Thanksgiving is a time when many of us gather with family and friends, share a meal and reflect on what we're thankful for. But not everyone has that opportunity. Some are struggling to afford groceries, others depend on food banks, and some don't have a home to return to.

We often debate government spending and the need to control taxes. But there's another question we should ask: What does it cost taxpayers when people cannot afford the basic necessities of life?

A conversation that got me thinking

Earlier this week, I sat down for breakfast with fellow municipal candidate Princess Peace. Our conversation turned to Ontario Works (OW) and the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP), and whether people can survive on the assistance they receive.

That conversation prompted me to look more closely at the numbers, and at what financial hardship may be costing our community.

Could you survive on $343 a month?

According to the Income Security Advocacy Centre's July 2026 rate chart, a single adult receiving Ontario Works gets $343 per month for basic needs and up to $390 for eligible shelter expenses, for a maximum of $733 per month.

That $343 is intended to help cover food, clothing, personal hygiene and other everyday necessities. Ontario Works rates have not increased since 2018, despite eight years of rising living costs.

And what happens if someone is homeless? Shelter assistance generally depends on eligible housing expenses. Without qualifying shelter costs, a person may receive only the $343 basic-needs allowance.

How can someone save enough for a room or get back on their feet when they're struggling just to afford food?

Consider a parent who previously earned a good income but suffers an injury outside the workplace. They cannot work, do not qualify for WSIB, and disability insurance is unavailable or delayed. Savings shrink, but the bills continue. Depending on their circumstances and eligibility, Ontario Works may become one of their few remaining options. Financial hardship can arrive faster than many people realize.

What about people living with disabilities?

For a single adult receiving ODSP, the July 2026 maximum is $825 per month for basic needs and up to $611 for shelter — a combined maximum of $1,436 per month.

That's $17,232 a year for someone receiving the full amount throughout the year.

Unlike Ontario Works, ODSP has received inflation-related increases in recent years. But that does not mean the payments cover the cost of living. Consider the price of renting an apartment, or even a room, in Norfolk County. After rent, what remains for groceries, utilities, transportation and everyday expenses?

Could you live independently on $1,436 a month?

When people cannot afford the basics, the costs do not disappear

When people cannot afford groceries, they may rely on food banks. Poor nutrition can affect health. When people lose their housing, municipalities and community agencies provide emergency accommodation, outreach and other supports. Those circumstances can also increase demands on healthcare and emergency services.

Low assistance rates are not the only cause of homelessness. The shortage of affordable housing, mental health concerns, addictions and other circumstances also matter. But inadequate income is part of the problem.

The Province sets OW and ODSP benefit rates. Municipalities help deliver services and respond to some of the consequences when people cannot meet their basic needs.

Are we saving money in one government budget only to create additional expenses somewhere else?

What are we spending in Haldimand and Norfolk?

I reviewed Norfolk County's draft 2026 Levy Operating Budget. Across Haldimand and Norfolk, the Ontario Works budget identifies:

  • $4.43 million for administration;
  • $17.68 million in direct client benefits, funded provincially; and
  • $2.48 million in municipal net levy funding, including approximately $1.43 million from Norfolk.

Housing and Homelessness Services has another $8.10 million in departmental expenditures and requires approximately $2.41 million in municipal levy funding.

Combined, Ontario Works and Housing and Homelessness Services require approximately $4.89 million in municipal property-tax funding. Norfolk's share is approximately $3.27 million.

These are different programs with different funding arrangements. The figures do not mean that every dollar spent is caused by inadequate income assistance, nor that necessary administration could simply be eliminated.

But they show that significant public money is already being spent supporting people facing hardship. Could better income support prevent some of the crises these services are asked to address?

Demand is growing. Are we measuring results?

Ontario Works caseloads across Haldimand and Norfolk rose from approximately 1,332 benefit units in 2023 to 1,511 in 2024. The County projected approximately 1,640 by the end of 2025 — roughly 23% above the 2023 figure.

The housing budget projected that homelessness-prevention services would support approximately 1,200 individuals and families in 2025.

County staff also identified limitations in collecting and using data to measure homelessness-service outcomes. That should concern us. If we spend millions on prevention, we need to know what works.

What does it cost to prevent an eviction compared with emergency accommodation after someone loses their home? How many households remain housed? How many people move into permanent housing?

I cannot claim that higher OW or ODSP rates would automatically save municipalities a particular amount. That requires evidence. But shouldn't we investigate whether prevention costs less than repeatedly responding to crises?

There's only one taxpayer

Governments debate which level should pay for which service, but ultimately much of that funding comes from the same taxpayers.

Ontario has assumed responsibility for Toronto's Gardiner Expressway and Don Valley Parkway. It is advancing the Bradford Bypass and has examined the possibility of a tunnel beneath Highway 401.

Transportation infrastructure matters. But while governments consider projects costing billions, people are struggling to afford food and shelter. Shouldn't we give the financial and social costs of poverty the same serious attention?

Collaboration, not conflict

Over the weekend at the fair, I had an opportunity to discuss this issue with our independent MPP, Bobbi Ann Brady, another council candidate and a former mayor. I shared what I'd been researching and listened to their perspectives.

We do not have to agree on everything to discuss challenges facing our community. I also want to thank Princess Peace for the breakfast conversation that inspired this research.

What would I do as Mayor?

As Mayor, I would work with our independent MPP, Bobbi Ann Brady, to advocate for meaningful improvements to OW and ODSP. I would also support a motion before Norfolk County Council asking the Province to review assistance rates and examine whether better income support could reduce financial pressures on municipalities.

Locally, I would push for better reporting on homelessness-prevention outcomes so Council can identify which approaches work and make informed spending decisions.

Good financial management is not simply about spending less today. It is about understanding what today's decisions will cost tomorrow.

This Thanksgiving, let's remember those struggling to meet their basic needs. The question is not simply whether we can afford to help people. It is whether we can afford to keep dealing with the consequences when we do not.

Sources

Income Security Advocacy Centre, OW and ODSP rates, July 2026.

Norfolk County, Draft 2026 Levy Operating Budget, Ontario Works and Housing and Homelessness Services sections.

Financial figures are from the draft budget; benefit amounts depend on individual eligibility and circumstances.

Authorized by Noel Haydt, Candidate for Mayor.