Community Dispatch

December 2013 In 1843, Charles Dickens wrote "A Christmas Carol." Most of us remember Ebenezer Scrooge and his visits from the Spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Future. It is the deep resonating voice of the Spirit of Christmas Present that makes me reflect on...

November 2013 The release of the much anticipated income data from the 2011 National Household Survey (NHS) in September has placed a chill over the planners and providers of social services, municipal services and economic development strategies. Good information is...

September 2013 Community Development Halton has followed with attention the growth of neighbourhood development initiatives across North America and Europe. We celebrate the strong sense of place- based work where neighbourhood residents generate the social capital...

September 2013 Community Development Halton studies and recommends systematic changes to income security programs in order to allow human beings to flourish and live as participatory citizens in an open and inclusive society. CDH has recommended changes to the Ontario...

June 2013 In 2010, the federal government replaced the mandatory long form census with a voluntary National Household Survey (NHS). This change in the data collection method has drawn strong opposition and protests from data users, municipalities, for profit and...

May 2013 As I reimagine what could be a fair society based on inclusion, I think of the words of Trish Hennessy and Huge Mackenzie, colleagues from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. "At some point Ontario has to have a conversation about what matters more:...

April 2013 The new Premier of Ontario, Kathleen Wynne, has just declared that she would like to be known as the "social justice premier." She lends hope that serious consideration will be given to the recommendations outlined in the report, "Brighter Prospects:...

March 2013 The Social Assistance Review Commission Report, "Brighter Prospects: Transforming Social Assistance in Ontario", was released in October 2012 under the shadow of Don Drummond's government-commissioned report to review government expenditures. Entitled...

September 2012 The social determinants of health assist in understanding the complex social, economic, cultural, environmental and biological factors that determine the long term health and well-being of individuals and of communities. The social determinants of...

June 2012 This Community Dispatch is devoted to the Canada-European Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) presently under negotiation. Although international trade agreements are outside of the usual purview of Community Development Halton's research, one...