The MPP for Windsor West stood up at Queen's Park on Thursday to address poverty in Windsor.
New Democrat Lisa Gretzky, who is also the party's critic for Community and Social Services, said there is growing concern that cuts to income assistance and anti-poverty efforts are going to impact Windsor and those already struggling with poverty.
"In Windsor, one in four children live below the poverty line. Our Downtown Mission now serves an average of 726 meals per day, and 1,100 working poor people are forced to use their food bank every month," said Gretzky. "I know that Windsor is not the only municipality in Ontario that is struggling with these issues and yet, just three months into their mandate, Premier Ford and his Conservative government have consistently attacked those most in need."
Gretzky said one of PC government's first moves was to slash social assistance rate increases by 50 per cent and they’re going to eliminate the minimum wage increase.
"They also cancelled the Basic Income Pilot, without a shred of evidence to support this decision," Gretzky said. "In fact, the evidence we do have shows that these programs are crucial to lifting people out of poverty."
The Windsor-Essex County Board of Health wrote a letter to Minister Lisa MacLeod regarding the Pilot Project, that stated, "We strongly urge your government to reconsider this decision. Our position is based on extensive evidence that income instability reduces opportunities for health, social, and economic prosperity."
Gretzky added that the Conservative government’s priorities are completely backward and vowed to keep fighting for the poor.
Ron Dunn, executive director of the Downtown Mission, was also critical of the cuts.
"Our premier should be embarrassed that buck a beer was a priority while our most vulnerable citizens are not cared for," he said.