Legal Assistance of Windsor is working with community partners to fight the provincial government's plan to cancel the Transition Child Benefit.
the benefit is payable to low income parents who do not receive the Ontario Child Benefit or the Canada Child Benefit.
The benefit is paid to parents on social assistance who have had a newborn child and have not received the Canada Child Benefits, or where parents have not filed income tax returns, or for parents who are refugee claimants, or applicants for permanent resident status.
“This benefit is a lifeline to parents which provides critical income to clothe, put food on the table and maintain housing for impoverished children," said Marion Overholt, the Executive Director of the Legal Assistance of Windsor.
Currently, parents can receive a maximum of $230 per child, per month.
"Our community agencies and local government do not have the financial means to replace this benefit," adds Overholt.
Overholt says they will go to city council to seek support for their resolution to ask the Ontario government to rescind its decision to cancel the benefit in November.
"This is an important opportunity to speak up to support the health and well-being of children in our community," adds Overholt.