OWN’s recommendations for pension reform

The following memo was sent to pension.feedback@ont.ca on December 1, 2010:

“We at the Older Women’s Network are concerned that the following issues be given constant consideration when proposing reforms to the pension system:

1)  Acknowledgement of the number of Ontario women engaged in “non-standard” employment (part-time, contract, temporary)

2)  Recognition of the likelihood that women are often paid at the minimum wage

3)  The disproportionate number of women “employed” as unpaid family caregivers

4)  The number of Ontario women who do not work in paid employment due to language difficulties or various disabilities, or because they are on social assistance

Any of these factors will mean a lower rate of contribution to most pension schemes, leading to the many sad cases we see of elderly women living in poverty.

Margaret Hawthorn, Board Member”