National Child Benefit Supplement (Motion #25-06)
Moved by Kinoshameg, Edwards. Approved on April 20, 2006, by the Sudbury & District Board of Health.
Motion
WHEREAS the Sudbury & District Health Unit is mandated by the Province of Ontario to promote the health of children and youth, including implementing the Healthy Babies, Healthy Children Program; and
WHEREAS the number of clients with low incomes served by the Healthy Babies, Healthy Children program is significant; approximately 5000 Sudbury-area families (11%) lived in poverty in the year 2000; and the proportion of Ontario children in low-income families was about 12.8% in 2004; and
WHEREAS existing research points to the importance of supporting early childhood development for a healthier population; strong evidence exists that inadequate income causes poor health; and the Sudbury & District Health Unit Board acknowledges the impact of these broader determinants of health on health status; and
WHEREAS in the 2006 provincial budget speech, Premier McGuinty did not end the “claw back” of the National Child Benefit Supplement (NCBS) given to each province to distribute to children in low-income families; and
WHEREAS families receiving social assistance will only receive the federal government’s increases to the National Child Benefit Supplement, (about $20 per month per child), but continue to miss out on about $100 per child per month;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Premier McGuinty identify child and family poverty as a health issue that should be addressed; and
FURTHER THAT the McGuinty Government fully end the “claw back” of the NCBS, so that families receiving social assistance receive the full amount allocated per child, while resources are maintained for existing early childhood support programs which are funded through the clawback; and
FURTHER THAT copies of this motion be forwarded to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, the Ministry of Health Promotion, the Ministry of Children and Youth Services, the Chief Medical Officer of Health, local members of provincial parliament, the Ontario Public Health Association (OPHA), the Association of Local Public Health Agencies (alPHa), and all Ontario Boards of Health.
This item was last modified on June 12, 2015