THE ISSUE
With thousands of people losing their jobs and their homes as a result of the recession, the diverse array of services provided by the social services sector could not be more critical.

These social services, however, were already at capacity prior to the recession, and now demand far outstrips available resources. There simply aren't enough beds in the shelters, staff in the employment agencies, or food and baby diapers at the food banks, to meet the needs of those hit hardest by the recession.

Making matters worse, people and businesses feeling the pinch of the recession are donating less and less, and so there is even less money available at the same time as demand is skyrocketing.

As governments develop economic plans to deal with the recession, thousands of Canadian men, women, children and families on the verge of falling into extreme poverty and homelessness. Any economic plan that makes a serious attempt to address the recession and protect Canadians from its effects, must therefore include increases in funding to the social services sector, improved access to Employment Insurance and social assistance, and the creation of more affordable housing.

The Recession Relief Fund Coalition is committed to keeping Canada's governments accountable to Canadians by ensuring that their economic plans actually serve the needs of Canadians suffering from the recession's effects.