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, is providing $5 million over three years, 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 have received $100,000 to develop a local action plan. The plan will include an assessment of local poverty and identify key actions for local government and community partners to reduce poverty in our Region.
The plan will also help 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.
Working with community partners, including the Comox Valley Coalition to End Homelessness, the Comox Valley Social Planning Society, and the Comox Valley Health Network, and residents with lived experience, the Plan will build on the findings of the recently completed Regional Housing Needs Assessment and the 2019 Comox Valley Childcare Inventory and Plan.
The plan will look at the connections between poverty reduction and access to opportunities such as safe and affordable housing, active modes of transportation, food security, and childcare. It will also consider what we have learned about the exacerbated impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on residents living with social and economic inequalities.
Next Steps
December 1, 2021: The Comox Valley Poverty Assessment and Reduction Strategy is now complete. Read the Strategy here.