When I joined the Poverty Roundtable Hastings Prince Edward as their Director in 2016, building a community action plan for poverty reduction was just one of the activities I would be taking on as part of a complex project plan. The overall goal of the work was divided into two parts; First, to ensure that people who use programs shape the programs and services that matter to them, and second, to bring our community together to work to reduce poverty–In effect, removing the silos that we have had a tendency to work in.
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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.
Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of attending the annual conference for our partners, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, and presenting as part of their closing plenary. I was asked to share my vision for Canada in 2040. This gave me the chance to reflect on what Canada could look like if we steer our collective capacity toward eradicating poverty and deepening community as we embrace newcomers to Canada.
On November 14, 2017, the Government of Prince Edward Island (P.E.I.) committed to a Poverty Reduction Plan as part of the province's Throne Speech, and more recently, appointed a 12-person multi-sectoral advisory committee to bring forward short and longer-term solutions to poverty in a Poverty Reduction Plan. The Plan is expected to be ready for fall 2018 and will include actions in the areas of housing, food security, education and employment, says Committee Chair, Roxanne Carter-Thompson.
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This year’s Cities Innovating to Reduce Poverty Western Regional Poverty Reduction Summit will feature a workshop panel moderated by Kiri Bird, founder and Manager of the Local Economic Development Lab (LEDlab), and process designer and facilitator of Vancouver’s Community Economic Development (CED) strategy co-creation. The panel will bring together community leaders from the City of Vancouver, Exchange Inner City, EMBERS Eastside Works, and the Binners' Project.
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