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Community Agencies Support Research on Innovative Approaches to Address Poverty

News Release

14 February 2019

News Release

For immediate release

February 14, 2019, Calgary, Alberta – A new policy research report draws important attention to the inadequacy of the financial support provided to Albertans who access the income support system in their time of need. Most critically, the report highlights the importance of ensuring that financial supports allow people to afford safe and adequate housing.

When people face individual or community-wide circumstances that lead to loss of income, support to get them through those times is largely inadequate. The Measuring and Responding to Income Poverty report by Ron Kneebone and Margarita Wilkins from the School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary provides insight into the number of Albertans who experience poverty in our province.

Read our response to the report here.

Since the cost of living is so variable by community in Alberta, especially for housing, it is critical that social assistance and other forms of supports are adequate to meet basic needs. The report proposes an increase to benefits for Income Support recipients as a potential approach to respond to the cost of housing in specific communities and bring the level of social assistance closer to the poverty line. This recommendation also aligns with the federal government’s move to set Canada’s official poverty line to a measure that accounts for the different costs of living in communities across Canada.

“Addressing poverty comes at a cost, but so too does maintaining the status quo. We’re optimistic about recent changes to Alberta’s Income Support and AISH programs to index benefit levels. However, additional investment in the short term can ultimately reduce the need for future funding and provide Albertans with the stability they need to move out of poverty.” – Franco Savoia, Executive Director, Vibrant Communities Calgary.