Working Together to Reduce Local Poverty
In 2019, the Province released TogetherBC: British Columbia’s Poverty Reduction Strategy. TogetherBC sets the Province’s path to reducing overall poverty by 25% and child poverty by 50% in five years.
In order to assist communities to reduce local poverty, the province, through the Union of BC Municipalities, provided funding for the development of local poverty reduction strategies. Together, the CVRD, the City of Courtenay, the Town of Comox, the Village of Cumberland and K’omoks First Nation received $100,000 to develop a local action plan to reduce poverty.
The Poverty Reduction Assessment & Strategy plan was completed in September 2021 and includes an assessment of local poverty along with key strategies for local government and community partners to reduce poverty in our Region. This plan helps to meet the goals of the Regional Growth Strategy, including:
- Complete communities: to ensure the needs of Comox Valley residents are met through affordable and accessible housing, transportation and community services enabled by thoughtful community design;
- Food Systems: to support the local agricultural and aquaculture sectors and increase local food security;
- Local Economy: to achieve a sustainable, resilient and dynamic local economy that supports local businesses.
This plan builds on the findings of the recently completed 2020 Regional Housing Needs Assessment and the 2019 Comox Valley Childcare Inventory and Plan and includes the connections between poverty reduction and access to opportunities such as safe and affordable housing, active modes of transportation, food security, and childcare. It also highlights the importance of governments and community organizations taking a coordinated and collaborative approach when responding to the social challenges related to poverty in the Comox Valley.
Read the Comox Valley Poverty Assessment and Reduction Strategy.