‘Poverty Picnic’ in London highlights call to double social assistance rates

Advocates hold rally demanding the province increase ODSP payments to recipients. CTV London’s Lauren Stallone reports.

ACORN members staged a “Poverty Picnic” in London Ont., Tuesday afternoon, setting out empty plates to symbolize how low social assistance rates leave families struggling to eat.

“The poverty picnic is essentially a picnic with no food at it because the reality is a vast majority of us are skipping meals,” said Jordan Smith, an ACORN member.

The demonstration took place across cities in Ontario, demanding the provincial government double social assistance rates.

“The disabled in Ontario are really, right now, struggling 60 per cent below the poverty line,” said Smith.

ACORN representatives said a single person on the Ontario Disability Support Program receives a maximum of $1,408 a month. Meantime, Ontario Works (OW) rates have been frozen since 2018.

“There’s been no increases,” said Sharon Villeneuve, an ACORN member. “Meanwhile, the cost of essential goods has increased by 20 percent.”

Organizers said the rally was about making sure people with disabilities have a stable income they can live on.

“There’s no way anyone should be living off of these conditions,” said Villeneuve. “They should at least bring us up to the poverty line.”

Smith said it is important the public stays informed on the challenges many people face in our city daily.

“We’re calling on the government but also trying to draw public awareness to just how bad, just how critical this situation has become,” said Smith.