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“The sad truth is that social assistance in Ontario is simply not working for the people it is intended to support. It traps people in a cycle of dependency and far too often it robs them of the dignity and independence of a job. We can do better,” MacLeod said of the Ford government’s changes.

Dickins said the annual exemption for Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) recipients will help those who earn more in some months than others, such as seasonal workers.

And Dickins is hopeful the Progressive Conservative government’s dependence on community-based supports will give London a chance to expand innovative local programs.

“What works in Toronto probably won’t work in London,” he said. “The fact that there aren’t many details can be frustrating, but because there aren’t many details, we get to provide some of those details.”

Sara Middleton, with United Way Elgin Middlesex, expressed the same “cautious” optimism.

“Transformation of the social assistance system was something that we wanted to see . . . We’re encouraged by what appears to be an understanding that poverty looks different in different communities,” she said.

An emphasis on “wraparound supports” – such as community mental health or addictions treatment, child care, or skills training – is also heartening, Middleton said.

Other players in the anti-poverty sphere weren’t so optimistic about the lack of information.

MacLeod refused to address whether the social assistance overhaul would save taxpayers any money – saying she rejected the question – or estimate how many would be excluded based on changing the definition of “disability” to align with the federal government criteria, which critics said is more stringent.