Give input on Toronto’s poverty-reduction strategy

On March 13, Councillor Joe Mihevc (Ward 21 St. Paul’s), Chair of the Toronto Board of Health and Toronto City Council’s Poverty Advocate, will join city staff to launch #TacklePovertyTO. This series of free panel discussions is being held to generate public input on the next phase of the city’s poverty reduction strategy for the 2018 to 2022 term of council.

“In three years, we’ve made real progress tackling poverty in our city with initiatives including expanded student nutrition, launching the Fair Fare pass for low-income residents, and adding more child care spaces. In 2017 alone, we connected 4,200 youth to job opportunities and we’re determined to accomplish more,” said Mayor John Tory. “I am dedicated to keeping Toronto affordable for everyone. These discussions will help us hear from residents about where they want the City to focus its efforts on poverty reduction over the next four years.”

The #TacklePovertyTO panels will convene on five Monday evenings from 6 to 9 p.m. at Toronto City Hall, 100 Queen St. W., starting March 12 and concluding April 23.

• March 12, City Hall rotunda – Quality Jobs and Livable Incomes: How can the City support effective pathways to quality jobs?

• March 19, City Hall, Committee Room 2 – Food Access: What would it take for all Toronto residents to have access to enough nutritious food?

• March 26, City Hall, Committee Room 2 – Service Access and Co-ordination: How can the City co-ordinate social programs and services to better serve residents with complex needs?

• April 16, City Hall rotunda – Transportation Equity: What are the next steps to achieve active and public transportation equity?

• April 23, City Hall rotunda: Housing Stability – What strategic actions can the City take to address the housing crisis?

“Toronto is a city of great opportunities, but there is a growing divide in who has access to them. As a city, we rise and fall together, so we all have a stake in reducing poverty,” said Councillor Mihevc. “I hope that by hosting vital conversations with the City’s best and brightest – low-income folks, academics, frontline workers and residents from all walks of life – we can identify what role we can all play and help to guide bold actions in the next phase of the City’s poverty reduction work.”

In 2015, Toronto City Council approved a 20-year poverty reduction strategy to take action to reduce poverty and ensure all residents can live with dignity. Learn about the City’s achievements to address and reduce poverty to date: http://bit.ly/2FZ4Gkg

—Olga Lukich