Maytree

This year marks 50 years since Canada signed the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights – a commitment that everyone has the right to the necessities required to live with dignity.

But poverty, homelessness, and food insecurity in Ontario are worsening at an alarming rate.

Ontario's 2026 budget is an opportunity to change course and fulfill its human rights obligations.

We're calling on the province to:

- Invest in income supports that will prevent poverty or help people escape it
- Prevent evictions, protect renters, and invest in affordable housing

Read our full budget submission to learn more about what Ontario must do to uphold the right to an adequate standard of living: https://maytree.com/publications/ontario-must-correct-course-after-50-years-of-stalling-on-poverty-and-human-rights/

Good news: The federal government is introducing a new Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit to help with food costs.

The problem? It doesn't go far enough.

Our analysis shows that while this benefit is a step forward, it has some serious limitations:

- The maximum amount is too low to make a real difference for families struggling with food insecurity

- When you look at all recent tax changes together, higher-income families are actually getting more support than low-income families

- Like other recent measures, this benefit is temporary; it phases down after 2030-31

The new benefit builds on ideas from the IRPP Affordability Action Council (where Maytree is a member), but we think Canada needs to go further. Low-income families need permanent, meaningful solutions, not short-term fixes.

What would truly help? Long-term investments in income supports that match the scale of the crisis.

Read our full analysis: https://maytree.com/publications/a-step-in-the-right-direction-the-new-canada-groceries-and-essentials-benefit-in-context/

City of Toronto’s Housing Rights Advisory Committee urges Ontario to invest more in the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit

On behalf of the Housing Rights Advisory Committee (HRAC), chair Elizabeth McIsaac has written a letter to Ontario’s Minister of Finance and Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing calling for increased investment in the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit (COHB) in the 2026 provincial budget.

The housing crisis in Ontario is dire: Nearly 85,000 people experienced homelessness in 2025, including more than 30,000 people accessing social assistance who are unhoused – a 72% increase since 2019.

Under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which all provinces in Canada have agreed to abide by, addressing homelessness is a legal responsibility. It requires governments to devote maximum available resources to progressively realize the right to housing. Ontario has the fiscal capacity to do more.

While the long-term solution requires expanding permanent, deeply affordable, and supportive housing, people need urgent support today. COHB has become the leading pathway out of homelessness in Toronto, helping thousands find rental housing. Yet funding is dropping significantly this year, limiting access for new renters.

HRAC urges the province to increase COHB funding in the 2026 budget and work with the federal government to ensure this critical program continues helping people move from homelessness to permanent housing.

Read the full letter:

Dear Ministers: Increase funding for the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit in the 2026 Ontario Budget The Ontario government should increase funding for the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit in the 2026 Ontario Budget and work with the federal government to ensure that this critical program can continue to help address the scale and urgency of the homelessness crisis.