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Nine Stocking Stuffers...and a Lump of Coal

2018 was a dynamic year for federal and provincial policies related to poverty reduction. Cities Reducing Poverty (CRP) members across Canada serve as strong advocates and partners at all orders of government, with the goal of transforming policies to be more affordable, accessible and inclusive.

Through an end-of-year survey of the CRP network, three quarters (76%) of members self-reported at least moderate policy gains, and more than half (56%) reported major policy gains under at least one policy area. Primary policy areas that members were engaged with related to housing, income, employment, education, transportation and food security.

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Canada’s First Poverty Reduction Strategy: Opportunity For All

The Government of Canada’s first Poverty Reduction Strategy, Opportunity For All, was released on August 21, 2018 in Vancouver, BC. Based on a vision of a Canada without poverty, and on the principle that all Canadians deserve a fair and real chance to succeed and live with dignity; the strategy commits to strengthening the middle class and helping those who are working hard to join it. Informed by an extensive community engagement process, Opportunity For All is organized by three pillars, establishing a working definition of poverty and official income poverty line, and a commitment to reducing the poverty rate in Canada by 50% by 2030.

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Wood Buffalo’s Commitment to Inclusion, Diversity and Equality

The Regional Municipality (RM) of Wood Buffalo, Alberta, is committed to inclusion, diversity and equality. The RM aims to create a welcoming community where residents work together to implement initiatives that meet the needs of its increasingly diverse population. Its work includes responding to community challenges such as a lack of affordable housing, racism, high costs of living, lack of mental health supports, and isolation.

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Getting the Most out of Your Vibrant Communities – Cities Reducing Poverty Membership

Vibrant Communities - Cities Reducing Poverty (VC – CRP) is a national collective impact movement aimed at reducing poverty through the place-based efforts of multi-sector roundtables and the alignment of strategies at the municipal, provincial, territorial, and federal levels.

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Highlights from Cities Innovating to Reduce Poverty: Vancouver 2018

Cities Innovating to Reduce Poverty, Tamarack’s 2018 Western Regional Poverty Summit, brought together changemakers from more than 25 cities from Western Canada and beyond, to dialogue on innovative ways that governments, cities, and sectors can work together to end poverty.

Over a day and a half of learning, elected officials from all levels of government, city staff, business leaders, funders, community organizers, and experts with lived experience of poverty convened to teach and learn together. The event hosted fabulous speakers, a social innovation walking tour, interactive workshops, and a city-hosted reception.

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Calgary's Enough for All: Canada's First Financial Empowerment Model

Financial vulnerability affects many people in Calgary. Wages are not keeping up with the rapidly increasing cost of living, and most people living below the poverty line belong to households in which at least one person is working. Many people are living above the poverty line, yet still experience financial vulnerability due to low levels of savings and high levels of debt.

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