Social programs in Canada

Social programs in Canada include all government programs designed to give assistance to citizens outside of what the market provides. The Canadian social safety net covers a broad spectrum of programs, and because Canada is a federation, many are run by the provinces. Canada has a wide range of government transfer payments to individuals, which totaled $176.6 billion in 2009.^[1] Only social programs that direct funds to individuals are included in that cost; programs such as medicare and public education are additional costs.

Usage

In Canada, the entirety of the social provisions of government are called "social programs" (French: programmes sociaux), rather than "social welfare" as in European and British usage. "Welfare" in Canada, like in the United States, colloquially refers to direct payments to low-income individuals only, and not to healthcare and education spending.^[2] It is rarely used as the name of any specific program, however, because of its negative connotations. (In French it is commonly known as 'le bien-être social'). In slang, welfare is also sometimes referred to as "the dole" (slang, as in British usage).

History

Generally speaking before the Great Depression most social services were provided by religious charities and other private groups. Changing government policy between the 1930s and 1960s saw the emergence of a welfare state, similar to many Western European countries. Most programs from that era are still in use, although many were scaled back during the 1990s as government priorities shifted towards reducing debt and deficit.

The scaling back of wealth distribution programs, and a general failing of trickle-down economics to effectively distribute money in capitalist economies more broadly, meant that gaps between rich and poor widened. Canada of the late-1960s was a land where blue-collar workers could afford cottages easily, but only far more rarely could this happen in 2015 where standard of living has declined for new families (based upon measures of double-income families, increased household debt, and GINI Coefficient increases from .28 to .32 since 1988). In Canada, Exports have dropped 50%; and Imports have doubled - since year-2000, creating a new and pervasive Trade deficit. Canada; similar to the U.K., saw per-Capita GDP Exports drop to one-third those seen in Nordic states. A country's poorest citizens can seldom afford to participate in commerce, but in Nordic Model states - states with strong Welfare Social Programs, poorer citizens could participate and clearly - by the statistics - they did.

Quantifying the costs & benefits of reducing social programs in Canada is also interesting. If Canadian citizens had retained per Capita GDP Exports comparable to the Netherlands', Canada (and the U.K. too coincidentally), might expect to triple current Exports of $31 billion - for an additional $60 billion in new Wealth annually.

Kondratiev Waves in Capitalist Societies document an explanation for general declines in lifestyles throughout most of the G20 countries these past 60-years. The success of Social Programs in Nordic States at the same time that other G7 states troughed, suggests that similar economic controls and social programs play an important role in sustaining productivity through regular cyclic Depressions. This 25-year glance at both Canadian Economic Policy, and standouts that fared alongside, are presented to add lessons-learned and context to the Canada's Social Programs topic.

Healthcare

All provinces in Canada provide universal, publicly funded healthcare for those services which are considered "medically necessary", with their costs partially subsidized by the federal government. Services which are not "listed" (covered by a provincial insurance plan), or have been "delisted" (removed from the plan) may be purchased privately. Compared to other single-payer health systems in the world, Canada is unusual in banning the purchase of private insurance or care for any services that are listed. This is meant to prevent what is described as "two-tier healthcare", which would allow the rich to "jump the queue". However, in 2005 the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in Chaoulli v. Quebec (Attorney General) that the ban on private care could be unconstitutional if it caused unreasonable delays for patients.

Education

In Canada, provinces and territories are responsible for their elementary and secondary schools. Education is compulsory up to the age of 16 in most provinces, 17 and 18 in others. Both elementary and secondary education is provided at a nominal cost. Private education is available, but its comparatively high costs and the relative quality of public education result in it being less popular than in the United States or Britain. Post-secondary schooling is not free, but is subsidized by the federal and provincial governments. Financial assistance is available through student loans and bursaries.

Housing

Canadian mortgages are insured by the federal Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation and most provinces have ministries in charge of regulating the housing market. It was created in the 1940s and in Quebec in 1958.

Unemployment benefits

Low-income support

All provinces maintain a program of this sort known by names such as "social assistance", "income support", "income assistance" and "welfare assistance"; popularly they are known as welfare.^[3] The purpose of these programs is to alleviate extreme poverty by providing a monthly payment to people with little or no income. The rules for eligibility and the amount given vary widely between the provinces. The welfare program for low income families exists in all provinces. It was created in the 1940s and in Quebec in 1958. The original plan was for Ottawa to pay half of the financial support for low income families and the other half paid by each of the provinces. Today, because of budget cuts Ontario and British Columbia are not receiving the percentage that Ottawa had planned in the creation of welfare. As a result, Ottawa is now paying only twenty-nine percent of what it is supposed to be paying these two provinces.^[4]

On 16 September 2016, Michael de Jong, Minister of Finance for British Columbia announced that the BC government will spend $500 million on housing affordability, while also canceling the planned increase in MSP premiums and possibly increase Welfare rates.^[5]

Seniors

Most Canadian seniors are eligible for Old Age Security, a taxable monthly social security payment. In addition, most former workers can receive Canada Pension Plan or Quebec Pension Plan benefits based on their contributions during their careers. As well many people have a private pension through their employer, although that is becoming less common, and many people take advantage of a government tax-shelter for investments called a Registered Retirement Savings Plan or may save money privately.

Regional aid

The government has several agencies dedicated to developing specific regions.

• Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
• Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
• Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec
• Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario
• Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
• Western Economic Diversification Canada

Children and families

Usually each province has a department or ministry in charge of child welfare and dealing with adoption, foster care, etc. As of 2007 the federal government also offers the Universal Child Care Benefit to subsidize the cost of daycare spots or other forms of childcare.^[6]

Disability

The provinces are each responsible for disability welfare.

• L'Arche - Jean Vanier
• Alberta's program is called Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped
• The Ontario government has the Ontario Disability Support Program which offers income and employment assistance for disabled people and the Assistive Devices Program to provide funding to help pay the cost of assistive devices for people with long-term physical disabilities.

See also

• Matthew effect (Sociology)
• Poverty in Canada
• Welfare
• Welfare state
• Social safety net
• Social security
• Social policy

Comparisons

• Social programs in the United States

also Social Security (United States)

• Social Security (Australia)
• Italian welfare state
• Scandinavian welfare model

also Swedish welfare and Social Security (Sweden)

• Social welfare in New Zealand

References

Further reading

External links

• Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
• Social Programs - Indian and Northern Affairs Canada