The Community Start-Up and Maintenance Benefit (CSUMB) was eliminated by the provincial government as a benefit within social assistance (OW and ODSP) as of January 1, 2013.
In June 2012, ISAC partnered with our sister legal clinic ACTO (the Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario) and community legal clinics across the province to begin a campaign to protest the elimination of CSUMB from social assistance, which was announced in the March 2012 provincial budget.
A number of resources were and are being created for that work, which are shared below. You will also find links below to a number of government documents and resources about CSUMB, including information on the government’s December 27 announcement of a one-time grant of $42 million to help municipalities cope in the short-term with the funding shortfall caused by the elimination of CSUMB.
We hope that these resources will assist people receiving social assistance, their allies, and advocates in their ongoing work on this issue across the province.
Check back often for more resources as we upload them.
ISAC and Partners Resources:
Update on CSUMB – Jan 17, 2013 – ISAC / ACTO
This update provides information on and analysis of the government’s Dec 27, 2012 announcement and ideas for continuing action
Impact Tracking Tool – ISAC / Wellesley Institute
Use this online tool – with mapping function! – to help us keep track of the impacts to individuals of the loss of CSUMB
What Each Municipality is Doing (or Not) to Replace CSUMB
Now that partial CSUMB funding has been downloaded to municipalities in the consolidated CHPI fund, each of the 47 municipalities responsible for social services administration across Ontario (actually called Service Managers – see below) is determining how to spend that money. Some are responding to the loss of CSUMB by creating replacement programs. This table shows the major aspects of each replacement program by municipality.
The information in this table is preliminary and subject to change. People receiving OW or ODSP who are seeking assistance with these expenses should contact their caseworker for assistance and direction. We will update the table as new information becomes available, so check back often.
Letter to Liberal Leadership Candidates – ISAC / ACTO
The following template letter was sent to each of the leadership candidates on December 14 to urge them to state their position on the elimination of CSUMB. The letter can be used as the basis of communications with the candidates prior to the January 25-27 Liberal leadership convention, urging the candidates to reinstate CSUMB if they become Leader and, therefore, Premier of Ontario.
Backgrounder on CSUMB and the Home Repairs Benefit – Aug 2012 – ISAC / ACTO
Wellesley Institute / ISAC / Other Partners – Health Equity Impact Assessment – Nov 2012
Other Resources:
Government’s Announcement re: $42 million One-time Grant Funding for CHPI – Dec 27, 2012
Government of Ontario’s Program Guidelines for CHPI (the Community Homelessness Prevention Initiative)
CHPI is the new consolidated program under Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing that received partial CSUMB funding. CHPI is being administered by the 47 municipalities responsible for social services administration across Ontario – they are actually called DSSABs or CMSMs (District Social Services Administration Boards or Consolidated Municipal Service Managers) or, more simply, Service Managers.
- English
- French (having difficulty uploading this – will be uploaded asap)
Memo from MCSS ADM of Social Policy – Dec 27, 2012
This is a memo that outlines the amounts of money that each local municipality will receive for CHPI and as part of the $42 million one-time grant announced Dec 27, 2012.
- English
- French version is unavailable
Government’s 2010 Long-Term Affordable Housing Strategy
See page 15 for mention of the requirement for community consultations for Local Housing and Homelessness Plans. More info on this will be coming soon from ACTO.
The Provincial-Municipal Fiscal and Service Delivery Review
Through the PMFSDR, which was agreed to in 2008, the provincial government committed to consolidating housing and homelessness funding and to giving municipal Service Managers more flexibility in administering these funds.
Ontario Budget 2012-13 – addendum
This is the addendum to the budget, which is where the elimination of CSUMB was announced in March 2012.
MCSS Directives on CSUMB
These directives, which were removed in January 2013, provide in depth information on CSUMB, including eligibility, benefit amounts, etc.
- OW Directive 7.5 – English
- OW Directive 7.5 – French
- ODSP Directive 9.2 – English
- ODSP Directive 9.2 – French