A TORONTO MAN WITH SERIOUS HEALTH ISSUES IS FACING EVICTION DUE TO A COMPUTER ERROR GENERATED BY THE SAMS SOFTWARE THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL SERVICES IS USING! JOIN WITH OCAP AND HELP US PREVENT THIS DISASTER!

STEP 1 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26: CONTACT THE MINISTER OF COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL SERVICES AND THE MINISTER OF HOUSING AND MUNICIPALITIES! Demand that Andrew McLean get housing immediately and let them know a computer glitch isnt a legitimate reason to leave someone homeless! Contact info is below

STEP 2 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4: JOIN AN OCAP DELEGATION TO THE MINISTRY AND LET THEM KNOW WE DEMAND HOUSING FOR ANDREW AND AN END TO SAMS SCREW-UPS!

WHERE: 900 BAY STREET Macdonald Block, just past Wellesley Street

TIME: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 12:00PM

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A 53 year old man with numerous health issues, including an upcoming double bypass surgery, Andrew McLean, is about to be evicted because of an ODSP computer error. Since the rollout of the Social Assistance Management System SAMS computer system last autumn, Andrew has seen his life turned upside down. Like many Ontarians on social assistance and disability, due to glitches in the new system, Andrew received his cheque late. His landlord initiated eviction proceedings against him based on late payment of rent, and won an eviction order at the Landlord Tenant Board for Saturday, February 28.

The Ministry of Community and Social Services has acknowledged that they are to blame for this fiasco. Andrews worker has written several letters stating that they are working on fixing issues like these with SAMS. This hasnt happened and shows no sign of happening soon. The Ministry has refused to do anything other than say "were working on it," while a man who needs significant and pressing medical help is left worrying about where he will sleep Sunday night.

This has had a very negative impact on Mr. McLean, who says: Its running me down, I feel tired all the time, I get chest pains and headaches because I dont know what to do. Its been an incredible stress. I cant live my regular routine due to stress like this. And nobody can give me a straight answer about how to fix this, a straight answer about where I am supposed to live!

We refuse to accept half-hearted excuses and apologies from the very Ministry that put Andrew in this situation in the first place. OCAP demands:

That the Ministry prevent this eviction or, failing that, take on the responsibility of finding Andrew affordable, accessible and secure housing, given that they are the ones responsible for him facing the prospect of homelessness.

That the SAMS experiment be deemed a failure, and that all OW/ODSP recipients impacted by it resume receiving benefits in the same manner and amount as prior to its rollout

The Ministry of Community and Social Services is responsible for the fact that Andrew is facing homelessness, and no excuses or stalling can change that fact. If Andrew isnt housed immediately, join OCAP on Wednesday, March 4 at 12:00PM at the Macdonald block of Ontario Government Buildings 900 Bay, just past Wellesley where OCAP will confront the MCSS and demand housing for Andrew along with a repeal of SAMS, ensuring benefits are available to all Ontarians who need them, regardless of whatever computer system the province decides to use. We won't accept any more passing of the buck, just give us what we are owed!

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BACKGROUND INFO ON SAMS: In the fall of 2014, the Ministry of Community and Social Services rolled out its new computer program for managing payments made to recipients of OW and ODSP. The system, designed by an IBM-owned company named Curam, is called SAMS Social Assistance Management System and, since being implemented, has caused chaos for thousands of Ontarians who rely on OW and ODSP for their income. People have been receiving cheques for as little as $5, meaning that, until the numerous issues with SAMS are fixed, a large portion of the most vulnerable people in our province are stuck with either little or, in some cases, no money. Implementing SAMS has cost the provincial government over $240 million dollars, while the people it's supposed to serve receive nothing but headaches and confusion.