2024 annual report: Poverty Reduction Strategy

Minister’s message

Our government is working to lift people out of poverty and build a province where no one is left behind.

We are making life more affordable for Ontarians by helping to lower everyday costs, giving more support to people with disabilities, women, Veterans and seniors and protecting the value of people’s earnings.

Lifting people out of poverty, including everyone facing barriers to employment, requires investments in programs that build their skills and help set them on the path of economic independence through rewarding and well-paying jobs.

As we step into an ever-shifting landscape of geopolitics and trade relationships, continuing to support workers’ career success and maintaining a skilled workforce will be critical for Ontario’s economic health and resilience.

This is why we continued to invest in the Skills Development Fund Training Stream. The 2024 Budget included an additional $260 million in programs to connect workers with training, and to help them find jobs in key sectors like mining, skilled trades and energy.

The fund helps support more than 90,000 workers, including people facing additional barriers to employment, racialized groups, people with disabilities and Indigenous people.

And we know that these investments are working. Last year we saw the highest number of people in Ontario leave social assistance for employment since 2020, with almost 35,000 cases transitioning to employment.

Our government continued to make investments in infrastructure, training and other initiatives that strengthen Indigenous businesses and economies.

The 2024 Budget included $9.2 million in funding through the Indigenous Economic Development Fund and the Indigenous Community Capital Grants Program. The programs help support 48 initiatives across the province, including projects to help build business and community centres, as well as learning facilities.

And to further promote women’s economic security and increase their financial independence, we continued to help more women to get into the skilled trades sector and supported entrepreneurship pathways.

Last year we expanded investments in the Women’s Economic Security Program to support 25 programs across the province that provide training to help women gain the skills, knowledge, and experience they need to find a job, start a business and achieve financial independence.

Building on our work to support Veterans and members of the Canadian Armed Forces, we have increased financial support for Veterans through the Soldiers’ Aid Commission from $2,000 to $3,000 over a 12-month period.

We also announced a $3 million investment over three years in Helmets to Hardhats Canada to help active and former Canadian Armed Forces members with the transition to civilian life by training them for careers in the construction sector.

We know that Ontarians continue to struggle with the rising cost of living. This is why the 2024 Budget included measures to help make life more affordable for people, ending double fares in transit systems, cutting gas and fuel taxes, and making more Ontarians eligible for the Ontario Electricity Support Program. Our government provided a $200 taxpayer rebate for eligible individuals and their children to help with the cost of living.

We also continued to work to safeguard entry-level workers’ earnings from the effects of inflation by raising minimum wage to $17.20 an hour.

Our government recognizes the importance of helping people with affordability, including people with disabilities. That’s why we raised income support from the Ontario Disability Support Program last July by 4.5 per cent along with Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities by the same rate. This brings the total increases to the programs to 17 per cent in two years.

The 2024 Budget also expanded Ontario’s Guaranteed Annual Income System (GAINS) program and indexed the benefit to inflation, to help up to 100,000 more seniors receive GAINS payments.

While the measures implemented this past year are helping support many people across the province, we know that there’s more work to be done to improve people’s economic opportunity and strengthen our province.

We are grateful for Indigenous partners, community organizations and all levels of government for their ongoing support. Together, we will continue to work to lift people up, support communities and protect Ontario.

Michael Parsa
Minister of Children, Community and Social Services

Introduction

As Ontario reaches the conclusion of its current poverty reduction strategy, Building a Strong Foundation for Success: Reducing Poverty in Ontario (2020–2025), the government remains committed to supporting vulnerable populations, strengthening the economy, and creating better jobs with higher wages, all while managing costs for families and businesses.

Since 2020, the poverty reduction strategy has operated through cross-government initiatives under four key pillars: encouraging job creation, connecting people with the right supports and services, making life more affordable and building financial resilience, and accelerating action and driving progress.

Launched during the pandemic and amidst shifting geopolitical dynamics, the strategy aimed to address the challenges posed by the pandemic in an increasingly complex world. In the past five years, Ontario made critical investments focused on stability, affordability and long-term recovery.

These included efforts to reskill and upskill Ontarians for in-demand jobs; to provide programs, services and supports to vulnerable populations; and to make significant investments in health care and infrastructure including roads, highways, hospitals, housing, and schools. These actions, combined with immediate relief for families, align with the province’s ongoing commitment to poverty reduction. Together, they form a comprehensive plan to reduce poverty, keep costs down, strengthen economic resilience and build a bright future for all Ontarians.

The 2024 Annual Report highlights the government’s continued focus on affordability and financial resilience as key priorities for socio-economic stability. Efforts to connect jobseekers with employers in high-demand sectors like manufacturing, construction, and health care have been supported by increased investments in integrated employment services. Significant investments in skills development programs have also played a key role in reskilling and upskilling Ontarians.

The province continues to make progress toward the strategy’s target, with some indicators showing improvement. In 2024, the number of households that exited social assistance to employment increased to 34,994, up from 28,599 in 2023.

In addition, Ontario has made substantial investments in initiatives to strengthen financial resilience, including extending temporary relief measures such as tax cuts on gas and fuel rates to keep costs low for drivers. The government has also increased support for the Ontario Disability Support Program, raised the minimum wage, and expanded tax and rebate programs—all aimed at alleviating financial burdens and promoting economic well-being for Ontarians.

2024 context in Ontario

In 2024, the province strengthened its efforts to build a thriving Ontario by expanding investments in economic relief, health and well-being, workforce development, and community partnerships. More than $500 million was allocated to enhance skills training, improve job opportunities, and increase support for key sectors. Additionally, there were increased investments aimed at improving financial resilience and making the cost of living more affordable for all Ontarians, particularly for priority groups.

Despite continued economic and geopolitical uncertainties, Ontario continues to take bold and decisive actions to address the rising cost of living, high rates of inflation, growing complexity of physical and mental health needs, and a changing labour market.

Progress on the Poverty Reduction Strategy pillars

The Ontario government continued to advance its poverty reduction strategy in 2024, focusing on four key pillars to lift people out of poverty and promote financial independence. Through targeted investments, innovative programs, and legislative measures, the strategy provides Ontarians with the skills and opportunities needed to secure and sustain meaningful employment.

Pillar one: encouraging job creation and connecting people to employment

The government is supporting the creation of new jobs and connecting people to meaningful employment within in-demand sectors, meeting the needs of local job markets. These initiatives will remove employment barriers for Ontarians and provide targeted supports for priority groups, while enhancing employment and skilled trades opportunities.

Expanding Integrated Employment Services

Ontario continues to transform employment services. For example, Ontario is supporting more streamlined and outcomes-focused employment services that are available across all regions of the province. This commitment includes expanding skills development training, creating job opportunities, and connecting individuals to meaningful employment.

The Ontario government has been expanding the province’s Integrated Employment Services to help connect jobseekers, including those on social assistance and people with disabilities, to rewarding careers. In early 2024, planning began for the final expansion of the province’s Employment Services Transformation so that integrated, streamlined and outcomes-oriented employment services can be delivered by local Service System Managers across the province. The full implementation of the integrated employment services was completed in March 2025. This is when the services expanded to the geographic areas of Toronto as well as, northeastern and northwestern Ontario — the final three of the 15 areas to undergo Employment Services Transformation. More than 265,000 people have been supported to find a path to employment through Ontario’s integrated employment services.

Enhancing skills for better employment outcomes

To address Ontario's evolving labour needs and foster long-term economic growth, the provincial government continues to invest in workforce development through targeted funding and innovative programs. These initiatives aim to equip Ontarians with the skills and training required to thrive in high-demand sectors, from skilled trades to emerging industries, while also focusing on supporting individuals facing employment barriers. By fostering a more resilient and inclusive workforce, Ontario is building a foundation for a more competitive economy.

The Skills Development Fund (SDF) plays a key role in this effort. Under the SDF, the Training Stream provides funding to organizations for innovative projects that tackle challenges in hiring, training, or retaining workers, including apprentices. This stream addresses labour shortages, stimulates growth in key sectors, and strengthens Ontario's economic competitiveness by creating a sustainable, skilled workforce. It also supports individuals facing barriers to employment, such as people with disabilities, members of racialized groups, Indigenous people, and people with criminal records.

For 2024–25, the government invested an additional $260 million through the Training Stream to further address the province's skill shortage and connect Ontarians with high-paying jobs in their communities. This marks the largest funding round since the SDF’s launch in 2021, bringing Ontario's total investment to $1.4 billion. The SDF Training Stream will help more than 90,000 workers access training and upskilling for in-demand careers in sectors such as mining, skilled trades, and energy.

In addition, the SDF Capital Stream provides funding to eligible organizations to build new training centres, upgrade existing facilities, or convert buildings into training spaces. These centres focus on training individuals for jobs in critical sectors that are facing recruitment challenges, such as the skilled trades, health care, and information technology. The second funding round, launched in November 2024, allocated more than $74 million to expand and retrofit training facilities for workers.

Some notable projects funded through both SDF streams include:

• $26 million to build a new training centre for LiUNA 183, which will expand its capacity to train nearly 50,000 additional civil and residential workers, doubling its current capacity to nearly 100,000. The project includes building a new industrial workshop, classrooms for hands-on and in-class training, and renovating the union hall.
• $17 million to partner with First Nations, unions, employers, and community organizations to address skill shortages in the north. The funding will train more than 36,000 workers, including Indigenous people, for jobs in mining, construction, energy, and forestry, while also building new training facilities.
• $10 million in partnership with Ontario Shipyards Inc. to train and upskill workers for careers in Ontario's shipbuilding sector.
• $9 million to train approximately 2,300 workers in Windsor for careers in manufacturing and construction, including a $4.7 million investment to build a new training facility for local electrical workers.
• $7.3 million to fund three training projects in Milton, helping more than 700 workers and jobseekers prepare for careers in the skilled trades.
• $5 million in partnership with the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) to build a new crane training facility in Barrie, training more than 1,600 workers.
• $4 million to upgrade the SMART Local 47 training centre for sheet metal workers and expand their curriculum to include French-language materials, enabling them to train more than 500 additional workers over the next five years.
• $672,700 for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) to deliver a job readiness program in Niagara, supporting local apprentices and jobseekers.

These targeted investments help build a more resilient workforce by providing training and support to individuals facing employment barriers, creating pathways to long-term financial independence.

Employment supports for priority groups

Historically marginalized groups encounter additional barriers in entering the workforce and finding meaningful employment. Ontario remains committed to investing in programs that support underrepresented groups, including Black, Indigenous, and other racialized groups, as well as women, by providing access to career training, education programs, and entrepreneurship opportunities. These targeted efforts aim to create a more diverse workforce, enhance economic security, and break down barriers to success in high-demand sectors.

Ontario continues to empower Black Ontarians by helping Black youth and young professionals develop the skills needed to launch their careers in high-demand sectors such as the skilled trades, information technology, automotive, health, film and the arts. In 2024–25, the Ontario government invested $30.5 million in the Black Youth Action Plan (BYAP) to help address systemic, race-based disparities for Black children, youth, and families through an approach that promotes family well-being and strengthens pathways to school, including postsecondary education across various life stages.

Of this investment, $16.5 million is allocated to support the BYAP Economic Empowerment program to continue supporting community-based and culturally focused organizations that have been empowering Black children and families. The program aims to help Black youth acquire in-demand skills to launch their careers, gain experiences for career advancement, and access employment opportunities in high-growth sectors.

In addition to training opportunities, the government is improving access to education by investing $18.2 million annually in the Indigenous Student Success Fund for colleges and universities. This funding supports programs and services for Indigenous learners, offering a stable source of funding within the institutions for essential Indigenous student supports and Indigenous services offices.

To support entrepreneurship, the Ontario government is investing an additional $5 million in the Racialized and Indigenous Supports for Entrepreneurs (RAISE) program for 2024–25. This funding will provide free access to business coaching, training and grants for nearly 500 Indigenous, Black and other racialized entrepreneurs. This initiative is part of the government’s $15 million investment over three years to provide more than 1,400 entrepreneurs with the training and support to grow and scale successful small businesses.

Ontario continues to support and encourage more women to enter high-demand employment sectors. In 2024, the Ontario government expanded the Investing in Women’s Futures program by adding an additional site. This new location will deliver services to Francophone women and help more women facing social and economic barriers connect to supports and develop the skills they need to gain financial security and independence, bringing the total number of Investing in Women’s Futures locations to 34.

Originally launched in 2018, with additional federal investments in 2024–25, the Ontario government is committing up to $26.7 million over three years through the Women’s Economic Security Program to support 25 local programs across the province that offer career training opportunities for women. The program helps women gain the skills, knowledge, and experience needed to secure employment or start a business and achieve financial independence. This program provides pre-employment, pre-apprenticeship, and entrepreneurship training to low-income women, equipping them with the necessary skills for success.

In addition, Ontario continues to lead Canada in enhancing working conditions for women across various industries. The legislative and regulatory changes in the Working for Workers Five Act, announced in 2024, are designed to encourage more women to pursue careers in the trades. These changes include requiring menstrual products to be available on larger construction sites and mandating that all workplaces provide clean and sanitary washrooms, including records of cleaning — a first-in-Canada measure. The government has also updated workplace harassment policies to include protections against online harassment.

In December 2024, the Working for Workers Six Act received Royal Assent, building on the progress made by its five predecessors. This new legislation introduces first-in-Canada supports and stronger protections aimed at improving the safety and well-being of workers and their families, growing Ontario’s workforce, and reducing costs for both workers and businesses. Key measures include new parental and long-term illness leaves, expanded cancer coverage for firefighters, and significant investments through the Skills Development Fund to train more than one million workers for skilled trades and other in-demand jobs. The act also includes changes to Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) that will return more money to workers and businesses, along with tougher penalties for bad-actor employers, imposing mandatory minimum fines of $500,000 on corporations convicted of repeated violations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act within a two-year period.

Ontario is also supporting underrepresented groups to start or grow their own businesses in the agri-food sector. Starting 2024–25, the governments of Canada and Ontario through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership are investing up to $1.5 million in the new Agricultural Workforce Equity and Diversity Initiative to reduce barriers for underrepresented groups who are starting or building businesses in the sector. This initiative provides cost-share funding to organizations to support underrepresented groups to access space or equipment or obtain financing.

Preparing Ontarians to work in the skilled trades

To attract more people to the skilled trades, the Ontario government introduced new legislative measures in 2024 aimed at reducing barriers to apprenticeship training for individuals with prior professional experience. These changes include the creation of a new apprenticeship pathway and an online job-matching platform, both designed to promote the skilled trades and help guide individuals towards rewarding, well-paying careers as electricians, plumbers, carpenters, and other tradespeople.

Building on the success of the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP), Ontario launched a new initiative in 2024 called Focused Apprenticeship Skills Training (FAST). This program allows students in Grades 11 and 12 to gain additional apprenticeship experience through extra co-operative education credits while completing high school. Graduates of the program will receive a special seal on their Ontario Secondary School Diploma to acknowledge their successful completion of the program and their commitment to learning in the skilled trades.

Starting in 2024–25, the Ontario government is investing $3 million over three years in Helmets to Hardhats Canada to help 650 active and former Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members transition to civilian life by training them for careers in Ontario’s construction sector. This investment aims to address gaps in employment and training resources, while supporting the unique needs of military Veterans. The funding will also allow the organization to expand services to individuals with disabilities, addiction issues, homelessness, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), providing essential supports to help them overcome barriers to employment.

Supporting employment in the health care sector

The Ontario government is investing more than $100 million in two programs starting in 2024–25 to help train more than 32,000 new personal support workers (PSWs) and nurses for long-term care over the next three years. These investments are part of the government’s Your Health plan, which aims to recruit and retain tens of thousands of long-term care staff in the coming years. In December 2024, the government also announced an additional investment of nearly $17 million to further support students in completing placements in long-term care and gain additional skills.

Helping people start businesses

The government is also helping Ontarians of all ages start and grow their businesses. The government is investing $4.8 million over the next two years, beginning in 2024, to expand the Starter Company Plus program. This expansion will help an additional 500 entrepreneurs in launching or growing their businesses. Delivered through the province’s Small Business Enterprise Centres, the program offers entrepreneurs aged 18 and older one-on-one support, access to workshops, seminars, and networking events, as well as grants of up to $5,000 to help start or expand their businesses. Over the past five years, Starter Company Plus has supported more than 5,500 companies, leading to the creation of more than 6,300 jobs across Ontario. With this new investment, total funding for the program will increase to $6.5 million annually.

Ontario is also supporting students who want to start and grow their businesses. An additional investment of $1.5 million over two years beginning in 2024, supplements the existing annual amount of $1.6 million for the Summer Company Program, helping an additional 250 young people. The program provides students between the ages of 15 and 29 with at least 12 hours of business training, one‐on‐one mentoring and grants of up to $3,000 to start a full-time business. Over the past five years, the Summer Company Program, delivered through Small Business Enterprise Centres, has helped launch more than 1,700 businesses across Ontario.

In 2024, the Ontario government invested $2 million in Futurpreneur Canada, a non-profit organization that supports young entrepreneurs, to help more than 300 individuals start new businesses. This investment is expected to create approximately 1,200 new jobs, with a focus on rural and northern communities in Ontario. Futurpreneur Canada provides financing, mentorship, tools, and resources to aspiring business owners aged 18–39 through its flagship Core Startup Program. This program offers collateral-free loans of up to $75,000, along with two years of mentorship and in-person programming. Ontario’s investment will help entrepreneurs in rural, remote, and northern communities drive economic growth and create new job opportunities in these regions.

Pillar two: connecting people with the right supports and services

Ontario is investing in targeted supports to connect individuals and families with the services they need, ensuring timely access and better long-term outcomes. These efforts focus on priority populations, helping more people achieve financial stability through enhanced social assistance, affordable housing, training opportunities, and stable employment, while also expanding access to mental health services and violence prevention programs.

Fostering an effective and efficient social assistance system

The Ontario government, working alongside our municipal partners, continues to build a more effective and efficient social assistance system that focuses on people and helps them achieve sustainable employment and independence, where possible. The government continues to improve efficiency and reduce program administration through ongoing centralized delivery and other digital initiatives, enabling caseworkers to focus their time on work that has the most impact for Ontarians.

Improving housing stability

Ontario is making significant investments to increase affordable housing, prevent homelessness, and support priority populations. These initiatives aim to address housing shortages and improve quality of life through targeted funding and partnerships across the province.

In 2023–24, Ontario allocated $472 million in provincial and federal funding through initiatives under the National Housing Strategy, including the Canada-Ontario Community Housing Initiative and the Ontario Priorities Housing Initiative. These investments are aimed at increasing the supply of community housing, preserving Ontario's social housing stock, and supporting Urban Native Housing units. This funding underscores Ontario's ongoing advocacy with the federal government to ensure housing sector partners have the necessary resources to protect, renew, and expand community housing across the province. Additionally, Ontario received federal approval of its final three-year National Housing Strategy Action Plan in March 2025, securing approximately $1.5 billion in federal funding over the next three years for three provincially delivered National Housing Strategy programs.

Examples of projects funded under this initiative include:

• New affordable homes in Beaverton: a combined investment of $3.3 million from the provincial and federal governments through the Ontario Priorities Housing Initiative to support the construction of 47 affordable homes in Beaverton. The Beaverton Transitional Supportive Housing residence is a 47-unit modular housing development that offers supportive housing for individuals experiencing homelessness or those at risk of becoming homeless.
• Supportive housing in St. Thomas: a combined investment of more than $2.4 million to support the construction of 40 new supportive housing units in St. Thomas. The project, Tiny Hope, will provide homes for women, Indigenous people, young adults, and individuals with disabilities.
• Affordable homes in northwestern Ontario: a combined investment of more than $4.2 million to support the construction of 102 affordable homes across three projects operated by the Kenora District Services Board which will heavily support seniors in the area.

In addition to increasing housing supply, the province invested nearly $700 million in 2024–25 through the Homelessness Prevention Program and the Indigenous Supportive Housing Program. These programs support municipal Service Managers and Indigenous Program Administrators in providing affordable housing and critical support services to individuals at risk of or experiencing homelessness. In addition, the government announced $9.2 million in April 2024 to help create 52 new supportive housing units in Thunder Bay, providing much-needed housing for vulnerable individuals, including those at risk of homelessness.

In 2024–25, the province invested up to $75.5 million for homelessness programs that create more emergency shelter spaces and affordable housing units to provide vulnerable Ontarians with appropriate short and long-term alternatives to encampments, including:

• $50 million for ready-to-build affordable housing projects
• $20 million to expand shelter capacity and create additional temporary shelter spaces
• $5.5 million to top-up the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit (COHB) to free up emergency shelter spaces for people living in encampments by helping people living in shelters move into longer-term housing

For individuals navigating addictions and mental health challenges, housing is a crucial part of recovery. As announced in the 2024 Budget, Ontario has invested an additional $152 million over three years in a suite of supportive housing initiatives for vulnerable people. This includes stabilizing 11,816 units and investing in 748 new supportive housing units including high-needs residents.

This commitment to homelessness prevention is further supported by the Toronto New Deal, established in late 2023 in partnership with the City of Toronto to address the city’s financial challenges and sustainability. As part of the deal, Ontario is providing $600 million in funding over three years for non-refugee shelters and homelessness prevention, with $200 million allocated annually in 2023–24, 2024–25, and 2025–26 (contingent on federal funding support for asylum claimant and refugee shelter needs).

Additionally, the Ontario-Ottawa Agreement, formalized in March 2024, is a collaborative effort between the Government of Ontario and the City of Ottawa to address the city’s unique challenges and promote economic recovery. A key component of the program is provincial funding for shelters and homelessness support which includes $120 million over three years (2023–24 to 2025–26), contingent on federal funding support for asylum claimant and refugee shelter needs. This funding is meant to increase provision of emergency shelter beds, services offered within emergency shelters or by shelter employees, necessary basic needs for people who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness, and other emergency shelter and homelessness supports.

COHB is a program that provides improved access to housing assistance for households in need by reducing wait times and enabling more housing choice. The program provides a direct, income-tested portable housing benefit to help increase affordability of rental housing for eligible households in housing need that are on, or are eligible to be on, social housing waiting lists. The program is also available to households in housing need living in community housing. Total federal and provincial funding available under the COHB program, which is also funded under the National Housing Strategy, has consistently increased from $94.9 million in 2022–23 to $194.7 million in 2023–24 to $244.3 million in 2024–25.

Improving health outcomes for Ontarians

Ontario continues to prioritize investments aimed at improving the health care system for all Ontarians, with a particular focus on those experiencing or at risk of poverty. These investments are designed to increase access to quality care within local communities, supporting individuals in living healthier lives and achieving greater success.

In the 2024 Fall Economic Statement, the Ontario government unveiled its most ambitious hospital expansion plan in the province’s history, committing nearly $50 billion over the next 10 years to improve health infrastructure. This includes close to $36 billion in capital grants aimed at expanding hospital facilities, adding beds, and modernizing health care services across the province. Additionally, the government is investing $620 million over 10 years to address urgent infrastructure renewal needs, extending the life of hospital and community health infrastructure.

As part of its ongoing commitment to mental health, Ontario is expanding its support for mental health and addictions services with more than $1.6 billion to two new facilities at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health’s (CAMH) Queen Street campus in Toronto. This funding will help increase the capacity of the province’s mental health care system and provide more accessible treatment options for those in need.

To help those who are dealing with a range of overlapping and complex service needs, Ontario is also investing almost $550 million to open 28 new Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hubs across the Province. These HART Hubs will add up to 560 supportive housing units as part of a system of care that prioritizes community safety and focuses on giving people their lives back through treatment and recovery. HART Hubs will help connect people in need to mental health, addictions services and support, as well as social services, employment support, and supportive housing.

The province’s continued focus on mental health is reflected in its landmark $3.8 billion commitment, announced in 2020 through the Roadmap to Wellness, to create a modern, integrated mental health and addictions system. For example, the province invested $2.9 million in 15 safe sobering beds in Thunder Bay, making it easier for people to access a safe place to get shelter and the care they need.

The Ontario government is also investing an additional $100 million per year to connect children and youth to mental health services across the province, ensuring they have access to the care they need, when they need it, within their communities. This funding is part of a broader commitment to invest an additional $330 million annually in pediatric health services at hospitals and community-based health care facilities across Ontario, announced in 2023–24. This investment aims to enhance mental health care for all children and youth, with a particular focus on vulnerable groups. It includes providing mental health services for Black children, youth, and families, as well as 2SLGBTQIA+ youth, closer to home.

The funding will also strengthen mental health support in hospitals and community health centers through key initiatives such as Ontario's Intensive Treatment Pathways, the expansion of One-Stop Talk (a virtual counseling service), and an increase to the Complex Transition Fund, which offers short-term, flexible support for children and youth with complex mental health needs. In addition to the 22 Youth Wellness Hubs already operating across Ontario, another 10 hubs are currently in development. These hubs provide free, convenient access to mental health, substance use, and primary care services to youth aged 12 to 25. These core clinical services are co-located with social, educational and vocational supports, in safe, youth friendly environments that are designed with input from local youth and families to ensure they meet the community’s unique needs.

Together, these investments represent a comprehensive strategy to improve health outcomes across Ontario, fostering the overall sense of well-being needed to contribute to the workforce. From building major health infrastructure to supporting mental health care at the community level, Ontario is taking bold steps to ensure every individual has access to the care and services they need to thrive.

Supporting student learning and development with nutritious meals

Ontario recognizes the importance of helping children and youth learn without interruptions. Each year, the province invests $28.1 million in the Student Nutrition Program and $4.4 million in the First Nations Student Nutrition Program. In addition, the province invested a one-time funding amount of $6.1 million to support the program in 2023–24.

To support the 2023–24 school year, Ontario also worked with community partners to further support student nutrition by launching the Healthy Students Brighter Ontario Campaign, the first ever province-wide partnership with community organizations. These organizations have worked with local groups and businesses to encourage people in communities across the province to get involved and raised more than $5 million for student nutrition programs over the 2024 school year.

The province will be receiving Government of Canada investments of $108.5 million, starting in 2024, over a three-year period as part of the federal National School Food Program, including $18.5 million this school year. This significant investment, designed to strengthen existing provincial nutrition programs while enhancing their reach and sustainability, reflects the commitment of both the federal and provincial governments to improving access to nutritious meals for students across the province, while supporting broader efforts to make life more affordable for families and build resilience in communities.

This means 160,000 additional children in schools across Ontario will receive nutritious meals and snacks through the Student Nutrition Program this school year. Combined, this will result in 9.8 million more meals served to students, including 130,000 more school meals served to kids in Indigenous communities. By reducing financial barriers and improving access to nutritious food, this investment helps ensure children and youth can thrive while easing pressures on families and supporting healthier, more resilient communities.

Supports and services for victims and survivors of gender–based violence and human trafficking

Ontario is continuing to improve safety for women and children by supporting programs to prevent gender‑based violence and human trafficking. Investments will help women and children feel safe and promote financial independence and economic security, which will help survivors rebuild their lives.

Ontario is investing more than $1.4 billion over four years in programs and services to prevent and end gender-based violence and better support victims. As part of Ontario’s $162 million agreement with the federal government through the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence, the province launched a call for proposals in 2024 for new community-based projects that support survivors of gender-based violence. The province will invest nearly $100 million in innovative proposals that focus on preventing violence through education and awareness — early intervention and prevention; community planning and service integration; and economic security and financial independence.

In 2024, the Ontario government announced an additional commitment of $13.5 million over three years to boost support services, building on the existing investment of $307 million. This funding will further support women, children, youth, and other groups at increased risk of violence or exploitation, including Indigenous and racialized communities, as well as children and youth in the child welfare system. These initiatives include:

• $6 million over three years to support the Children at Risk of Exploitation (CARE) Unit in Kenora District with increased access to trauma-informed specialized supports for children and youth who have been sex trafficked;
• $4.5 million over three years in additional funding for the Victim Quick Response Program+ to increase access to basic necessities for victims of human trafficking and gender-based violence and their families, especially those in northern, rural and remote communities;
• $2.5 million over three years in additional funding to increase outreach to children and youth with involvement in the child welfare system and link them with resource and educational supports; and
• $500,000 in 2024–25 to increase training for workers in the child welfare sector to help them respond to human trafficking and identify at-risk children and youth.

Under the National Housing Strategy, the province finalized the terms of a Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit Enhancement Agreement in 2024–25. This will result in approximately $97.4 million in additional federal funding from 2023–24 to 2027–28 under the program’s gender-based violence stream, which includes $11.5 million which flowed in 2023–24. The funding is being used to provide direct household affordability support to survivors of gender-based violence who are experiencing housing need.

Enhancing the well-being and long-term outcomes of children and youth in care

In June 2024, the Supporting Children’s Futures Act received Royal Assent, further enhancing the safety, well-being, and privacy of children and youth in care, as well as those who were previously in care or living in other licensed out-of-home care settings. This act represents a significant step towards realizing the government’s vision of an Ontario where all children, youth, and families including those in the child and youth services sector have the resources and supports they need to succeed and thrive.

These changes build on the government’s ongoing efforts to transform child and family services and improve the well-being of children and youth. The province is continuing to support implementation of the Ready, Set, Go program, launched in April 2023, to connect youth in the child welfare system with the life skills and supports they need to pursue postsecondary education, skilled trades training, and employment opportunities. The province is also working with Children’s Aid Societies to enable them to better support children and youth as they prepare to transition to adulthood.

Supporting non-profit organizations through the Resilient Communities Fund

To help Ontario’s non-profit organizations address pandemic-related challenges, Ontario created the Resilient Communities Fund in August 2020 which made it easier for non-profit organizations to continue providing essential local services. To date, this fund has supported nearly 3,300 projects with $294 million in support. In February 2024, the Ontario government announced more than $26 million in additional grant funding to support 251 local projects at non-profit organizations across the province through the seventh and final round of the funding.

Pillar three: making life more affordable and building financial resiliency

Rising costs continue to impact many Ontarians, especially those facing financial strain. The province is investing in initiatives to reduce costs and improve affordability for all Ontarians, including individuals with disabilities, families with children with severe disabilities, seniors, Veterans, and low-income households. In addition, the province is raising the minimum wage and supporting child care and affordable housing. These efforts are designed to ease financial burdens and promote long-term stability.

Improvements to the Ontario Disability Support Program and Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities Program

The province is dedicated to supporting individuals with disabilities on social assistance by continuing to invest in programs that enhance financial well-being. In July 2024, Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) and Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities (ACSD) program rates increased by 4.5%. This follows a 6.5% increase in 2023 and a 5% increase in 2022. Altogether, rates have risen 17% since September 2022. Moving forward, these increases will continue to be adjusted annually based on inflation to ensure that support keeps pace with the cost of living.

Increasing minimum wage

As of October 1, 2024, the general minimum wage in Ontario increased from $16.55 to $17.20 per hour, helping more than 935,600 workers across the province earn more take-home pay for themselves and their families. This 3.9% annualized wage increase is based on the Ontario Consumer Price Index and brings Ontario’s minimum wage to the second highest in Canada.

Investing in schools and child care for families

The government is investing up to $23 billion over the next 10 years, including $16 billion in capital grants, to build new schools, create child care spaces in schools and modernize school infrastructure.

Ontario is also making progress in lowering child care fees for families as part of the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) system. Starting in January 2025, parental fees are capped at $22 per day for children under the age of six in CWELCC programs, helping families save nearly $300 million more in 2025.

The Ontario government is working to eliminate the stigma around period poverty by ensuring schools across the province provide free menstrual products to students. In 2024, the government announced a new agreement with Shoppers Drug Mart to expand the Menstrual Equity Initiative, which will provide more than 23 million free menstrual products to students over the next three years. Additionally, Shoppers Drug Mart will supply 1,380 dispensers in the first year to improve access to these essential health products in schools. This expansion represents an in-kind contribution worth more than $8 million, including an increase of three million products.

Cap on rent increases

The Ontario government is continuing to protect tenants by holding the rent increase guideline at 2.5% in both 2024 and 2025. The rent increase guideline sets the maximum amount a landlord can increase rent annually for most tenants without Landlord and Tenant Board approval. By capping rent increases, this government policy helps to protect tenants from rising rents.

Energy cost savings

The Ontario Electricity Support Program (OESP) is an income-tested initiative that provides monthly credits directly on the bills of eligible electricity customers. It helps low-income households who spend a disproportionate amount of their income on electricity costs.

In 2024, the Ontario government increased the income eligibility thresholds for OESP by up to 35%, expanding access to on-bill credits for thousands of additional low-income families and making electricity more affordable.

Apart from the OESP, the Ontario Electricity Rebate (OER) is a broad-based price mitigation program that provides a 13.1% rebate, applied to the subtotal on bills of residential customers, small businesses and farms. The OER is automatically applied to a consumer’s bill that is charged under the Regulated Price Plan and will reduce electricity cost by approximately $17 per month.

In addition to the OER, the Comprehensive Electricity Plan (CEP) is lowering electricity commodity costs for all electricity consumers by funding a portion of renewable energy contract costs. This is also automatically applied to a Regulated Price Plan consumer’s bill and reduces an average residential bill by about $17 per month. Together, the OER and CEP reduce an average residential bill by about 23%.

These government initiatives offer immediate financial relief on electricity costs for consumers in Ontario and ensue long-term support for low-income residents.

Cutting the gas and fuel tax rates

The Ontario government has extended temporary gas and fuel tax rate cuts, keeping the tax rate on gasoline and diesel at nine cents per litre until June 30, 2025. This extension is expected to save Ontario households an average of $380 over the three years since July 2022.

Tax credits for workers and families

Ontario continues to support families by reducing financial pressures and putting more money in their pockets. The province provided a $200 taxpayer rebate to offer immediate relief to families facing high interest rates and impacts of the federal carbon tax. This rebate was sent to all eligible adults who filed their 2023 Income Tax and Benefit Return by December 31, 2024, with an additional $200 for each child under 18 in eligible families.

Additionally, Ontario partnered with the federal government’s initiative to temporarily remove the GST/HST on holiday essentials, such as groceries, restaurant meals, drinks, snacks, children’s clothing, and gifts. This measure, effective from December 14, 2024, to February 15, 2025, gave Ontarians a tax break on all food and many holiday essentials. This helped Ontarians celebrate the holiday season with family and friends while reducing financial strain. This is part of Ontario's vision to ease financial pressures and make life more affordable for families across the province.

Ontario continues to offer a variety of tax credits and benefits to support workers and families, especially those facing financial challenges. These programs help reduce the tax burden and ease the cost of living for individuals and families across the province. The suite of tax credits and benefits for workers and families in 2024–25 includes:

• Low-Income Workers Tax Credit (known as the Low-income Individuals and Families (LIFT) Tax Credit): a non-refundable tax credit of up to $875 to reduce or eliminate individuals’ Ontario personal income tax for eligible individuals.
• Ontario Child Care Tax Credit (known as Ontario Childcare Access and Relief from Expenses Tax Credit): a tax credit that provides families flexibility to choose the child care options that work best for them. Eligible families can claim up to 75% of eligible expenses for services such as child care centres, homes, and camps.
• The Ontario Trillium Benefit: a benefit to help low- to moderate-income Ontario residents pay for energy costs, sales and property tax, combining three credits:
• Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit: a tax-free payment to help low- to moderate-income Ontario residents with energy costs and with property taxes. The maximum benefit in the 2024 benefit year (July 2024 – June 2025) was $1,248 for non-seniors and $1,421 for seniors.
• Northern Ontario Energy Credit: a tax-free payment to help low- to moderate-income northern Ontario residents with the higher home energy costs in northern Ontario. In the 2024 benefit year (July 2024 – June 2025), single individuals with no children could receive an annual maximum of $180 and families (including single parents) up to $277.
• Ontario Sales Tax Credit: a tax-free payment to help low- to moderate-income Ontarians with the sales tax they pay. In the 2024 benefit year (July 2024 – June 2025), the maximum benefit was $360 per adult and per child under 19 years of age in a family.

Financial support for low-income seniors

To ensure that more seniors receive the financial support they need, the government has expanded Ontario’s Guaranteed Annual Income System (GAINS) program and indexed the benefit to inflation. On July 1, 2024, the maximum benefit increased to $87 per month for eligible single seniors and $174 per month for couples. The annual private income eligibility threshold also rose—from $1,992 to $4,176 for single seniors, and from $3,984 to $8,352 for couples. As a result, more seniors will be able to keep more of their benefit as their annual private income increases.

Financial support for low-income Veterans

In November 2024, Ontario supported eligible Veterans and their families through the Honouring Veterans Act, 2024. Through the act, the Ontario government enhanced the financial assistance available through the Soldiers’ Aid Commission to $3,000 over 12 months from $2,000 to help cover essential services and supports and by making it easier for Veterans and their eligible family members to apply.

Additionally, to recognize the contributions of Canadian Armed Forces Veterans and active Regular Force members, in November 2024, Ontario introduced a new transit relief program. Starting March 1, 2025 Veterans and active members will ride GO Transit for free, with plans to extend this benefit to the UP Express, providing further financial relief to Veterans.

Reducing transit costs with the One Fare program

To help Ontarian’s save on everyday costs, the Ontario government is keeping public transit costs down with the launch of the One Fare program, which could save cross-boundary riders in the Greater Toronto Area an average of $1,600 per year. Starting February 26, 2024, riders only pay once and can transfer for free between the Toronto Transit Commission and participating transit agencies in the Greater Toronto Area, including GO Transit. Fully funded by the Ontario government, the program has saved riders approximately $123 million since it launched, making cross-boundary travel more affordable and convenient for students, seniors, low-income riders and other travelers.

Pillar four: accelerating action and driving progress

The government is collaborating with communities and sector partners to support economic recovery and give all Ontarians a chance to succeed by improving service connectivity and accessibility. A connected Ontario will help more individuals access the training and education they need to enter new jobs.

Accelerating housing in Ontario

To address Ontario's growing housing needs, the provincial government is making significant investments in housing-enabling infrastructure.

The Ontario government is investing more than $1.8 billion over 10 years in housing-enabling infrastructure to help build at least 1.5 million homes by 2031. This funding includes $1 billion for the new Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program and an additional $625 million more for the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund, bringing its total funding to $825 million. These new investments complement existing provincial funding for housing and community infrastructure. By making these investments, the government is providing municipalities the tools they need to build more homes faster and tackle the affordability crisis so that everyone, especially young families and newcomers, can achieve the dream of homeownership.

The Building Faster Fund is another initiative that will help municipalities build homes faster. The fund is a three-year, $1.2 billion initiative designed to help municipalities address the housing supply crisis by rewarding municipalities that make significant progress toward their housing targets with funding for housing-enabling and community infrastructure. Municipalities that achieve at least 80% of their provincially assigned housing target for the year are eligible for funding, with increased support for those that exceed their targets.

Roads, highway and public transit

The Ontario government is investing $27.8 billion over 10 years in roads and highways to reduce gridlock and connect communities. In addition, $68.2 billion will fund the largest public transit expansion in North America, essential for supporting the province’s economy and reducing poverty by connecting more people to jobs and housing.

Ontario is implementing its most ambitious capital plan to date, addressing current needs while planning for the future.

This includes highway investments, with 635 expansion and rehabilitation projects planned over the next four years. In 2024–25, roughly $3.9 billion was allocated to expand and repair highways and bridges.

Starting in 2025–26, the government is also investing $5 million per year through the Ontario Transit Investment Fund (OTIF) to support the launch and expansion of transit services, particularly in rural areas, to address transit gaps across Ontario.

Broadband

The Ontario government has committed $4 billion to provide reliable high-speed internet access to unserved and underserved communities across the province by the end of 2025. This investment will help ensure that more Ontarians have access to the digital world including opportunities for employment, career progression and business growth.

As of November 2024, Ontario has finalized agreements totaling $2.6 billion for more than 270 projects. These initiatives will bring high-speed internet to over 550,000 homes and businesses and improve cellular connectivity province-wide. The government is making significant progress and is on track to expand high-speed internet access to all communities in Ontario by the end of 2025.

The province remains committed to bringing access to reliable high-speed internet to every community across the province and continues to explore all viable options and technologies, including fibre, fixed wireless and satellite solutions to meet its goal and ensure that more Ontarians can access opportunities to meet their professional goals.

Achieving Indigenous prosperity and well-being

Ontario is collaborating with Indigenous communities to break down systemic barriers and promote economic growth, prosperity, and well-being. Through a strategic cross-governmental approach, the province is tackling socio-economic and mental health challenges, while expanding career and educational opportunities for Indigenous peoples across Ontario.

Poverty experienced by First Nations peoples on-reserve continues to be a significant issue and requires action across all levels of government. Ontario acknowledges that First Nations partners are best positioned to understand and leverage opportunities for their communities. That is why the province is working to advance First Nations-led approaches to economic development, prosperity and wealth creation that respect the diversity of First Nations communities and cultures.

The Ontario government has partnered with the Chiefs of Ontario to establish a First Nations Economic Growth and Prosperity Table to support economic advancement and well-being in First Nations communities. The forum brings together First Nations leadership and provincial ministries to discuss Indigenous economic objectives while enabling relationships with surrounding economies, industries and business partners. The province remains committed to continued engagement with First Nations partners on a plan for social assistance transformation that acknowledges their unique needs and priorities.

As part of this commitment, Ontario is investing $10 million to partner with the Matachewan First Nation, Taykwa Tagamou Nation, and Moose Cree First Nation to train individuals for careers in mining. Another $1 million has been directed to Keewaytinook Okimakanak to recruit, train, and mentor members from six First Nations communities in carpentry and other trades.

To further support education and skills development, Ontario is expanding its investment in culturally responsive education pathways for Indigenous communities. Over four years (starting in 2021–22), the province has invested up to $34.8 million to increase enrollment in nursing and personal support worker programs at six Indigenous Institutes. This funding has been extended with an additional investment of up to $34 million over four years beginning in 2024–25 at seven Indigenous Institutes, creating more pathways for Indigenous learners to become registered nurses, registered practical nurses, and personal support workers (PSWs) as well as to upskill students through pre-health programs.

In addition to expanding skilled trades development and education, the Ontario government is providing $9.2 million in grants and funding through the Indigenous Economic Development Fund (IEDF) and Indigenous Community Capital Grants Program (ICCGP) to Indigenous entrepreneurs, businesses, communities, and organizations to support lasting economic prosperity. In 2024–25, Ontario supported 48 initiatives across the province with a total commitment of $3.2 million for the IEDF and a total commitment of $6 million for ICCGP. These investments are part of Ontario’s commitment towards economic reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.

The commitment to improving mental health and overall well-being for Indigenous communities included an investment of more than $2.6 million in funding to the Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN), representing 49 First Nations and approximately 45,000 Indigenous people. This funding will support access to safe and effective mental health and addictions services closer to home for Indigenous communities across northern Ontario.

In addition to bolstering broad mental health support, the Ontario government is taking a targeted approach to improving access to mental health and substance use support for young people by launching a new Youth Wellness Hub in Sagamok Anishnawbek First Nation and surrounding communities. This is one of the eight new hubs the government has added (in 2024) to the 14 already created since 2020. Another 10 hubs are currently in development, including one in Akwesasne First Nation, which will bring the total to 32 across the province.

Designed for youth aged 12 to 25, hubs provide free, convenient access to mental health, substance use, primary care, and traditional healing and wellness services in a safe and welcoming environment tailored to their needs.

Ontario is also supporting two Indigenous-focussed HART Hubs in Kenora and Sault Ste. Marie that will offer culturally safe and relevant care pathways, specific to the needs of Indigenous clients and families. In addition, each HART Hub that intends to operate in locations where it is anticipated they will serve a large proportion of Indigenous clients are required to have established partnership(s) with Indigenous-led service organizations who will support the development of culturally relevant care pathways for Indigenous clients. Culturally responsive well-being and mental health services are vital to removing barriers to employment.

Transportation also plays a key role in economic development. This is why Ontario invested almost $675,000 in 2024–25 through the Indigenous Transportation Initiatives Fund, which supports transportation-related projects in urban, rural, and reserve settings. This competitive program encourages Indigenous communities and organizations to submit proposals that meet local transportation needs and priorities, while also building capacity and offering culturally responsive solutions.

The province remains committed to enhancing food security for Indigenous communities. In 2023–24, the Capacity & Growth Fund supported agri-food projects for 65 First Nations communities and urban Indigenous people. These initiatives included greenhouse development, aquaculture, improved access to affordable and healthy food, and training in agriculture and commercial fisheries. In 2024–25, the province supported 17 projects, including a cooperative women's agri-food and catering business, greenhouse retrofits, planning and design for new Northern greenhouses, commercial wild rice business planning, employment readiness training through agriculture, and mental health supports delivered through agriculture and traditional food production.

In addition to supporting training and mental health opportunities, the Ontario government is helping Indigenous communities keep more money in their pockets. In March 2024, the First Nations Community Building Retrofit Program increased the incentive cap from $100,000 to $330,000 per community which allows for greater energy savings and reduces decision-making burdens by enabling more facilities to benefit. The program provides financial and technical assistance to on-reserve First Nations communities to improve the energy efficiency of their band-owned commercial and institutional facilities, better manage electricity use, and reduce costs.

In addition to the initiatives highlighted above, fees have been permanently waived for Indian Residential School survivors and their families to reclaim a traditional name through a change of name, and Indigenous peoples seeking to change their name to a single name if it is in accordance with their traditional culture.

Measuring success

Ontario’s 2020–2025 poverty reduction strategy includes a comprehensive set of indicators to measure the province’s progress, assess impact, and identify areas for improvement. The following section provides the latest available information for each indicator and a brief description on what has changed since the previous year’s report (see Appendix for full indicator definitions and sources).

The indicators draw data from multiple sources. As a result, the availability of data varies across the indicators, and the indicators have different baseline years and timeframes for when updates can be released. All updates are based on the most recent data available.

The province continued to make progress on the strategy’s target. In 2024, approximately 35,000 social assistance cases transitioned to employment, continuing the upward trend since 2021.

Among the 17 indicators tracked by the strategy, several indicators improved when compared to the previous year or the baseline. For example, among those who left Ontario Works between October 2023 and December 2023, the percentage of cases that returned within one year decreased for the overall group compared to the previous year and the baseline. For housing, the share of low-income households that were assisted by community housing programs in 2023–24 increased compared to the previous year and the baseline.

However, some indicators worsened compared to the previous year. For instance, in 2024, employment rates decreased across all population groups from 2023. Total net jobs created declined from the previous year and from the baseline, except part-time jobs. Additionally, the percentage of Ontario Works cases reporting employment earnings decreased and was below the baseline. Poverty rates, which are reported with a greater lag than some other indicators, worsened in 2022, continuing the trend between 2020 and 2021. The increase in poverty rates was predominantly due to a reduction in pandemic-related federal government transfers. Despite this, poverty rates remained below the 2018 baseline for the general population and most priority groups.

Target

The strategy’s core goal is to help more social assistance recipients achieve employment and financial independence. The target is to provide the right supports and services with the goal of increasing the number of social assistance recipients moving to employment each year. In 2024, the province continued making progress toward the target and the number of social assistance cases that exited to employment increased substantially compared to the previous two years.

Status: Improved from the previous year, but remains below the baseline.

In 2024, exits to employment increased by 22%, rising to 34,994 from 28,599 in 2023, continuing an upward trend since 2021. To support more Ontarians, including social assistance recipients on their path to employment, Ontario continues to improve employment services, ensuring more streamlined and outcomes-focused employment services are available across all regions of the province.

Employment, skills, and training indicators

The following indicators measure the employment rate, how many jobs were created, the extent to which people on social assistance are becoming employed (while remaining eligible for social assistance) and training results.

Following 3.1% employment growth in 2023, Ontario experienced slower economic growth in 2024. This contributed to moderation in employment growth^{footnote 2[2]} during the year, representing a 42% decrease from the previous year and 19% decline from the baseline year. In 2024, employment rates declined for both the general population and all priority groups compared to 2023 and returned to the baseline for the general population.

Among programs supporting low-income clients and job seekers, there were mixed results in the indicators in 2024 compared to the previous year. There was positive change in the outcomes for clients completing Integrated Employment Services, but the number of Employment Ontario (EO) skills or work experience interventions completed decreased from the previous year. Among social assistance clients, the share reporting employment earnings remained stable among ODSP cases but decreased among Ontario Works cases.

Status: Employment rates declined across all groups compared to the previous year and returned to the baseline for the general population and women.

The overall employment rate decreased by 1.6 percentage points from 2023 to 2024. The employment rate also decreased for all priority groups. Among these groups, Indigenous persons off-reserve and youth experienced decreases of 4.2 and 4.1 percentage points, respectively. The employment rate of women also decreased by 1.2 percentage points.

Ontario’s overall employment rate declined from 2023 to 2024 because employment growth did not keep pace with population growth in the Labour Force Survey (LFS). The LFS population increase in 2024 represented the largest on record, while employment grew moderately in response to slower economic growth.

Despite these declines from the previous year, the employment rate of Indigenous persons off-reserve still had a 0.8 percentage point increase over the baseline. The employment rates for the general population and women returned close to baseline levels; however, the employment rate of youth was 4.8 percentage points lower.

Status: Total net jobs created declined from the previous year and from the baseline, except part-time jobs.

Following 3.1% employment growth in 2023, Ontario’s economic growth slowed in 2024, contributing to moderation in employment growth. In 2024, a total of 140,000 net new jobs were created, with 78,600 (approximately 56%) being full-time employment and 61,300 (44%) being part-time. This represents a significant shift from previous years, when the majority of the new jobs were full-time, and part-time positions made up only a small share.

Women accounted for 51% of total net new job gains, representing an increase of approximately eight percentage points compared to their 44% share observed in 2023. However, employment among Indigenous persons living off-reserve declined, with a net job loss of 10,000 recorded in 2024. Despite this reduction, employment levels for Indigenous persons off-reserve in 2024 remained about 12% higher than in 2019.

Status: Decreased from the previous year and from the baseline level

Through EO, the province provides workers and job seekers with training, skills and experience to meet their employment goals. In 2023–24, there were 45,107 EO completions of skills or work-experience-related interventions, representing a 12% decrease from the previous year.

Status: Increased from the previous year for all clients, while remaining stable for women and racialized clients. However, rates decreased for Indigenous clients compared to the previous year. Overall, rates remained below the baseline for all clients and all groups.

This indicator measures the percentage of Integrated Employment Services clients in areas covered by Employment Services Transformation^{footnote 5[5]} who identify as employed or enrolled in education or training at the three-month follow-up checkpoint after completion of pre-employment services.

In 2023–24, this indicator increased by 1.2 percentage points for all clients from the previous year. It remained stable for women and racialized clients but decreased by 1.3 percentage points for Indigenous clients.

Despite this, the total numbers of clients and priority group clients who identified as employed or enrolled in education or training at the three-month follow-up checkpoint had increased substantially compared to 2022–23, reflecting the growth in reach and impact of the programs. Results will be tracked over time as the Integrated Employment Services delivery model matures.

Status: Stable for ODSP recipients but decreased for Ontario Works recipients compared to the previous year. Both programs remained below the baseline.

In 2024, the percentage of ODSP cases reporting employment earnings remains stable at 10.1%, essentially unchanged from 10.3% in 2023. However, the rate for Ontario Works cases decreased to 7.3% in 2024 from 8.5% in 2023.

Education indicators

The following indicators measure progress on high school graduation rates and credit accumulation that will keep students on track to graduate with their peers, as well as post-secondary graduation rates (universities and colleges).

Three out of four education indicators either improved or remained stable compared to the previous year. Graduation rates for both high school and post-secondary students have improved relative to pre-pandemic baseline data. However, credit accumulation rates for high school students declined both from the previous year and compared to the baseline.

Status: Improved compared to the baseline and stable from the previous year.

With 89.5% of students graduating within five years of starting Grade 9, Ontario's high school graduation rate slightly increased in 2022–23 compared to the previous school year (89.1%).

Status: In 2022–23, decreased from the previous year and compared to the baseline.^{footnote 6[6]}

In the 2022–23 school year, the percentage of Grade 9 students on track to graduate decreased slightly by one percentage point compared to the previous school year. Similarly, the percentages of Grade 10 and Grade 11 students on track to graduate decreased by two and one percentage points, respectively.

Status: Relatively stable from the previous year and improved from the baseline.

In 2022–23 Ontario’s university graduation rate was 78.2%, which was 0.7 percentage points lower than the graduation rate for the 2021–22 reporting period but still 1.3 percentage points higher than that of the baseline.

Status: Improved from the previous year and further improved from the baseline.

Ontario’s college graduation rate increased to 74.7% in 2022–23, 1.3 percentage points higher than the graduation rate for the 2020–21 reporting period and 4.5 percentage points higher than that of the baseline.

Moving toward increased financial independence indicators

The following indicators measure the province’s progress in supporting low-income individuals and families to move towards financial independence. These indicators include the time it takes people to become employed or exit social assistance once they have started receiving social assistance, the rate of return within one year of exit among those who exited Ontario Works and the share of the total Ontario population on social assistance. In addition, they look at whether low-income households can access community housing programs and the share of Ontario households in core housing need.

Overall, the percentage of the Ontario population receiving social assistance remained relatively stable from 2023 to 2024. The current level is an improvement from the baseline year.

Among those who began receiving Ontario Works or ODSP in 2023, the time it took to become employed or exit social assistance remained stable for the overall group and for all Ontario Works cases. It worsened for all ODSP cases from the previous year but remained consistent with the baseline.

Among those who had left Ontario Works between October 2023 and December 2023, the percentage of cases that returned within one year decreased for the overall group compared to the previous year.

For housing, the province increased the share of low-income households that were assisted by community housing programs in 2023–24 compared to the previous year and the baseline.

Indicator: Time to become employed or exit social assistance^{footnote 9[9]}

Status: The average time for new cases on both programs to become employed or exit social assistance remained stable since the baseline year. For new cases on ODSP, the average time has increased compared to the previous year but remained consistent with the baseline. For new cases on Ontario Works, there were no changes compared to the previous year and the baseline.

This indicator measures the average number of months it takes for cases starting a new period on social assistance to either report employment earnings or exit social assistance. The 2023 data covers those who started receiving social assistance at any point in 2023 and were tracked for 12 months after they began receiving social assistance. While improvements were observed in this indicator in 2022, these gains were largely reversed in 2023. The average time for cases that began receiving social assistance in 2023 to either report employment earnings or exit social assistance returned to baseline levels for all cases on ODSP and Ontario Works.

Status: In 2023, this indicator improved for all cases and for cases where the primary applicant is a youth, but it increased for cases where the primary applicant is a female compared to previous year and relative to the baseline.

This measure looks at the percentage of cases exiting Ontario Works that return within one year. Notable improvements were previously seen for the 2019 and 2020 cohorts, who could have had access to pandemic benefits to prevent returns in the year following their exit. However, this measure returned to baseline levels observed for the 2021 and 2022 cohort after the end of pandemic benefits. In 2023, this measure improved for all cases and for cases where the primary applicant is a youth, but it worsened for cases where the primary applicant is a female compared to previous year and relative to the baseline.

Status: Relatively stable from the previous year and improved compared to the baseline.

In 2024, 6.2% of Ontario’s population received social assistance, slightly up from 6.1% in 2023, but 0.7 percentage points below baseline.

The drop in the share of the population on social assistance in 2021 and 2022 coincided with the availability of pandemic benefits, which provided temporary financial relief and reduced the need for social assistance. Following the expiry of these benefits, the number of individuals relying on social assistance has increased, outpacing population growth since 2023. The slight increase in the percentage of the population on social assistance between 2023 and 2024 corresponded with a rise in the unemployment rate.

Status: Trending upwards and improved compared to the baseline.

The proportion of Ontario low-income households assisted by community housing programs has increased by 1.1 percentage points since 2018–19. The proportion has trended upwards for a second straight year, increasing 0.3 percentage points compared to 2022–23.

The number of households assisted in community housing programs increased by 5.3% year-over-year, outpacing the rate of growth in low-income households.

Status: Improved in 2021 compared to the baseline in 2016.

There is no new data on this indicator. New data will be collected through the 2026 census.

Status: As of 2021, improved compared to the previous period and the baseline for all groups.

There is no new data on this indicator. New data will be collected through the 2026 census.

Poverty indicators

The two indicators in this section measure the province’s progress in reducing the number of people with low incomes with a focus on the priority populations of youth (aged 15–24), women, Indigenous persons off-reserve and visible minorities.

In 2022, the poverty and deep poverty rates increased for the general population and all priority groups, when compared to the previous year. This increase was anticipated, given the reduction in federal COVID-19 benefits and government transfers that had contributed to lowering poverty rates in 2020 and 2021.

Overall poverty and deep poverty rates in 2022 remain at or below the 2018 baseline year, except for Indigenous off-reserve populations, which saw their poverty rate and deep poverty rates grow to 17.7% and 9.4%, respectively.

Status: As of 2022, increased from the previous year for all groups, but remaining below the baseline for most groups.

The overall poverty rate for the general population in Ontario increased by 3.2 percentage points, rising from 7.7% in 2021 to 10.9% in 2022. This continues the trend towards the pre-pandemic rates while remaining below the baseline level. Poverty rates among all priority populations also saw an increase. Specifically, the poverty rates for youth, women, Indigenous persons living off-reserve and visible minorities increased by 4.6 percentage points, 3.2 percentage points, 1.4 percentage points and 3.7 percentage points, respectively, from 2021 to 2022.

Status: As of 2022, increased from the previous year, returning to the baseline level for the general population. However, this indicator increased from the previous year and the baseline for most priority groups, except for youth, whose rate remained below the baseline.

The deep poverty rate refers to the percentage of individuals with disposable family incomes below 75% of the MBM threshold for their family size and region. Between 2021 and 2022, the proportion of individuals experiencing deep poverty increased by 1.8 percentage points for the general population. The increase in the deep poverty rate can be attributed to a reduction in government transfers, particularly following the end of federal COVID-19 benefits in 2022, and a slight decrease in the market income of Ontario families and individuals. All priority groups experienced increases in the deep poverty rate. Specifically, the deep poverty rates for youth, women, Indigenous persons living off-reserve and visible minorities increased by 2.5 percentage points, 2.0 percentage points, 1.4 percentage points and 2.5 percentage points, respectively, from 2021 to 2022. Updated data on poverty rates and deep poverty rates for 2023 will be available in 2025.^{footnote 16[16]}

Moving forward

The Ontario government remains committed to reducing poverty through collaboration with all levels of government, as well as non-profit and private sector partners. Efforts are focused on equipping individuals experiencing poverty with the skills and supports needed for stable employment and financial independence.

The province continues to make progress on key priorities of the poverty reduction strategy, which include:

• Employment & Skills Development: Programs like Better Jobs Ontario and the Skills Development Fund are helping job seekers gain employment in high-demand industries.
• Affordability Measures: Recognizing rising living costs, Ontario is increasing access to affordable housing and child care spaces.
• Social Assistance Support: The province has simplified employment supports for social assistance recipients and increased ODSP and the Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities Program by 4.5%, bringing the total increase to 17% since 2022.
• Minimum Wage Increase: Ontario has raised the minimum wage to $17.20 per hour, one of the highest in Canada.

Looking ahead, Ontario will continue to support vulnerable populations, provide economic stability and invest in essential public services to ensure all residents have the opportunity to thrive. Under the Poverty Reduction Act, Ontario will develop a new poverty reduction strategy in 2025.

Appendix: Target and indicators

Strategy target: Get more social assistance recipients into meaningful employment and financial stability. The government will provide the right supports and services with the goal of increasing the number of social assistance recipients moving to employment each year.