MPHM Response to the City of Winnipeg’s Poverty Reduction Strategy Implementation Plan Last week Winnipeg City Council passed the next 3-year (2024-2027) implementation plan for the Winnipeg Poverty Reduction Strategy, which was first introduced in 2021. Make Poverty History Manitoba (MPHM) and its supporters called on the City to ensure this plan included bold actions in four priority areas: Housing, Transit, Safety, and Reconciliation and Anti-Oppression. Unfortunately the implementation plan passed last week fails to fully address these priorities. Most of the actions in the City’s first ..read more

Make Poverty History Manitoba Stands in Solidarity with Indigenous Families, Calls for Landfill Search Make Poverty History Manitoba stands in solidarity with the families of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran and all Indigenous communities calling for all levels of government to work together and search the Prairie Green landfill.  There is also a third woman, Mashkode Bizhiki’ikwe or Buffalo Woman, whose identity is unknown but still deserves to be found and honoured. Canada, Manitoba and Winnipeg have actively sought the destruction of this land’s First Peoples through attempted genocide ..read more

A Place for Everyone On Tuesday February 28 the Province of Manitoba finally released its Homelessness Strategy called A Place for Everyone. Make Poverty History Manitoba and the Right to Housing Coalition have been running a campaign leading up to this announcement. Our message has been that the Homelessness Strategy will fail unless it: Invests in 300 net new units of social housing annually for at least 5 years, and Increases the EIA basic needs benefit to raise the incomes of all Manitobans to at least 75% of the poverty line. So how does the new Homelessness Strategy measure u ..read more

For release: January 13, 2023   Manitoba needs targeted benefits for those in poverty, not more tax cuts   For Immediate Release (Winnipeg, Treaty One): Anti-poverty groups are calling on Premier Stefanson to increase public investment in targeted public services for those most affected by inflationary increases instead of cutting taxes.   On January 11th, 2023, Premier Stefanson indicated the province is considering tax cuts to deal with the rising costs of inflation. This includes a cut to the PST, continuing with the cuts to education property taxes and a payroll tax cut. &n ..read more

This op-ed was first published by the Winnipeg Free Press on Oct 25, 2022. Next council must focus on real poverty solutions Homelessness in Winnipeg has become more visible during the pandemic. Less visible are the thousands of Winnipeggers living in poverty who have a roof over their heads. Almost half are working or looking for work, but their income is not sufficient to cover their basic needs. The city’s Poverty Reduction Strategy, published in 2021, estimates poverty affects one in eight Winnipeggers, which is 13 per cent of the population, or 92,000 people. Many others live only margin ..read more

This article was first published by the Winnipeg Free Press on Thursday October 20, 2022.  The Oct. 7 Free Press editorial (“Make prudent use of sudden financial windfall”) described a far more optimistic financial situation than the Manitoba government previously projected. This, they say, provides the province with greater “fiscal flexibility” to attend to urgent issues. The increasing shortage of rental housing for low-income households is one such urgent issue not noted in the editorial. And with the debt-to-GDP ratio expected to be well below previous projections, much-nee ..read more

Transit-oriented development, which maximizes the amount of housing, recreation, and business space near public transport, is one way cities around the world are building more healthy and sustainable communities. Shorter distances between different places in a city encourages people to drive less, reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Building affordable housing in well-connected, accessible communities is a sustainable way to invest in Make Poverty History Manitoba's priority areas: housing, transit, and public safety. The article below shows examples of innovative, transit-oriented desig ..read more

Celebrating a small win Let’s take a moment to celebrate a small win: this summer, the Manitoba provincial government announced a Family Affordability Package which includes an increase to the Basic Needs Benefit for EIA recipients. The letters you have sent to government leaders urging them to increase the Basic Needs Benefit have surely played a role in influencing this positive decision. Thank You. To be clear, the increase is far less than what we have been asking for. People in EIA’s general assistance category and without dependent children will receive an additional $50 p ..read more

The Housing First approach is based on the belief that everyone deserves safe housing. Reliable access to housing, combined with access to health services, employment skills, and supportive communities, are overwhelmingly successful in helping people stay housed, reduce substance use, and have better overall health. Homeless Hub, the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness, has published an article describing Housing First in more detail and showing its success in different Canadian cities. Read the full article here.   Want to help us make Housing First a reality in Winnipeg? Email mayor ..read more

The Aurora Mobile Response Team (AMRT) in Colorado works to “provide trauma-informed crisis intervention and de-escalation services on the scene” to individuals in distress, providing them with first aid, health assessments, and basic needs. Make Poverty History Manitoba is calling on our mayor and city council candidates to redirect at least 10% of police funding to community organizations that are providing community-based mental health supports, address the root causes of crime, and expand support for 24-hour safe spaces.  Read the full article here.   Want to help us make this ..read more