June 2008 Newsletter

(click here for printable version)

Reporting Back

The Poverty Reduction Coalition participates in Plan It Calgary
The Poverty Reduction Coalition in collaboration with United Way of Calgary and Area, Calgary Chamber of Voluntary Organizations and Sustainable Calgary hosted a consultation with the Plan It Calgary team in early March. More than 40 non-profit sector participants shared their perspectives on the impact that land use and transportation planning have on the provision of social services in our city.

Plan It Calgary is an 18-month project to develop a long-term plan for Calgary's land use and transportation networks based on the imagineCalgary sustainability principles.

As a result of the consultation, the Poverty Reduction Coalition submitted recommendations to The City of Calgary regarding the future direction of Plan It Calgary. In doing so, the Coalition hopes to ensure that future policy resulting from the Plan It Calgary process will ensure a range of special care facilities and affordable and accessible housing options are proactively planned for throughout Calgary communities.

The City of Calgary Council Standing Committee on Land Use and Transportation has since recommended to the Plan It Calgary team that further stakeholder engagement, including the non-profit sector, should be conducted prior to development of the final plan to ensure that key directions of the plan adequately respond to community input.

The Poverty Reduction Coalition presents to Council:
Proposed Planning Principles for Special Care Facilities, Shelters and Non-Market Housing
On April 14th, at a non-statutory public hearing, City Council directed administration to re-work the Land Use By-Law planning principles for special care facilities, shelters and affordable housing to address the five concerns identified by the Poverty Reduction Coalition. The Administration is to report back to council on this issue in early July; this was the outcome that the Poverty Reduction Coalition was seeking. 

In the days and weeks leading up to this hearing, Jim Dinning, co-chair of the Poverty Reduction Coalition, met individually with nine Aldermen to express the Coalition’s concern regarding the planning principles. On the day of the hearing, Jim presented the Coalition’s position to Council.  It’s interesting to note that when Council was deliberating they referenced Jim’s remarks and the Poverty Reduction Coalition’s submission several times. Council also noted that it had received a large number of letters from social service agencies concerned about the proposed planning principles.

To view the Poverty Reduction Coalition’s submission to Council, click here.