistance Program (for people with no severely limited capacity for employment)
Social Solidarity Program (for people with severely limited capacity for employment)

Legislation

Individual and Family Assistance Act
- Individual and Family Assistance Regulation
Source:
Laws and regulations administered by
the Minister of Employment and Social Solidarity
[ Revised statutes and Regulations of Québec ]

Policy Manual
Information on the Social Assistance Program and the Social Solidarity Program (1.5MB, 49 pages) July 2008
Assistance to individuals and families – General information (PDF file - 3.4MB, 23 pages) July 2008
NOTE: the blue text box in the right margin of the Last-resort financial assistance page also contains detailed welfare program info.

Welfare statistics
Recipients under social assistance programs
Youth and social assistance programs
Previous statistics
[If you can read French, see Statistiques sur la clientèle des programmes d'assistance sociale for detailed caseload profile info]
See also:
Number of People on Welfare, March 1995 to March 2005 (PDF file - 133K, 1 page)
Source: National Council of Welfare

Welfare rates (benefits)
Benefit Amounts under the Social Assistance Program
and the Social Solidarity Program (PDF file - 372K, 4 pages)

NOTE: for families with children, you must add in the amount of the child assistance payment.
Child assistance payment - The child assistance is intended to cover the basic needs of children under age 18 in low-income families, taking into account the Canada Child Tax Benefit paid by the federal government.
Calcul@ide - to help calculate refundable tax credits under the Child Assistance and Work Premium measures
Child Assistance - since January 2005, the child assistance measure has replaced family allowances, the non-refundable tax credit for dependent children and the tax reduction for families.

Latest search results on Google.ca for
"welfare, -child, -animal, Quebec"
- Web search results
- News search results
- Blog search results

Related Links
* French only : Rapport annuel de gestion 2011-2012 du ministère de l’Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale (PDF - 3.2MB, 202 pages)
* Québec Solidarity Tax Credit (Eff. July 2012)
* Québec Handy Numbers, 2012 Edition (PDF - 6.7MB, 72 pages) - Revised April 18, 2012 (see p. 18 : welfare stats for 2001, 2010 and 2011) Source: Institut de la statistique du Québec (English home page)

Québec's new Action Plan for Solidarity and Social Inclusion 2010-2015 On June 6 (2010), Minister of Employment and Social Solidarity and Minister of Labour, and Lise Thériault, Minister for Social Services, unveiled the Government Action Plan for Solidarity and Social Inclusion 2010-2015: Québec’s Combat Against Poverty, which comes with total investments of nearly $7 billion. More information about the 2010-2015 Action Plan: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/antipoverty.htm#qc - this link takes you to the Québec section of the provincial-territorial antipoverty links page of this site. - also includes a link to the (February 2010) Final report of the first Action Plan:Year Five Report (PDF file., 233K, 50 pages) along with links to the four earlier annual reports and the 2004-2010 Action Plan itself. - Go to the Provincial and Territorial Anti-poverty Strategies and Campaigns page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/antipoverty.htm

* Pacte pour l'emploi (Employment Pact) - Announced March 18, 2008
(One billion dollars over three years to improve participation in the labour market and productivity)
* National Strategy to Combat Poverty and Social Exclusion (Overview and links to related documents)
- An Act to combat poverty and social exclusion
- Progress reports on the National Strategy - links to annual reports for all five years of the Strategy
- Centre d’étude sur la pauvreté et l’exclusion (research centre on poverty, set up under the Strategy)
- Comité consultatif de lutte contre la pauvreté et l’exclusion sociale (Advisory committee, set up under the National Strategy)
- Poverty Reduction Strategies in Quebec and in Newfoundland and Labrador (Oct/07) - from the Parliamentary Research Library (Govt. of Canada)
* Main changes under the Individual and Family Assistance Act : New programs as of January 1, 2007 (PDF, 145K, 2 pages)
* Québec Parental Insurance Plan
* The Insertion Model or the Workfare Model? The Transformation of Social Assistance within Quebec and Canada ((PDF - 2.4MB, 190 pages - September 2002) --- Excellent Quebec welfare reform information!! (from Status of Women Canada)

- Go to the Québec Links (English) page:
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/qce.htm

- Rendez-vous à la page de liens de recherche sociale au Québec:
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/qcbkmrk.htm

Department responsible for welfare
Community and Social Services

Name of the welfare program
Ontario Works - for eligible people without disabilities 
Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) - for eligible people with disabilities

Legislation
Ontario Works Act
- General Regulation ===> main welfare regulations for people without disabilities
- Administration and Cost-sharing
- Designation of Geographic Areas and Delivery Agents
- Prescribed Policy Statements

Ontario Disability Support Program Act
- General Regulation ===> main welfare regulations for people with disabilities
- Administration and Cost-sharing
- Assistance for Children with severe Disabilities
- Employment Supports
- Prescribed Policy Statements
Source:
Ontario Statutes and Regulations

Policy Manual
OW Policy Directives - the Ontario Works policy manual
ODSP Income Support Policy Directives - the ODSP Income Support policy manual
ODSP - Employment Support Directives
City of Toronto Employment and Social Services Procedures Index - Toronto's welfare policy manual, includes detailed information on welfare rates, eligibility criteria for different client types, treatment of financial resources, etc.

Welfare statistics
Ontario Disability Support Program Statistical Report
Ontario Works Statistical Report
See also:
Number of People on Welfare, March 1995 to March 2005 (PDF file - 133K, 1 page) Source: National Council of Welfare

Welfare rates (benefits)
* Ontario Social Assistance Rates Update (Word file - 56K, 1 page) Eff. Nov/ Dec 2012 (Source : Income Security Advocacy Centre - ISAC)
* Social Assistance, Pension and Tax Credit Rates, April - June 2013 (PDF - 168K, 2 pages)
Prepared by the Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services [Source: Community Advocacy and Legal Centre]
* Ontario Works Policy Directives (see sections 6 &7)
* ODSP Income Support Policy Directives (see sections 6-9)
* Part V of the Ontario Disability Support Program Regulation
* Section 41 of the Ontario Works Regulation
+ for families with chidren:
Ontario Child Benefit - from the Ministry of Children and Youth Services

Latest search results on Google.ca for
"welfare, -child, -animal, Ontario"
- Web search results
- News search results
- Blog search results

Related Links
* From Isthatlegal.ca (Ontario):
--- Legal Guide : Welfare (Ontario Works) Law
--- Legal Guide : Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) Law
* Ontario Social Assistance Review Links page
* Social Assistance Review Commission (2012)
* Ontario Trillium Benefit (Eff. July 2012)
* Annual Report of the Auditor General of Ontario for 2011 (December 5/11)
* Review of social assistance in Ontario (2011)
* Ontario Social Assistance Review Commission (Website launched June 9, 2011)
* A Discussion Paper: Issues and Ideas - June 2011 (PDF - 478K, 50 pages)
* Summary and Workbook - June 2011 (PDF - 343K, 34 pages)
* Guide to Hosting a Community Conversation - June 2011 (PDF - 119K, 6 pages)
* Selected Reports on Key Social Assistance Issues - June 2011
* Social Assistance Today - June 2011
* Special Diet Allowance Changes April 1, 2011
* Ontario Launches Comprehensive Social Assistance Review (Nov. 30/10)
* 2009-2010 Annual Report : Ministry of Community and Social Services
- this annual report is part of the Results-based Plan Briefing Book 2010-11
...from the Ministry of Community and Social Services
* Social Assistance (Legal rights guide) - from CLEO - Community Legal Education Ontario
* [ Social Assistance Advisory Council Members - biographical notes ]
* Recommendations for an Ontario Income Security Review: Report of the Ontario social Assistance Review Advisory Council (May 2010)
* Letters from Community and Social Services Minister Madeleine Meilleur
to the Chair of the Social Assistance Review Advisory Council:
(1) June 10, 2010 (PDF - 22K, 2 pages)
(2) March 26, 2010 (PDF - 42K, 1 page)
* From Isthatlegal.ca (Ontario):
--- Legal Guide : Welfare (Ontario Works) Law (Nov. 2009)
--- Legal Guide : Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) Law (Nov. 2009)
* Ontario Government tables The Poverty Reduction Act, 2009 - February 25, 2009
* Ontario Poverty Reduction Strategy : Breaking the Cycle (PDF - 1.3MB, 45 pages) - December 4, 2008
[ Highlights ] Source: Ontario's Poverty Reduction Strategy
Poverty Watch Ontario (NGO reactions to the poverty reduction strategy)
Income Security Advocacy Centre
* Welfare raise leaves cheque at 1988 levels (Nov. 1/08) from The Toronto Star
* Report of the Provincial-Municipal Fiscal and Service Delivery Review - Facing the Future Together (PDF - 1.6MB, 64 pages) Fall 2008
* Ontario's Poverty Reduction Strategy - home page
* Ontario Poverty Reduction Strategy - from the 2008 Ontario Budget (March 25, 2008)
* Poverty Watch Ontario - "To monitor and inform on cross-Ontario activity on the poverty reduction agenda"
* Ontario Child Benefit - from the Ministry of Children and Youth Services
* Review of Employment Assistance Programs in Ontario Works & Ontario Disability Support Program (PDF file - 167K, 48 pages) December 2004 - By Deb Matthews, M.P.P.

- Go to the Guide to Welfare in Ontario page:
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/onwelf.htm
- guide to government information on how welfare works in Ontario, including information about responsibilities for the delivery and payment of welfare and other programs in Ontario

- Go to the Ontario Government Links page:
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/onbkmrk.htm

- Go to the Ontario Spouse-in-the-House Links page:
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/spouse.htm

- Go to the Ontario Municipal and Non-Governmental Sites (A-C) page:
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/onbkmrk2.htm

- Go to the Ontario Municipal and Non-Governmental Sites (D-W) page:
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/onbkmrk3.htm

- Go to the Ontario Social Assistance Review Links page:
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/on_sa_review.htm

- Rendez-vous à la page de liens aux sites de recherche sociale en Ontario :
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/onf.htm

Department(s) responsible for welfare
* Family Services and Labour
* Entrepreneurship, Training and Trade
NOTE : In January 2012, the Employment and Income Assistance (EIA) program and others were transferred from Family Services and Labour to Entrepreneurship, Training and Trade.

Name of the welfare program
Employment and Income Assistance (EIA)

Legislation
Employment and Income Assistance Act
- Employment and Income Assistance Regulation
Source:
Laws and Regulations of Manitoba

Policy Manual
EIA Administrative Manual Online - online welfare policy manual, includes legislation

Welfare statistics
Go to the latest Departmental. annual report - welfare stats are under "Employment and Income Assistance Division"
See also:
Number of People on Welfare, March 1995 to March 2005
(PDF file - 133K, 1 page)
Source: National Council of Welfare

Welfare rates (benefits)
Employment and Income Assistance Facts
See also Schedule "A" of the EIA Regulation (above)

Latest search results on Google.ca for
"welfare, -child, -animal, Manitoba"
- Web search results
- News search results
- Blog search results

Related Links
* 2011-2012 Annual Report (PDF - 1.2MB, 114 pages) of the
Department of Entrepreneurship, Training and Trade
* Annual Reports - Manitoba Family Services and Housing (2001-2002 to 2011-12)
* ALL Aboard: 2010-11 Highlights (Word [.doc] file - 39K, 1 page) - April 2010
* AllAboard - Manitoba’s Poverty Reduction Strategy (PDF - 562K, 8 pages) - May 2009
Source: ALL Aboard: Manitoba’s Poverty Reduction Strategy
* Rewarding Work (2007 - four-year Manitoba strategy to address poverty)
* Anti-poverty initiatives to help Manitobans help themselves (November 26/07)
* New Child Benefit, Lower-cost Child Care, Stronger Work Incentives, And Skills Package in 10-point Reconstruction of Income Supports (April 10, 2007)

- Go to the Canadian Social Research Links Manitoba page -
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/mbkmrk.htm

Department responsible for welfare
Social Services

Name of the welfare program
Saskatchewan Assistance Program (SAP)
Transitional Employment Allowance (TEA)

Legislation 
Saskatchewan Assistance Act
NOTE: the links below take you to the front page for each reg - from that page, just click the "Open Document" button to open a PDF file with the regulation
- Saskatchewan Assistance Regulations ===> main welfare regulations
- Employment Supplement Regulations
- Benefit Adjustment Regulations
- Transitional Employment Allowance Regulations
- Rental Housing Supplement Regulations
- Disability Housing Supplement Regulations
- Saskatchewan Assistance Plan Supplementary Health Benefits Regulations

Policy Manual
Saskatchewan Assistance Program Policy Manual Online (PDF file)
Transitional Employment Allowance Policy Manual (PDF file)

Welfare statistics
No Saskatchewan Assistance Program statistics available on the Social Services website (except for a smattering of stats in the
2010-2011 Saskatchewan Social Services Annual Report )

- See Number of People on Welfare, March 1995 to March 2005 (PDF file - 133K, 1 page) Source: National Council of Welfare

Welfare rates (benefits)
Current Social Assistance Rates (PDF file)
See also section 25 of the Saskatchewan Assistance Regulations
Chapter 15 of the SAP Policy Manual Online (see link above) offers information on individual items of need and special needs, but no rate tables
Transitional Employment Allowance Rate Schedule (PDF file)

Latest search results on Google.ca for
"welfare, -child, -animal, Saskatchewan"
- Web search results
- News search results
- Blog search results

Related Links
* Income Program Opens to People with Long-Term Disabilities (November 3, 2009)
* Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability (SAID)
* SAID Policy Manual (PDF - 59K, 19 pages)
* SAID Questions and Answers (PDF - 262K, 4 pages)
* Final Recommendations of the Task Team on Income Support for People with Disabilities (PDF - 217K, 18 pages) - May 13, 2009
* Appendices to the Final Recommendations report (PDF - 815K, 133 pages)
* 2006-2007 Annual Report (PDF file - 816K, 33 pages)
* Saskatchewan Income Plan (for seniors)
* Provincial Training Allowance
* Family Health Benefits (PDF - 925K, 2 pages) Family Health Benefits are intended to assist lower income families with the costs of raising healthy children (Source: Saskatchewan Health)
* Current Issues Surrounding Poverty and Welfare Programming in Canada : Two Reviews (PDF file - 371K, 43 pages) - August 2003
- interesting comparison of recent welfare reforms in Saskatchewan, Canada, the U.S. and Britain
- includes a bonus ten-page article entitled Low Income Cut-Offs (LICO) and Poverty Measurement (LICO, Market Basket Measure, etc.)
TIP===> See the appendix to this report (pp 27-31) for a detailed comparison of the main features of the "old" Saskatchewan Assistance Plan (welfare) and the new Transitional Employment Allowance.
Source: Social Policy Research Unit (SPR) [ School of Social Work - University of Regina ]

- Go to the Canadian Social Research Links Saskatchewan page -
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/skbkmrk.htm

* NOTE : The National Council of Welfare (NCW) [ http://www.ncw.gc.ca/ ] closed its doors and its website at the end of September 2012.
For more information on the demise of the Council and its website AND its website archive, go to the National Council of Welfare Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/ncw.htm

From the
Canada Revenue Agency:

Canada Child Tax Benefit Guideline Table, July 2012 to June 2013
The Government of Canada’s Canada Child Tax Benefit (CCTB) system comprises the CCTB Base Benefit and the NCB (National Child Benefit) Supplement. The CCTB targets low-and middle-income families with children, and the NCB Supplement provides low-income families with child benefits in addition to the CCTB base benefit. Links to the tables for the latest benefit year appear below, followed by links to related information.

READ ME FIRST:
If you're not familiar with the Canada Child Tax Benefit, I'd recommend starting with the link immediately below to a Canada Revenue Agency pamphlet written in plain language (YAYYYY!) with links to information about each of the federal and provincial child benefit programs.

Pamphlet : Canada Child Benefits, July 2012 to June 2013
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pub/tg/t4114/t4114-e.html
- includes related federal, provincial, and territorial programs

---

CCTB/NCBS Guideline Table effective July 2011 - June 2012 (based on the 2010 tax year)
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/bnfts/cctb/cctb_pymnt10-eng.html
These amounts are for the Federal Canada Child Tax Benefit (CCTB) program (basic benefit plus National Child Benefit Supplement) exclusive of any amount to which a recipient may be eligible under any existing provincial or territorial benefit or credit program. This table shows the combined amount of CCTB and NCBS payable from July 2011 to June 2012 to a household with one, two, three, four and five children with family income ranging from $24,183 to over $220,000.

---

Monthly NCBS only entitlement effective July 2011 - June 2012 (based on the 2010 tax year)
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/bnfts/ncbs10-eng.html
These amounts are for the National Child Benefit Supplement only.

---

CCTB/NCBS guideline tables for earlier years
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/bnfts/cctb/gd_tbls-eng.html
- back to the benefit year starting in July 2005
[NOTE : Curiously, there's no link to similar guideline tables for NCBS-only entitlements for past years.
Click the next link below for detailed payment information. Gilles]

---

Canada Child Tax Benefit (CCTB) payment amounts, tax years 2002 to 2011
* Tax Years 2002 to 2006
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/bnfts/cctb/cctb_pymnts_prv-eng.html
* Tax Years 2007 to 2011
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/bnfts/cctb/cctb_pymnts-eng.html
- incl. basic benefit - supplement for 3rd and following child(ren) - supplement for children under age seven - base threshold - benefit reduction rates, one child - benefit reduction rates, two or more children - NCBS amount for first child - NCBS amount for second child - NCBS amount for each additional child - NCBS threshold - NCBS phase-out rate, one child - NCBS phase-out rate, two children - NCBS phase-out rate, three or more children - Child Disability Amount (CDB) - CDB base threshold, one child - CDB phase-out rate, one child - CDB phase-out rate, two children - CDB phase-out rate, three or more children

Source:
Canada Child Tax Benefit
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/bnfts/cctb/menu-eng.html

Child and Family Benefits
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/bnfts/menu-eng.html
- includes links to : * Canada Child Tax Benefit * Universal Child Care Benefit * GST/HST credit * Working Income Tax Benefit * Provincial and territorial programs ]

Links to info about provincial and territorial child benefit and credit programs
that are administered by the Canada Revenue Agency; these
programs are mostly (but not all) related to the Canada Child Tax Benefit
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/bnfts/rltd_prgrms/menu-eng.html

* Alberta Family Employment Tax Credit * BC Family Bonus * BC Earned Income Benefit * BC HST Credit * BC Low Income Climate Action Tax Credit * New Brunswick Child Tax Benefit * New Brunswick School Supplement * Newfoundland and Labrador Child Benefit * NL Mother Baby Nutrition Supplement * NL Harmonized Sales Tax Credit * NL Seniors’ Benefit * Nova Scotia Child Benefit * NS Affordable Living Tax Credit * Northwest Territories Child Benefit * Nunavut Child Benefit * Ontario Trillium Benefit * Northern Ontario Energy Credit * Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit * Ontario Sales Tax Credit * Ontario Child Benefit * Ontario Senior Homeowners' Property Tax Grant * Ontario Sales Tax Transition Benefit * Quebec Child Assistance Payments (This program is related to the Canada Child Tax Benefit but is not administered by the Canada Revenue Agency.) * Saskatchewan Low-Income Tax Credit * Yukon Child Benefit

Source:
Canada Revenue Agency
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/menu-e.html

---

Related links from
the National Child Benefit website:

More information about the
National Child Benefit Supplement
http://www.nationalchildbenefit.ca/eng/07/page04.shtml
Source:
2007 National Child Benefit Progress Report
http://www.nationalchildbenefit.ca/eng/07/page00.shtml

[ National Child Benefit website:
http://www.nationalchildbenefit.ca/eng/home.shtml ]

---

- Go to the Children, Families and Youth Links (Government) page:
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/chnbkmrk.htm

 

Working Joe vs Welfare Joe
This piece of garbage started doing the rounds recently, comparing the annual income of Working Joe, a poor stiff making $25/hour in construction, and Welfare Joe - parasite, Casino regular and bon-vivant. It might make a more compelling story if the facts weren't out in left field.
If anyone forwards the Working-Joe-Welfare-Joe email to you, please feel free to refer them to the Working Joe link.

Income assistance (welfare / social assistance) for
Members of First Nations living on reserve*:

From
Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada:

Income Assistance Program
The Income Assistance program provides funding to assist eligible individuals and families who are ordinarily resident on-reserve, with basic and special needs services that are aligned with those provided to other residents of the reference province or territory. The program also funds the delivery of pre-employment measures designed to increase self-reliance, improve life skills and promote greater attachment to the work force. The Income Assistance program has four main components: basic needs, special needs, pre-employment supports, and service delivery. The expected outcome of the Income Assistance program is an improved quality of life through the reduction of poverty and hardship on-reserve, as well as improved participation in, and attachment to, the workforce.

---
* First Nations members living off-reserve must apply for welfare to the provincial authority where they reside.
---

National Social Programs Manual
NOTE: this isn't a policy manual for use in program delivery to clients. It spells out the terms and conditions under which Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada provides funding for social programs, including income assistance. It covers such matters as program components, funding arrangements, financial administration, and reporting and compliance, to name but a few.
TIP : If you scroll down past the Overview section of the table of contents, you'll find detailed terms and conditions for the Income Assistance program.

Social Programs
Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) funds the delivery of five key social development programs in First Nation communities:
* Income Assistance Program
* National Child Benefit Reinvestment
* Assisted Living Program
* First Nations Child and Family Services Program
* Family Violence Prevention Program
These services help First Nation communities meet basic and special needs; support employability and attachment to the workforce; and ensure that individuals and families are safe. First Nations that are engaged in advancing their own development are better equipped to leverage opportunities made available by their communities and actively contribute to the broader Canadian economy and society.

More Aboriginal
social program information:

* Assisted Living Program * Family Violence Prevention Program * Non-Insured Health Benefits * Band Moneys * Indian Status * Wills and Estates * National Child Benefit Reinvestment Initiative * First Nation Child and Family Services Program

Source:
Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada

September 12, 2010
NOTE: See Welfare stats are important! for a rare (but deserved) accolade from me on behalf of all social researchers to the five* provinces that are presenting current welfare statistics on their websites.

* AND THEN THERE WERE SIX...
Updated to September 21, 2010
Alberta now has monthly welfare stats on its website!

[ Big deal - so what?? ]

Federal welfare spending factoids:

* In 1995-96, the final year of the Canada Assistance Plan, Ottawa paid out almost $8 Billion under CAP (see note below). [ Source ]
*That's $10.5 Billion in 2010 dollars. [ Source ]
* Of that amount, the social assistance portion made up about 80-85% - or $8 Billion in 2010 dollars. (see what made up the remaining 15-20%)
[Source: none, except my own recollection of the traditional proportional breakdown of CAP dollars]
* For 2010-11, the Canada Social Transfer (see note below) will reach $11 Billion.
[ Source ]
* Of that amount, the social programs portion is estimated by federal officials to be nearly $6.6 Billion.
[ Source ]
NOTE: Amounts paid out specifically for welfare under the Canada Assistance Plan (CAP) cannot be compared with those under the Canada Social Transfer (CST) because the latter is a block fund that also covers provincial-territorial post-secondary education expenditures and early learning and child care. The federal block fund doesn't stipulate how much of the total amount must be allocated to each of those areas, so you'll occasionally find discrepancies between information on welfare expenditures for the same period produced by provincial-territorial governments and reports prepared by federal officials. The proof's in the pudding : in the last factoid above, the statement "the social programs portion is estimated by federal officials to be nearly $6.6 Billion" [bolding added] is a direct quote from the federal Department of Finance (check the source link). Ottawa must resort to "notional allocation of federal support among priority areas" (another quote from the same source) - notional meaning "our best educated guess based on the trends that we monitor" rather than relying on provincial government reports that often allocate amounts differently from the way that the feds do it. And the game of numbers goes on.
Accountability? Transparency? Ha.

Related link from
Finance Canada:
* Federal Transfers to Provinces and Territories

- For more on the vagaries of federal contributions to provincial-territorial social programs, see the
Canada Assistance Plan / Canada Health and Social Transfer / Canada Social Transfer Resources page:
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/cap.htm

From the
National Council of Welfare (NCW):

Over the years, the Council has produced many reports on poverty and welfare, but there are three that stand out in my mind as milestone reports on the history of welfare in Canada, at least since the 1980s.

1. 1987
Welfare in Canada: The Tangled Safety Net (PDF - 2.7MB, 131 pages)
November 1987
Tangled Safety Net examines the following issues in Canadian social assistance network of programs:
* Complex rules * Needs-testing * Rates of assistance * Enforcement * Appeals * Recommendations
This report is the first comprehensive national analysis of social assistance programs operated by the provincial, territorial and municipal governments. These programs function as the safety net for Canadians and are better known by their everyday name ‘welfare’.

Version française :
Le bien-être social au Canada : Un filet de sécurité troué (PDF - 3Mo., 138 pages)
Novembre 1987
[ NOTA : Si vous trouvez un lien vers ce fichier en français, veuillez communiquer avec moi pour le partager.
Merci! gilseg@rogers.com ]

____________

2. 1992
Welfare Reform (PDF - 2.8MB, 61 pages)
Summer 1992
This report is an update of the 1987 Tangled Safety Net, but it presents information by jurisdiction rather than by issue - covers all provinces and territories.

Version française:
Réforme du bien-être social (PDF - 3,5Mo., 63 pages)

____________

3. 1997
Another Look at Welfare Reform (PDF - 6.75MB, 134 pages)
Autumn 1997
- an in-depth analysis of changes in Canadian welfare programs in the 1990s. The report focuses on the provincial and territorial reforms that preceded the repeal of the Canada Assistance Plan and those that followed the implementation of the Canada Health and Social Transfer in April 1996.
[Proactive disclosure : I did the research for, and wrote the provincial-territorial section of, this report while I was on a one-year secondment to the Council. Gilles ]

Version française:
Un autre regard sur la réforme du bien-être social (PDF - 8Mo., 148 pages)

Source:
National Council of Welfare
[ Conseil national du bien-être social ]
Established in 1969, the Council is an advisory group to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (originally the Minister of Health and Welfare Canada). The mandate of the Council is to advise the Minister regarding any matter relating to social development that the Minister may refer to the Council for its consideration or that the Council considers appropriate.

-------------------------------------------------

June 7 (2012) update:
The National Council of Welfare has been de-funded and will be closing its doors and its website at the end of September 2012.
For more information, see http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/ncw.htm

Social Assistance in Canada, 1994
* Also available from the Government of Canada Web Archive:
http://goo.gl/au93G
Over 40 pages of information on Canadian social assistance programs as they operated in 1994. Much of the information in this document is still as relevant today as it was back then - eligibility, benefits, administrative rules, and more. Includes information about cost-sharing of welfare costs under the Canada Assistance Plan. Question-and-answer format for quick reference. This work was part of a larger study of social assistance in 24 countries released by the OECD early in 1996. If you want a snapshot of what welfare was like in Canada before the Canada Health and Social Transfer in 1996, try this one...

NOTE: Social Assistance in Canada, 1994 is the final submission of the Canadian federal government in the context of the 1996 OECD study appearing immediately below. This report is a critical and comparative overview of how social assistance or welfare operated in the mid-1990s in 24 countries (including Canada, with a special focus on Ontario). The chapter on Canada presents a factual snapshot of how welfare was working in Canada just before the 50-50 federal cost-sharing under the Canada Assistance Plan (CAP) was replaced by a block fund, the Canada Health and Social Transfer, in April of 1996.

The OECD study consisted of a two-stream approach: for each country involved in the study, an "expert informant" (academic) and a "national government official" received a questionnaire on social assistance programs. The questionnaires were different from one another - federal government officials were asked to provide factual responses to over 70 questions, while the academics' questionnaire focused more on an in-depth critique of those same programs. Social Work Professor Patricia Evans was the Canadian expert informant, and I completed the submission on behalf of the Canadian government, with valuable input and feedback from a number of government colleagues.

Recommended reading!
This is THE most comprehensive historical (mid-1990s) analysis you'll find of welfare in Canada, the United States and 22 other industrialized countries.
Volume I is a synthesis of all country reports - I'd suggest skipping past that one and going directly to Volume II, where you'll find 40 pages of information about Canada and 20 pages about the U.S.
Note that the top link in this yellow box is to the submission of the Canadian federal government in the context of the study.
The Canada chapter of Volume II below is based partly on the Canadian govt. submission and partly on the submission of Professor Evans; for the most complete picture of welfare in Canada in the mid-1990s, I'd recommend checking both SA in Canada and the Canada country report in the box below.

---

Social Security Statistics, Canada and Provinces
1978-79 to 2002-03
http://goo.gl/iuNQ0

NOTE: As at January 2012, this report is no longer available on the Human Resources and Skills Development (HRSDC) website. All of the links below will take you to archived copies of the contents of the latest report in this series from the Government of Canada Web Archive:
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/webarchives/index-e.html
If deleted website content is the bane of your existence too, see Brickbats (to HRSDC) and Bouquets (to the Government of Canada Web Archive) in the yellow text box below!

This report is a goldmine of statistical information (beneficiary data and expenditure data) on current and defunct Canadian federal social programs, and even some on provincial/territorial programs.

This report offers 25 years of longitudinal data on costs and numbers of beneficiaries for most programs - over 100 tables - covering a large number of programs --- here's a partial list:
- Child Tax Benefit, Family Allowances, the Child Tax Credit, Old Age Security/Guaranteed Income Supplement/Spouse's Allowance ("The Allowance"), Federal Training and Employment Programs, Federal Goods and Services Tax Credit, the Canada/Quebec Pension Plans, War Veterans' and Civilian War Allowances, Veterans' and Civilians' Disability Pensions, Unemployment/Employment Insurance, the Canada Assistance Plan, Workers' Compensation, Youth Allowances, Social Assistance and Social Services for Registered Indians --- and more...

---------------------------

Social Security Statistics, Canada and Provinces
1978-79 to 2002-03
http://goo.gl/iuNQ0
NOTE : This is an archived copy from the Government of Canada Web Archive:
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/webarchives/index-e.html

Preface (short blurb only)
http://goo.gl/830Pp

List of Tables
http://goo.gl/66N3I
Read the Introductory notes at the top of the page and in Appendix A [ http://goo.gl/uU7TX ] of this report for all methodological notes.
"...Tables in this report have been organized into two parts. Part I presents three Overview Tables which illustrate the trends in social security expenditures by all levels of government for Canada. Part II comprises Component Tables which provide data on beneficiaries and expenditures for individual programs."

A number of older tables were removed from this edition of the Social Security Statistics report, including some tables with info on Blind Persons' Allowances, Disabled Persons' Allowances and Unemployed Assistance.
Check older editions of this report for those older stats:
http://goo.gl/NgYfn

Many of the tables are historical and likely of little interest except to historians and CAP-o-philes --- they offer historical caseload and expenditure statistics on each of the CAP cost-sharing components (General Assistance - Homes for Special Care for Children and Adults - Child Welfare - Health Care - Other Welfare Services and Work Activity).

Scroll down the list of tables [ http://goo.gl/66N3I ] to find a particular program, then click on its name to access the HTML version of the table (the HTML page includes links to the PDF and Excel versions of the table).

You'll find many key stats tables and some interesting analyses here - only a few of which appear below
- includes links to over two dozen tables (Tables 352-911) with info on federal contributions under the Canada Assistance Plan (CAP) and the Canada Health and Social Transfer (CHST) to the cost of provincial and territorial welfare programs.
NOTE: for more info about CAP, the CHST and the Canada Social Transfer (CST, which replaced the CHST in April 2004), see the Canada Assistance Plan / Canada Health and Social Transfer / Canada Social Transfer Resources page of this site:
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/cap.htm

A few sample tables:

Table 360
Total Federal-Provincial Cost-Shared Program Expenditures, 1978-79 to 1999-2000
http://goo.gl/6dgGz
NOTE: Table 360 traces the evolution/devolution of transfers under the Canada Assistance Plan (in dollars) from 1976 to 1999. No new claims were paid out under CAP after the Canada Health and Social Transfer came into effect in April 1996; amounts shown as CAP expenditures for the fiscal years after 1995-96 are final settlements with each jurisdiction for all outstanding commitments by the federal government.

Table 361
Canada Assistance Plan (CAP) - Number of Beneficiaries of General Assistance (including dependants), as of March 31, 1979 to 1996
http://goo.gl/4T2ce
- This is a key table for research on welfare programs - welfare dependency statistics by jurisdiction over the years. These are the final, definitive numbers.

Table 362
Total Federal-Provincial Cost-Shared Expenditures for General Assistance, by Province/Territory, 1978-79 to 1995-96
http://goo.gl/0z3yn
- this table should be of special interest for welfare historians and number-crunchers - it shows exactly when Canadian government spending on welfare (by the federal and provincial/territorial governments) started looking a little fuzzier. When the feds imposed the cap on CAP (max. 5% annual increase in total CAP payments) in Ontario, Alberta and BC in the early 1990s, those three provinces stopped reporting how much of their CAP dollars were going to welfare (vs. other CAP components covered under the same federal contribution). Table 362 shows that as of 1991-92, the federal contribution to those three provinces for General Assistance appears as "n/a" - so it's been impossible to produce a national figure since then. Unless, of course, one wanders over into the minefield of provincial government welfare statistics, where welfare programs (and related expenditures) have undergone a major transformation. If you *do* want to check out welfare stats for each Canadian jurisdiction, your best starting point is the Key Welfare Links Page of this website - http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/welfare.htm - which includes links to welfare stats in each province and territory where they're available.

Table 434
Total Federal Payments under CAP, 1978-79 to 1999-2000
http://goo.gl/DC0Y8
[The note under table 360 also applies to this table. ]

Table 435
Number of Beneficiaries (including dependants) of Provincial and Municipal Social Assistance, as of March 31, 1997 to 2003
http://goo.gl/Z8UYR

Table 438
Provincial and Municipal Social Assistance Program Expenditures, 1980-81 to 2002-03
http://goo.gl/l7tfV

Table 526
Provincial and Territorial Children's Benefits and Earned Income Supplements, Expenditures for Fiscal years 1978-79 to 2002-03
http://goo.gl/aKu9s

[Original] Source:
Social Policy
http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/publications_resources/statistics/index.shtml

[ Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/home.shtml ]

Archive source:
Collections Canada
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/
[Library and Archives Canada]

Success of Canadian Welfare Reforms

Welfare dependency in Canada peaked in March 1994, when 3.1 million Canadians were receiving welfare.

From March 1995 to March 2005, the number of welfare beneficiaries (including children) across Canada decreased from just over three million to 1,7 million.
[Source: National Council of Welfare statistics, 1995-2005(PDF - 137K, 1 page)]

So Canadian welfare reforms have been successful, right?

It depends on whether you're asking the Finance Department and Fraser Institute types, who interpret reductions in welfare caseloads and program costs as significant measures of success, or the social advocacy groups, who focus more on the human condition, income and wealth inequality and social justice...

Related Links:
(the view from the other side...)

* Campaign 2000
- child poverty report cards for Canada and selected provinces

* National Council of Welfare (de-funded by the Harper Government in the 2012 federal budget, closed its doors in the fall ov 2012)
- authoritative source of reports and statistics on poverty and welfare in Canada

* Canada Without Poverty
- formerly the National Anti-Poverty Organization (NAPO)

* Citizens for Public Justice
- faith-based NGO promoting a guaranteed annual income in Canada

* Dignity for All
- the campaign for a poverty free Canada

-----------------------------------------

Welfare reform in the U.S. - success or flop?

I thought I'd share the following excerpt from one of the presentations at the August 2008 Queen's University poverty agenda conference. It's a commentary on the relative success of American welfare reforms since Bill Clinton declared "the end of welfare as we know it" in the mid-1990s, but it reflects the view of many social advocates about the impact of welfare reforms in Canada since 1996.