Consultation: Poverty reduction strategy
Share your experiences and ideas to help us develop the next poverty reduction strategy.
Closing date: November 30, 2025
Overview
We’re assessing Ontario’s current 2020–2025 poverty reduction strategy and developing the next poverty reduction strategy.
We’re asking people in Ontario to share their experiences, perspectives and ideas to reduce poverty, and that includes feedback from:
- individuals
- non-profit, government, Indigenous or public sector entities
- employers or industry associations
Share your feedback
There are 2 options to share your feedback: complete an online survey and/or written submission.
Option 1: Online survey
Choose a survey option:
Individuals
You are a resident of Ontario commenting based on your experience and/or experiences of your family or community members.
Non-profit, government, Indigenous or public sector entities
You are a representative of a(n):
- non-profit organization
- government or public sector entity
- Indigenous, First Nations, Métis, Inuit government or communities
Employers or industry associations
You are responding on behalf of:
- a person, organization or business that employs at least 1 person for wages or a salary
- a business association
Individuals can also download a printable version to send to us. To request a paper copy, email prs@ontario.ca.
Option 2: Written submission
You can share your thoughts about poverty in your community by writing in or submitting audio recordings or photos. You can include:
- your personal experiences
- what you’ve seen or noticed
- any ideas you have to help reduce poverty
Do not include any identifying information about yourself or others, such as:
- your name or address
- your social media information
- any ID or identifying number (for example, an OHIP number)
Your contact information
If you’re interested in future engagement opportunities, you can share your contact information at the end of a survey or written submission.
We cannot guarantee that we will contact you, but if you are contacted, you can decide if you want to participate at that time.
Read the privacy and confidentiality section on what information we collect and how we will protect your privacy.
How your feedback will be used
Under the Poverty Reduction Act, 2009, Ontario is required to:
- assess the poverty reduction strategy at least every 5 years
- develop and issue a new poverty reduction strategy based on the assessment
Your feedback will be used to assess the current poverty reduction strategy and develop the next one.
Along with this public consultation, we’ll also engage with key organizations, subject matter experts and stakeholders to inform the new strategy.
Your privacy matters
We are collecting feedback through a public consultation to help assess and develop the poverty reduction strategy.
You will give information to the Government of Ontario if you:
- answer questions in the survey
- submit a document or written submission
- participate in a future engagement activity, such as taking part in an interview
You can choose what information you share with us. You do not need to provide your name or personal information.
We will analyze responses in a non-identifiable format and present them in aggregate.
Read our privacy statement to learn how we protect and secure information you share when you use our website and online services.
Notice of collection of personal information
Personal information that we receive through the poverty reduction strategy consultation may be used to:
- assess the 2020–2025 poverty reduction strategy and inform the next one
- contact you for follow-up if you share your contact information and wish to be contacted
If you share your personal information, it will be:
- protected under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and any other applicable legislation or directives
- kept confidential and not be shared with anyone beyond staff analyzing engagement results, unless required by law
In exceptional circumstance we may be required by law to disclose personal information. For example, the ministry may be required to disclose information to police or a children’s aid society if you:
- make a direct threat to harm yourself or someone else
- tell us about criminal activity
- indicate there is reason to suspect that a young person has been abused and/or is in need of protection
Legal authority
We are authorized to collect personal information related to the poverty reduction strategy consultation under:
- subsection 38 (2) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act
- subsection 5 (1) and clause 6 (2) (b) of the Poverty Reduction Act, 2009
Contact
Email prs@ontario.ca if you have questions about the poverty reduction strategy consultation or how we collect and use your personal information, or write to:
Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services
Strategic Policy Division
315 Front Street West, 3rd Floor
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 0B8