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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1975-05-15, Page 19ti yE�t .r4,.p f5y..xti The Minister of Community and Social Services, Rene Brunelle, announced in the Legislature this week changes in . the ' Family Benefits Allowance and • General. Welfare Assistance programs. . These changes are designed to improve the situation of those. on Family Benefits and General Welfare,., Assistance. The changes will bring about an increase in allowances for those receiving benefits under these ' programs and will provide ° incentivesforpart- tine employment and` 11p in returning to the work, force. These changes are in line with the Throne Speech of March 11, 1975, to protect those on a fixed income from inflation, and in addition, complements . the GAINS increase of May 1st. The Family .,Benefits Allowance is basically com- prised of two components - shelter and ordinary needs. •The new rate for shelterfor a single person is $75.00; an in- crease of $5.00; for a family consisting of two persons far fuel costs included in the rent - $130.00, an increase of $10:00, and for fuel cost not included in the rent - $120.00, an increase of $10.00. Under, the rates for the Ordinary Needs a single person • will receive $190:00, an increase of $20.00; a couple will receive $338.00, an increase of $42.00k a' mother with one child will receive $431.00, an ,increase of $46.00; a mother with 4 children will receive $477.00, an increase of $48.00. The 'increase ..will vary in particular cases in accordance with the age and number of children, housing costs and • other factors -such as provision for special diets etc. Increased payments will also be made to dependants of GAINS cases. - i Increased benefits for recipients of the General Welfare Assistance ad- ministered . • toy the municipalities are, for single persons $177.00, an °increase of $14.00; couples $300.00, an in- crease of $22.60; 2 adults and 1 child $349.00, an increase of $24,.001.•" 2 adults and`tiwo- children` $392.00, an increase of A Back to School allowance is also featured to ;ensure that the . portunities. Mothers on FBA will now have a work expenses exemption which W' tea vaury, by family, size, in addi n to the existing $100 exemption which FBA families are currently allowed to earn per . month before their benefit is reduced. New features to help and encourage mothers leaving assistance : for fulltime em- ployment will also be in- troduced. They are an ex- tension of limited benefits over three months, continuation of drug, dental did OHIP coV'erage for the first , few months of. employment and changes to help re-entry to the Family Benefits program if this becomes necessary for a period of up to one year. Changes to current programs will mean an increased benefit to the 50,000°Ontario Residents on family benefits and 358,000 Ontario Residents on General. Welfare . Assistance. These benefits will total $36.5 million for the fiscal year 1975-76. Opposition Members tried to persuade the Government to consider action to ensure that the auto Insurance industry would have to justify to a Provincial Government Commission, planned increases in rates, such as the 15 percent proposed for this summer, foilewirip " the .10 percent in- crease already put into effect e arlier this year. Liberal Leader Robert `Nixon said the Government has legislation on the books which would give it the power to roll beak' rates, but it has never been used. He said this ' power is' part - of- the Insurance Act, passed about 30 years ago and "initially put in as :a 'threat to make insurance companies knuckle under." Mr. Nixon also suggested public hearings be held into the requests for increased rates, and called for compulsory.auto insurance for all drivers. . Subsequent' to the recent .announcements made in the -budget legislation has been passed implementing a number of measures proposed by the Treasurer. Some of these in- clude - . Bill 28 - An Act to`, Provide for the Payment . of Grants--te First--T4me HonnettQ, buyers. This Act provides for • the making of grants to persons who. ,purchase or build for the first .time a home This P rogram will remain in effect until December 31st; .1975. The - Treasurer in his budget speech aid that this grant will cover new and used homesand apply egardless of the price of the home or the income of the urchaser. Bill 29 - An Act toauthorize the Raising of Money on the recut of. the Consolidated evenue Fund. Thislegislation u.thorizes • the Lieutenant overnor in Council to raise, om time to time, by, way of an, in any manner provided y The Financial dthinistration Act, such sums of money as are considered ecessary, not exceeding ,400,000,000. Bill 37 -.An Act tdiamend The arm Products Marketing Act. e (purpose of this legislation to provide for control'of the roduction of. • chicks-for- acement, eggs and, hatching ggs and the possession of fowl by means of a quota system. Bill 40 - An Act to provide for the Payment of Unconditional rants. This legislation con- lidates into one Act Tie unicipal Unconditional rants Act, 1974, The Regional Municipal- Grants Act and The operty Tax Stabilization Act, 73. Payments to . municipalities recognition of expenditures ✓ the provision of municipal lice services will be in- needs of school age children are • f • better met. This allowance consists of $25 per child up to 12 years of age and $50.00 per •s ' child 13 years and over. Itt is payable once a year and is r designed to help families 'meet.• the , added expenses at the P beginning of a new school year. The Province will also now assume the responsibility 'of C meeting the costs of eyeglasses R and hearing aids for FBA and a GA1NS-disabled cases. This G responsibilty was formerly at fr the' discretion of the to Municipality. b As of June, changes in-. the A program will be introduced to help mothers, receiving FBA to work part-time: These are, to $1 enable a FBA mother to retain more of her part-time earnings F - the earnings are averaged in over three months - especially is if they take ' advantage of P seas nal employment op- Pl Ontario facts Ontario has more farms than G any other province and most of so them are between 70 and 240 M acres in size. The lowlands of G the south are the most densely piS dTated and highly in-,- pr dustrialized area in Canada 19 and are also the , most agriculturally productive, With in the exception of the western,fo wheatlands. . po WATER DRILLING • Latest modern equipment Domestic - Industrial - Municipal Free Estimates You and your family deserve the best of water so„don't hesitate to call rr creased in 1975 from $15 to $8�per capita. Payments to regional municipalities, in recognition of expenditures for the provision of regional police services will be increased from $7 to $12 per capita. Changes have been made. to the general support grant provisions. Each municipality will receive a general support grant equal to 6 percent of its 1974 net general dollarlevy. The fixed mill rate dif- ferential of 15 percent between ' residential and farm assessment on the one hand, and comrhercial assessment on the other, will be standardized throughout the Province. In 1975, the impact of this change on residential taxpayers will be limited to, an increase of not more than 5 percent in residential property taxes. ' Bill`41 - An Act to amend the Municipal Act. The amend- ments to . the Municipal Act provide for the following: They delete the sections. in the Act . which outline the method of calculating the general purpose milt rates. The Differential between residential, farm and com- mercial mill rates will, be. . standardized at 15 percent across the province, and calculated in ,accordance "!if ith The . Ontario. Unconditional Grants Act, 1975. Payinents in lieu of taxation, underl section 304 will now be made in respect of certain previously exempt institutions such as provincial educational institutions, and agricultural research stations. Payments for the educational institutions, such as the schools for the , deaf and blind and agricultural colleges, such as the one in 'Ridgetown, will be calculated at $50 perstudent place. Payments for agricultural research stations will be calculated on an acreage4basis, as is currently done for provincial parks. This formula provides $5 • per acre for the .first 100 acres;. $2 per acre for the next 9900 acres and 50 cents an acre on the acreage in ex- cess of 10,000 acres, In addition,, the amendments delete the " limitation in the Act which o- restricted the payment under • Section 304, to no more than 25 percent of the net municipal, 'evyt There is a very good possibility that a Provincial election will be called in 'June. Several strong indications point to a June election. Both the election expense legislation and Riding :'Redistribution legi$lation were passed earlier this month - Premier Davis announced that Agriculture Minister,William Stewart and ' long-time party worker, Hugh MacCaulay are Tory Campaign co-chairmen, effective im- mediately - In the news release. announcing , the appointments'' the, Premiersaid that Tories across Ontario "clearly have'a responsibility to undertake every effort- to ensure maximum campaign, readiness in each riding of our province" - Premier Davis recently named Arthur Wishart to head the new Commission" on • Election Contributions , and Expenses. Mr: Wishart has already called a meeting of commission announce's their new extended serve 6;30 atm. to .12 rifidnight dilly AUT SALES le SERVICE + 'Vacuum cleaners + Washer -Spin Dryers available on easy terms ,.H1JICHINSON APPLIANCES TRADE INS ACCEPTED' 308 HURON RD.. 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