Good Social + Smart Economics
Reducing Homelessness and Poverty Policy Solutions
Over the summer, United Way Halifax has been working hard with many community members to develop poverty solutions for HRM. We’re looking beyond traditional measures of income ability to meet essential needs and focusing on root causes and core determinants of health. With this focus, we’re considering solutions to poverty through a broad spectrum with goals to strengthen our community in the areas of:
equity and access
food security
health and wellbeing
education and early childhood
housing and homelessness
income and employment
We’re also considering solutions from both a rural and urban perspective.
Nationally United Ways and Centraides across Canada have also been actively reaching out to MPs from all parties to discuss poverty and advance policy solutions. One of these policy solutions, designed to tackle the inseparable issue of poverty and homelessness is the introduction of a new national Portable Housing Benefit (PHB).
There is growing interest and anticipation around these topics and we’re encouraged by the number of voices that are urging decision-makers to adopt a mix of innovative policy solutions designed to achieve sustained and measurable progress in the lives of those in greatest need.
You can learn more about some of the ideas that are being discussed locally and nationally by checking out some of the links below.
HRM Poverty Solutions | Help shape a strategy to address the root causes of poverty and create social and economic opportunity in Halifax
Hill Times | Innovation of housing policies key to fairness and opportunity
Joint Letter to Minister Duclos | Canada’s First National Housing Strategy will be unveiled this Fall
Macleans Magazine | A right to housing