Urban Exchange

This will be interesting – and welcome – news to everyone who participated in the recent Urban Exchange survey on poverty in Winnipeg:

Yesterday, Finance Minister Greg Selinger and Family Services and Housing Minister Gord Mackintosh announced ALL Aboard, a new poverty-reduction strategy that will include $212 million in new investments. ALL Aboard has four priorities: to create more affordable housing, strengthen training and income supports, enhance child development, and ease access to co-ordinated services and programs.

Mackintosh is quoted in the government news release:

“Manitoba’s child poverty rate has decreased by 40 per cent since 2000. This is unprecedented progress. However, too many Manitobans still cannot participate in the general prosperity. With an unsettled economy, which can unexpectedly imperil any family, we must co-ordinate the way we tackle the roots of poverty for the good of all Manitobans.”

Also quoted in the release are Jim Carr and Cindy Coker, Co-Chairs of the Winnipeg Poverty Reduction Council and Susan Lewis, President of United Way of Winnipeg.

Your views can help to inform efforts to reduce poverty in Winnipeg and Manitoba. Urban Exchange is looking forward to compiling and sharing the findings of the recent survey on poverty with as many decision-makers as possible, including leaders in our provincial and municipal governments, non-profit, business and labour leaders, and cross-sectoral groups like the Winnipeg Poverty Reduction Council.

For more details on yesterday’s announcement, please check out:

• Manitoba Government news release on the poverty reduction strategy
• Story and quotes on United Way of Winnipeg’s website
• Winnipeg Free Press coverage
• Comments from the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce