Social Fabric
Portland's Pearl District Provides Affordable Housing to Local Residents
Gentrification of a neighbourhood usually results in displacement of low-income residents, but the revitalization of Portland's Pearl District avoided that outcome by building a substantial amount of affordable housing. The result is a vibrant, mixed income community. Read more here.
Violence in Neighbourhoods Lower's Childrens' IQ Scores
A murder in a neighbourhood often lowers the IQ scores of children within a 10 block radius. Although this dip in IQ seems to go back to normal after 10 days, the post-traumatic stress of children who live in violent crime-ridden neighbourhoods accounts for lower IQ scores and poorer academic performance. Read article in Vancouver Sun here.Vancouver and Toronto Launch Programs to Encourage Newcomers to Ride Bikes
Living Wage Calculation Now at $18.17 Hour
Read article in today's Vancouver Sun that explains why the living wage calculation has gone up from $16.74 in 2008, to today's living wage, $18.17 in 2010.
Province to cut $10 million from community services for children, families
The B.C. government plans to cut an estimated $10 million in funding from organizations that provide services to some of the province’s most vulnerable children and families.In a confidential letter sent last month, executive directors in the Ministry of Children and Family Development were told that cuts to contracted agencies would be necessary by April 1, because “it is no longer possible to achieve the fiscal targets for 2010/11 without baseline reductions to funding for community service providers.”
First Prorogue, then Eviscerate
Harper's agenda has a simple goal: destroy the Canadian social safety net.
Liberals face growing criticism for treatment of vulnerable
Three years after a damning review of its child welfare system, the B.C. government again faces mounting criticism for its treatment of vulnerable children and families.
Documents released this week reveal budget reductions in the Ministry of Children and Family Development, lowered expectations for aboriginal students and plans to cut the number of children in care as poverty worsens.
A Poverty Reduction Plan for BC
Despite having a strong economy for the last decade, British Columbia has the highest poverty rates in the country. The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) has laid out a Poverty Reduction Plan that would reduce poverty in the province by one third after four years and eliminate street homelessness within 5 years. The plan calls for action in 7 key areas, among them: increasing the minimum wage by 50%, providing universal child care, increasing the minimum wage with inflation and creating 2,000 suites of social housing per year. Read the report here.
Canadian Labour Congress, Anti-Poverty Activists and Economists Call for Infrastructure Investments
The Canadian Labour Congress believes now is the time to invest at least $10 billion in infrastructure projects from public transit to affordable housing. In an open letter 80 prominenet Canadian economists called for similar measures. Read more here.