This paper analyzes findings from a survey by ACORN Canada of a sampling of its membership to understand why they turn to alternative financial services such as high interest payday loans. The survey finds that the majority of the 268 respondents turn to high interest financial services such as payday loans as a last resort because they are denied adequate credit services from traditional banks.
LES BANQUES CANADIENNES NE RÉPONDENT PAS AUX BESOINS DES COMMUNAUTÉS À FAIBLE REVENU.
Avez-vous obtenu un pret sur salaire aupres de The Cash Store ou D’Instaloans en Ontario apres le 1er Septembre 2011?
Did you take a Payday Loan from Cash Store or Instaloans in Ontario after September 1, 2011?
In 2015 the six largest banks in Canada – TD, BMO, RBC, Scotia, CIBC and National Bank – generated $35 billion in profits, up from $29 billion in 2013. This perception of achievement, however, is misleading. Canadian banks are failing Canada’s low and moderate income residents. The banks’ focus on profits have led to service cuts, branch closures, and high fees, primarily impacting Canada’s low and moderate income earners.
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ACORN Canada's comments on risks and consumer protection policy recommendations
ACORN’s housing campaign calls for the Federal Government to enact legislation that clearly establishes the right to secure, adequate and affordable housing.
In 2011 statistics, there were 390,280 private households across the province of Nova Scotia. 29% is listed as renter households. Almost a third of the population lives in a rental unit. There have been some bylaw changes made across the province in recent years aiming to improve rental housing conditions. However, as this report will show, there is still a lot to be done on both the provincial and municipal level.
This report shows that the more needs be done to support tenants and hold landlords to account, as renters are living in substandard conditions without the necessary support to stand up to landlords on issues such as rental unit repairs.
In Halifax, 2011 statistics showed that 37% of households in Halifax were rented (STATCAN: http://bit.ly/2jQTYRp), a number which is continuing to grow in an increasing rental market. There have been some bylaw changes made by City Council in recent years aiming to improve rental housing conditions. However, as this report shows, there is much still to be done.
Les membres d’Ottawa ACORN croient que le gouvernement municipal a la responsabilité de gérer les cas horribles de logements insalubres à Ottawa et les régions environnantes.
Ottawa ACORN members believe that the municipal government has a responsibility to address the causes of the horrific state of housing in Ottawa and the surrounding region.
Ce rapport démontre que le gouvernement municipal doit faire plus car les locataires vivent dans des conditions de logement déplorables et n'ont pas le soutien requis pour se défendre contre les propriétaires et d'avoir leurs besoins comblés. Le Règlement en matière de normes foncières a plus d'étapes dans la procédure et plus de délais que la plupart des règlements et tout avis de violation est inexécutable. Pour ces raisons, ACORN demande la création d’une licence pour propriétaires MAINTENANT!
This report shows that the municipal government needs to do more as tenants are living in substandard conditions without the necessary support to allow them to stand up to landlords and have their needs met. The Property Standards By-law has more procedural steps and delays than most by-laws in addition to any notice of violation being unenforceable. This is why Ottawa ACORN members want landlord licensing NOW!
The Tenants' Case for Landlord Licensing in Toronto
ACORN has been fighting for Landlord Licensing for 12 years in Toronto, and on Thursday May 19th ACORN won a big step in the campaign – a motion for landlord licensing is being voted on at City Council in early June. Here are some common questions that ACORN members have been answering over the past 12 years.
Through correspondence with the City of Ottawa, it was suggested to ACORN--by the individual responsible for administering polling station locations--that the city uses voter turnout rates as the primary criterion for where to locate polling stations. This is extremely problematic, for it goes against democratic principles for voting to be made more convenient to those who more regularly exercise that democratic right; instead, the more democratic criterion for the location of polling stations would, of course, be based on population density.
ACORN Canada’s free income tax sites are a staggering success, ensuring low income Canadians get every penny that is owed to them through the tax refunds, credits, and benefits.
In a 2012 report, the Metcalf Foundation developed a new definition of working poverty. This definition is based on income, rather than hours worked, and excludes students and those who do not live independently. Applying that definition, the authors then used data from the Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics (SLID) and the Census to estimate how many people in Toronto were living in working poverty, where they were living and working, and to describe their family lives, education and age.
This brief report by the Wellesley Institute builds on the Metcalf analysis to consider the impact of working poverty on self-reported health. How do people who are working and poor (working poor) describe their health? How does their health compare with others who are poor but are not in the labour force (non-working poor)? How does their health compare with those who are able to work and support themselves and their families (working non-poor)? Finally, how have these three groups’ perceptions of their health changed over time?