Poverty in Toronto

[Andit]

Ads on TV, the radio, the internet, billboards, signs everywhere I've gone today. I am so sick and tired of being accosted at every turn by someone wanting me to give money to help the "poor" in Toronto. Grrr. AFAIC, there is no such thing as poverty in Toronto.

I grew up hearing stories about life during WWII. Trust me, the so-called poor in Toronto are not running out of their homes, fighting with their neighbours to cut a piece of roadkill, so their child can have protein for the first time in months. No one is living under a bridge cause their home was razed to the ground by bombs. And no one is eating cornmeal for breakfast, lunch and dinner, cause there is no other food to be found anywhere in the city, and even if there were, deflation has made whatever money you have worthless.

After housing costs, I have a little over $100 to spend on phone, internet, travel, food, contingencies. And I am not starving. Nor are my pets deprived of food or veterinary care. Thanks to coupons, smart shopping, planning, I live a decent enough life. I even help out a couple of folks in worse financial shape than me (they don't consider themselves poor either) by bringing them meals and treats. No, I can't afford designer clothes, or the latest gadget, or eating at the most expensive restaurants in town (heck, even fast food is a special once a month treat), but that is not important. On good days (when my health allows), I go out and volunteer - I have entertainment, get to meet new people and can feel good about helping out and doing something productive. All in all, I am quite happy. Then again, so were the folks who went through real hardship in the examples above. Though I guess the happiest ones are the ones making tons of money on the poverty industry (just check the CRA website for any charity and you'll be just as much of a cynic as me).

Grrr. Bah humbug.

Thanks for letting me rant.

[Shwa Girl]

I am so sick and tired of being accosted at every turn by someone wanting me to give money to help the "poor" in Toronto. Grrr. AFAIC, there is no such thing as poverty in Toronto.

No. You don't have to give

[Shwa Girl]

Poverty, Housing and Homelessness in Toronto

City of Toronto
Figure cited are latest available as of March 2013.

Number of low-income people: 604,048
Percentage of low-income people aged 15 and over who work: 43%
Most common low-income jobs: clerical, driving, retail and sales, food and beverage services
Low-income people are most likely: visible minorities, recent immigrants and single parents
Percentage of children ages 14 and under who are low-income: 32%
Percentage of low-income families who live in aging highrise rental apartments: 43%
Ratio of households living in housing that is too small, needs repairs or is unaffordable: 1 in 5
Percentage of these households that rent: 70%
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,010
Annual income needed to afford a one-bedroom apartment: $40,400
Percentage of single parents who earn less than that: 55%
Percentage of couples who earn less than that: 31%
Percentage of singles who earn less than that: 69%
Annual income of a low-income family with two adults and two children: less than $38,610
Annual income of a low-income adult: less than $20,778
Total income for a full-time employee making minimum wage: $19,490
Annual amount for a single person receiving Ontario Disability Support Program: $12,900
Monthly shelter allowance of Ontario Disability Support Program: $479
Annual amount for a single person receiving Ontario Works: $7,272
Monthly shelter allowance of Ontario Works: $376
Percentage of Ontario Works' Beneficiaries who are renters: 96%
Percentage who live in rent subsidized housing: 13%
Number of times people accessed food banks in 2012: 946,000

Poverty, Housing and Homelessness in Toronto
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Page 2

Figures cited are the latest available as of March 2013.
Median monthly income of people accessing food banks in 2012: $691
Percentage of adult food bank clients who gave up a meal to pay rent: 32%
Money left over per day for the average food bank client, after paying rent: $5.83
Number of private apartments available for rent in October 2012: 7,696 out of 256,547 (3%)
Number of new rental homes built in 2012: 1,742 out of 12,549 (14%)
Number of people on the social housing wait list: 161,266
Increase from 2011 to 2012: 8,302
Average time a family waits for an affordable home in Toronto: 6.4 years
Number of times people relied on rent banks to avoid eviction in 2011: 804
Number of social housing homes: 94,520
Number of families on the social housing waiting list: 87,303
Number of these families housed in 2012: 3,890 (4%)
Number of supportive housing homes for people experiencing mental illness: 4,343
Number of people on the supportive housing wait list: 3,195
Estimated number of people who were homeless in April 2009: 5,086
People who are homeless may often be: victims of violence, children, families, new immigrants, refugees
and Aboriginal people
Average time a person is homeless: 3 years
Proportion of single men who are homeless when released from jail: 1 in 3
Number of City-administered permanent shelter beds available in 2013: 3,836
Average nightly occupancy rate of emergency shelters: 96%
Proportion of homeless people who want permanent housing: 9 out of 10

[theo44]

Yes, it can be annoying.

[toronto166]

Wow Shwa Girl, that was quite the eye-opener. Sad, that's all I have to say.

[Shwa Girl]

nm

[abbasgirl]

Certainly there are people in Canada who struggle a great deal. But I think Andit has a point, and your video proves it quite nicely, Shwa Girl. Poor people in Canada have flat screen TVs and community resources they can turn to. In other areas of the world, to be poor means to have NOTHING.

[Ciel]

Time, talent or treasure-these are the resources one can share with the community when volunteering.

Five organizations have people asking the exiting customers to donate? That's a scrum and I find it hard being asked at checkouts to donate to whatever cause at the moment the staff have to ask me to contribute to. It might be wise to use the store survey opportunities to ask stores to see if they can either rotate who gets to ask customers on a given day or just tell them to stop aggravating customers leaving the stores.

Poverty exists in many ways--in urban areas, one may not own their own residence nor have a yard to plant a garden or to hang a clothesline to dry clothing, so food and laundry will require money. It's hard to keep a chin up if it seems like others have more food or supports or clothing or family than you do or you hear others talking more about negative things than positive things. Or if society's members keep telling you don't deserve your humanity because of poverty. Empathy is not a roaring commodity in peer groups. When it does faintly glimmer in a time of need, that empathy becomes an important remembrance. It's not doled out generously.

My relatives who were children/tweens during WWII in Europe may not have just had limited clothing or money but also had to help with farm chores, likely try to get their share of food when there were many other siblings at home, and possibly have to contend with adults in positions of authority who could make lives very difficult by saying a parent was a traitor or doing something suspicious. Let me say there are some causes one does not ask such relatives to donate to because it will just lead to stories of how tough life was in their youth.

[Midnightly]

i completely understand where your coming from, i have the same issue where i'm located, you can't stop at a street light without a person waving a sign with their hand out hoping for money, i cannot walk through the downtown core without passing multiple people with signs and asking "spare any change" some are polite.. but every once and awhile you come across one person who is rather rude.. i've even been approached by strangers in grocery store parking lots trying to hit me up for change

it comes to the point where i avoid eye contact with strangers because of it (instead of the polite smile and nod)


i will say though i do donate on occasion to causes and food drives but i don't like feeling followed or pushed or guilted into it

[Andit]

Thanks, Shwa Girl, for the stats.

I've added some comments in blue.

Poverty, Housing and Homelessness in Toronto

City of Toronto
Figure cited are latest available as of March 2013.

Number of low-income people: 604,048
But what constitutes low-income? Various groups have thrown different numbers around, but I never see much of a consensus on this.


{I've snipped the portions that don't directly impact me or that I know nothing about}


Ratio of households living in housing that is too small...
Before she married my Dad, my Mom lived in a 3 room house (bedroom/living room, kitchen/dining room and bathroom). She had to share a sofa bed with her younger sister and slept in the same room as their parents...until she was 30. Just sayin'.


Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,010
That's roughly what it costs me to live where I do.


Annual income needed to afford a one-bedroom apartment: $40,400
This is simply not true. I live a comfortable lifestyle on 12,900 (see below). I know people raising kids on one income who make considerably less than $40K (one family is living happily on $25K, but they don't have any of the latest gadgets, tho they do have cable).


Annual amount for a single person receiving Ontario Disability Support Program: $12,900
This is my situation, thanks to malfunctioning organs and some fun side effects.


Monthly shelter allowance of Ontario Disability Support Program: $479
If this were proportionate to the amount I pay for housing, I would have $500ish left for all other things each month. I would have a very cushy lifestyle then.


Money left over per day for the average food bank client, after paying rent: $5.83
Doesn't sound like much, until you realize that that is an average of $150/month. I don't spend anywhere near $150/month on necessities.

[Andit]

Time, talent or treasure-these are the resources one can share with the community when volunteering.

AFAIC, *everyone* has something they can share to help and all folks are capable of volunteering in some form or another. When I was quite weak while on dialysis, I would dig for info for a small charity I was involved with. It was based on whenever I had energy to do so - 3am or 3pm, didn't matter.

Five organizations have people asking the exiting customers to donate? That's a scrum and I find it hard being asked at checkouts to donate to whatever cause at the moment the staff have to ask me to contribute to. It might be wise to use the store survey opportunities to ask stores to see if they can either rotate who gets to ask customers on a given day or just tell them to stop aggravating customers leaving the stores.

Did that. Also asked them to call security to deal with individuals who found it convenient to hit up folks leaving the store a few steps from the doors.

Poverty exists in many ways--in urban areas, one may not own their own residence nor have a yard to plant a garden or to hang a clothesline to dry clothing, so food and laundry will require money. It's hard to keep a chin up if it seems like others have more food or supports or clothing or family than you do or you hear others talking more about negative things than positive things. Or if society's members keep telling you don't deserve your humanity because of poverty. Empathy is not a roaring commodity in peer groups. When it does faintly glimmer in a time of need, that empathy becomes an important remembrance. It's not doled out generously.

I've had quite the opposite experience regarding empathy. I do get my back up, however, when the constant cry of poverty sounds like self-entitlement. And we won't even get into how much money charities are making off the good graces of folks who donate to help the less fortunate.

My relatives who were children/tweens during WWII in Europe may not have just had limited clothing or money but also had to help with farm chores, likely try to get their share of food when there were many other siblings at home, and possibly have to contend with adults in positions of authority who could make lives very difficult by saying a parent was a traitor or doing something suspicious. Let me say there are some causes one does not ask such relatives to donate to because it will just lead to stories of how tough life was in their youth.

But, see, that's the problem. We live in a society where folks are comfortable. Here in Toronto, people really don't understand what hardship is. There are so many resources, so many opportunities, there is no earthly reason folks can't help themselves. And for anyone who has gone through real trials, someone with luxury items who whines about how little they have is like a slap in the face. I have a flat screen TV, a DVD player, a computer, internet, etc. I would never in a million years dream of complaining about my lot in life. Just cause my neighbours have a lot more than I do in terms of material things, doesn't make me any less of a person. And I have a lot more now than I had when growing up (refugee parent taken advantage of here which led to lots of debt, long story). And even then, we had a lot more than my parents did when they were growing up.

If anyone is that insecure that they have to keep up with the Jones, or that they want more more more, no amount of money will solve their issues. Prince or pauper, they will always have that. And I go back to the charities that prey on good-hearted individuals who think they're doing a good deed by helping the "less fortunate". Everyone is less fortunate than someone else, whether due to finances or family or health. It's all relative. I'm just sick of being made to feel like I'm living in the middle of some sort of Dickensian town.

Sorry, didn't mean to hijack your post.

[Andit]

Thank you, everyone, for responding. I was just having a frustrating day.

[lecale]

.

[ticul]

Poverty is a serious problem that is getting worse and that is very, very sad....................................

[Andit]

As for "no earthly reason why people can't help themselves", consider, some people have intellectual difficulties that mean they cannot work and they cannot do all sorts of neat SC style tricks to save money. They just don't have the ability. Others may have mental health issues from trauma, drugs or alcohol, heck, even first hand experiences of war and seeking refugee status in Canada but no experience with Canadian culture. Most don't have family to turn to. It's not that these people will never be able to help themselves, just that they need a lot of help now to make it.

Here in Toronto, there are so many resources (mostly govt funded) to help these folks. And yet, all we hear is how there are so many poor, destitute folks who have no food. My biggest issue is the charities have turned so-called poverty into a cottage industry. I was invited to a concert recently, a benefit for a certain charity I later found out (in the end I declined the invite). Supposedly the charity does outreach work for folks who are marginalized and unable to do things for themselves, their mandate has nothing to do with having folks come to them, it's all remote access to help others. So...why is it that 25% of their funding is going to pay for office space in the toniest address in Toronto? And they are not the only charity that does more for their CEO and staff than the folks they're purporting to help. The largest charities are quite blatant about it. The Salvation Army has (had?) a stellar reputation once upon a time. I wouldn't touch them with a 10ft pole, at least not the Toronto chapter - between having staff steal $ and donations, to hiring lobbyists to get bylaws repealed so they can build whatever they want wherever, it seems they've forgotten their mandate to help those in need. Unless, those in need are now working for them.