Part 2 in a 5-part series

(note the introduction to each of these blog entries is the same; skip down to the sub-heading to avoid the repetition)

Given last week’s announcements of:

• the cancellation of the Ontario Basic Income Pilot (a program strongly supported by high-profile members of all political stripes, including former Conservative senator Hugh Segal, who helped to design the pilot program); and
• the slowing of increases to Ontario Works (OW) and Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) from 3% to 1.5% on rates which are already at rates far too low to provide safe, affordable housing, nutritious food, and other basic necessities,

it’s imperative that we talk more about what Niagara Regional government can do to alleviate poverty.

Continue reading “How regional government can help to alleviate poverty – Part 2” →

Part 1 in a 5-part series

Given last week’s announcements of:

• the cancellation of the Ontario Basic Income Pilot (a program strongly supported by high-profile members of all political stripes, including former Conservative senator Hugh Segal, who helped to design the pilot program); and
• the slowing of increases to Ontario Works (OW) and Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) from 3% to 1.5% on rates which are already at rates far too low to provide safe, affordable housing, nutritious food, and other basic necessities,

it’s imperative that we talk more about what Niagara Regional government can do to alleviate poverty.

Continue reading “How regional government can help to alleviate poverty – Part 1” →

On the second episode of Podcasting to Reset the Region, I talk about a culture of accountability, with expenses as the example.

Continue reading “Podcasting to Reset the Region – Accountability” →

I don’t know how else to frame it anymore.

As the last four years have worn on, it is abundantly clear not only that there is an integrity crisis at Niagara Region, but also that they either don’t recognize it or they don’t care…or both, depending on who we’re speaking about, I suppose. Continue reading “Integrity crisis at Niagara Region” →

As I’ve been out speaking with residents, something I’ve heard quite a lot of is that people are upset that their road is getting ripped up for the Region to do work one year and then the City is coming along the next year to rip it up to do other work. “Why can’t they do all the work at the same time, Laura?!” people ask me. Continue reading “Construction Coordination” →