Provincial Budget 2012: Why Harm the Vulnerable on the Road to Reform?

The 2012 Ontario Provincial Budget was released Tuesday March 27, 2012.  The Ontario Nonprofit Network (ONN) recognizes the significant fiscal pressures faced by the provincial government and finds reasons to be optimistic about some of the proposed plans for reforming policies, delivery and investments in public-benefit programs and services. We are, however, disappointed with the elements of the budget that affect that most vulnerable in communities across Ontario in a negative way.

Having made several concrete suggestions to the Commission on the Reform of Public Services, ONN takes a principled and pro-active approach to public-benefit program and service reform, which involves the following:

• A careful and constructive examination of revenue generation to help the government achieve its fiscal objectives, which meets the principle of “Do No Harm” for those most in need of public-benefit services;
• Meaningful partnerships between the third sector and the provincial government;
• No privatization of public-benefit programs and publicly-held assets; and,
• Modernization of the government-sector investment relationship.

The Provincial Budget 2012 provides some positive ideas on public-benefit reform and partnership involving the sector, and we are optimistic that actions will follow the policy directives outlined. But some of the measures taken against the most vulnerable fail to meet the principle of “Do No Harm,” with Social Assistance recipients and their families being particularly hard hit, for example.

Moreover, the budget could have attained even greater savings towards the goal of fiscal balance by modestly increasing the marginal tax rate of Ontarians with earnings of $250,000 or greater in income.  A 2% tax increase to Ontarians with these earnings would have been much easier to absorb than the current budget’s actions on the poorest and most vulnerable in our province.  

How Does the Provincial Budget Affect You and Your Sector?

We want to hear from you about the ways in which the Provincial Budget 2012 has made an impact on your organization and your sector.  Visit our webpage, Provincial Budget Watch: What Others are Saying to find out what other nonprofits and community organizations are saying about the provincial budget. Please send your feedback and suggestions to Kim.

Network Builders: Des
igning the Right Structures and Processes to Make it Work  

Offered by the Ontario Volunteer Centre’s Network (OVCN) in partnership with ONN and sponsored by Ontario Trillium Foundation.

Presenter: Linda Mollenhauer, Mollenhauer Consulting.

Target audiences: 

1.  Nonprofit organizations who are: a) currently in a network or collaboration and are wanting to ensure they have taken the appropriate steps to build their structure and processes; and, b) exploring or just establishing a network or collaboration and want to take the right steps forward.

2.  Funders, intermediaries and capacity builders: funders, including foundations, corporations, governments, United Ways, intermediaries and capacity builders, who are supporting networks/collaborations and want to learn about the key decisions points which non-profit organizations face.

Description: 

With today’s complexity of issues and the pressure to work smarter, not harder, non-profit organizations are increasingly building networks or collaborations as a way to weave together and create capacities that get better leverage and results. But the key challenge for many network and collaboration builders is to ensure they are designing a network that will work effectively. Typical organizational structures and processes don’t work the same way for networks.

This webinar will help non-profit Board, management or staff members or funders and capacity builders to understand the critical choices and decisions required to put the right structure and processes in place. It will be of interested to those who are just establishing a network or collaboration and want to understand the building blocks or those who already have an established one, but want to ensure it’s built on solid foundations. You will learn about the important steps of finding unifying purpose, identifying members, choosing the organizational and governance structure and getting the work done. As well, you’ll have the opportunity to share your own experiences and hear from others. Spaces will be limited.

Dates: 

• March 30, 2012, 12-1:30pm (EST)  Cost: Free. Register Here (Spaces left)
• April 25, 2012, 12-1:30pm (EST)  Cost:  Free.  Register Here (Spaces left)

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Webinar: Understanding the New Ontario Not-For-Profit Corporations Act (Bill 65)