| Ontario Government to raise minimum wage
In response to extensive community advocacy and the recommendations of the Minimum Wage Panel earlier this week, the Ontario government has announced they will increase the minimum wage to $11/hour with annual increases pegged to inflation.
This is a significant step forward and an important recognition that wages need to be indexed to the cost of living. But at $11/hour the earnings of a full-time minimum wage worker will still be about 16% below the poverty line. The government will have to bring in legislation to implement the indexation plan, and if there is a spring election there is a risk that the legislation may not get passed in time. Minimum wage could be an election issue in Ontario.
We encourage you to keep the press on by getting petitions signed and delivered/mailed to your MPP. Here's what your centre can do:
- Endorse the campaign
- Organize a petition drive in your centre by collecting signatures on the petition - English French
- Set up a meeting with your MPP for February to present all your signed petitions and request that he/she table them in the Legislature.
- Send and email to the Premier at www.raisetheminimumwage.ca
- Visit the Facebook page 'Million Reasons Why?' "like" and add your comments with a reason why we need fair wages.
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Submit your session proposal for Prevent More to Treat Less | Public Health and Primary Health Care Conference
For the first time, Public Health and Primary Health Care will be hosting a joint conference focused on the shared vision of promoting the best possible health and wellbeing for everyone living in Ontario.
This ground breaking conference will take place June 4 & 5, 2014 at the Sheraton Parkway Toronto North. It will include inspiring presentations, panel discussions, learning and networking sessions that will enable representatives from both sectors to learn from each other and share best collaborative practices on shared priorities.
Online submissions will be accepted until Friday, February 7th.
Visit PreventMoreToTreatLess.ca to submit a session proposal.
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Input to Ontario Budget 2014
AOHC has provided our views on what we would like to see in the spring budget.
Read our submission
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Community Health Ontario launches Integration Resources
Community Health Ontario - an alliance between the Association of Ontario Health Centres, the Ontario Community Support Association and Addictions and Mental Health Ontario - together with Canadian Mental Health Association Ontario have developed a new resource to support organizations, agencies and people navigate integration to achieve meaningful outcomes.
Check out www.integrationresources.ca and share the resource with your network. A valuable feature is the ability for partners in the mental health and addictions sector to upload relevant and useful materials to the website so that others can learn from shared experiences.
Upcoming webinar
To help guide you through the site and demonstrate the ease of submitting a resource, a webinar will take place on February 20, 2014.
More information
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Coalition for Healthy Francophone Communities in Scarborough to launch at TAIBU
French speakers in Scarborough can make their needs for health care known through a new group that will be created this Thursday, January 30 at TAIBU Community Health Centre.
Terms of reference for the Coalitions for Healthy Francophone Communities in Scarborough will be signed in a ceremony between 1 and 2 p.m. at the CHC on Tapscott Road.
Francophone clients of TAIBU and Francois Boileau, Ontairo's French language services commissioner, are scheduled to speak.
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Allison Fisher receives Order of Ontario
 Allison Fisher, Executive Director of Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health, received the Order of Ontario last Thursday along with 24 other recipients.
The honour was presented by Lieutenant Governor David Onley following recommendations from the public, recognizing achievements in the arts, health care, politics, business, philanthropy and other fields.
The Order of Ontario originated in 1986 to recognize the outstanding achievements made by the people living in Ontario. |
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New Healthy Kids initiative
AOHC CEO Adrianna Tetley was in attendance on January 24th when the government launched the Healthy Kids Community Challenge. This is a great new initiative that reflects an upstream focus to promote community health and wellbeing. Municipalities, AHACs and Aboriginal CHCs can apply before March 14, 2014, for funding to develop and implement community programs that promote healthy habits.
More information |
Laureen Harper tours mental health clinic at Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health
As a prelude to Bell Let's Talk Day, Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health invited Laureen Harper, wife of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, to tour the facility on Monday to learn how the 2012 funding from Bell's Lets Talk Community Fund has helped Aboriginal youth.
Continue reading
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Survey on Minister's Medals recognition program
In 2013 the Minister's Medal recognition program was launched. The program received a tremendous response from the field with 140 applications submitted from across the province.
To improve and inform the development process for the 2014 program, a survey has been developed to evaluate the inaugural Minister's Medal and to gain further insight into how the program can be improved going forward.
Complete the survey
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Accessibility and Model of Health and Wellbeing Workshops
AOHC is offering its member centres the opportunity to participate in a free ½-day workshop exploring the relationship between our Model of Health and Wellbeing, the AODA (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act), and ways to improve access and communication for clients with various disabilities.
Click on dates below for more information
Monday, February 10 - Windsor
Friday, February 28 - Kingston
Friday, March 7 - Toronto
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| Conferences and workshops |
