Homelessness
1006 New Units of Social Housing to be Built in Vancouver
Yesterday the province announced it would put $205 million dollars towards building social housing in Vancouver. A private foundation Streetohome is putting up $20 million and the City of Vancouver is donating land worth $32 million. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2013. Read more here.Police Credit More Services for Mentally Ill and Addicted for Vancouver's plummeting Crime Rate
An increase in shelter beds, and improved services for those with mental illness and addictions is helping to reduce Vancouver's crime rate. Read Globe and Mail story here.
Tories cut funding for library Internet access
The Conservative government is quietly cutting funding to hundreds of community groups and even hospitals that provide free Internet access to Canadians who might not otherwise have a chance to get online.Campell's Cuts Hit BC's Most Vulnerable
The latest budget rolled out by the Campbell government includes cuts that will have serious impact on those with disabilities and those on welfare. On the chopping block are bottled water supplements for the immune compromised, a $75 shelter allowance for individuals who are homeless, dental coverage and birth control for those with disabilities. Read more here.
In Tight Times, Campbell Gov't Chooses to Help Big Banks
Inept budgeters axed $100 million yearly tax revenue from fat financial institutions. And it gets worse.It used to be said of the New Democrats (when they were in government during the 1990s), that, such was their lack of business and financial expertise, they couldn't run a lemonade stand.
Sadly, with Gordon Campbell and his BC Liberals, British Columbia today has a government whose fiscal acumen is so abysmal, so evidently lacking, that they appear incapable of operating any business enterprise of any size.
'Red Tent' Campaign Planned for Homeless during Olympics
Pivot Legal wants city to let it provide 500 tents to people sleeping on Vancouver's streets. Picture homeless people camped on downtown sidewalks. Big yawns inside bright red tents as the sun rises on another Olympics day. Early next month, Pivot Legal Society hopes to ask city council's permission to start handing out 500 collapsible shelters to Vancouver's most needy. Pivot's rights activists want to confront a city enthralled by Olympic jubilation with the reality of local poverty. And test the limits of constitutional law.
Victoria, BC Latest Transition Town
As of June 2009, the VRTI consists of a small, dedicated steering committee, and a larger, varied group of individuals interested in Transition. We welcome new members!
Greater Victoria, located at the southern tip of Vancouver Island off the west coast of Canada, has a population of about 350,000 people. The VRTI is working at both neighbourhood and city-wide levels to engage the whole community in creating a positive future.
What are we doing?
Tent Camping Homeless to Politicians: 'Face Facts!'
Published: June 16, 2009, The Tyee
That the city of Victoria and the British Columbia government are so determined to keep fighting to prevent homeless people from sheltering themselves speaks volumes, said Simon Ralph, who knows the pressure first hand.
Economics of Poverty Workshop: A Half-Day Primer on the Economics and Statistics of Poverty
Krishna Pendakur, SFU Professor of Economics, is offering an exciting half-day, free workshop on the economics and statistics of poverty:
CANADA'S QUIET BARGAIN The Benefits from Public Spending
The majority of Canadian households enjoy a higher quality of life because the public services their taxes fund come at a solid bargain, according to a new study by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA).
