Thursday Dec 10 2015 | Issue 215

TheHighlander

Highlander news
Reducing poverty a matter of
political will says Mike Perry
education chapter was presented and said he
hopes council can discuss the report in detail
early 2016.
Years worth of information on poverty in the
We just received the final report, but
county is now in the hands of council.
poverty is something we never really stopped
This is the most comprehensive thoroughly
working on, Fearrey said.
researched, extensive and exhaustive resource
localized to our area that weve ever seen,
said Mike Perry, City of Kawartha Lakes
Poverty isnt a
Family Health Teams executive director,
problem for only
referring to Haliburton Countys Poverty
the poor, it costs
Reduction Strategy. The key will be
implementation and thats why I challenge
all of us.
council to pick up with implementation. Its
not about more research, it's about political
will.
During Haliburton County Council on Nov.
executive director,
25, Perry presented the reduction strategys
Kawartha Lakes
fourth action plan, which addresses barriers
Family Health Team
to employment and education. Public health
nurse Mary Lou Mills was also on hand to
The reports numbers about the growing
make the presentation.
number of people earning minimum wage
The previous three chapters were presented
stood out to Fearrey.
to council over the course of 2014.
The province has gone in that direction
Perry is also a member of the community-
and the reality is that its a trickle-down effect,
based committee that has been developing the
it always has been, he said. Its a little
strategy since 2012.
bigger than just a local problem, but theres no
Poverty isnt a problem for only the poor,
doubt its a major local problem as well.
it costs all of us, Perry said.
Ensuring the entire county has access to
According to the report, 11.9 per cent of
high-speed Internet, he added, is the most
workers in Ontario earned minimum wage in
immediate step the municipality can take
2014, compared to 2.4 per cent in 1997.
in addressing barriers to employment and
Having an adequate income enables
education.
residents to contribute optimally to the
Young families can move here but dont
economy and improves the tax base so that
move here because they dont have the ability
the City of Kawartha Lakes and the County of
to do their jobs properly, he said. Weve
Haliburton can provide the services residents
made some progress with Dell and all our
need, notes the action plan.
partners who are working on this, but its still
There are several implementation
something that can be enhanced in the next
recommendations for the chapter on barriers
year or two.
to employment and education. They range
The poverty reduction strategy began with
from identifying current, emerging and
a presentation to City of Kawartha Lakes
future business opportunities, to developing
Council (CKL) in the fall of 2010. It was
strategies that target business and industry
made by the Access to Permanent Housing
retention.
Committee. The Poverty Coalition, CKL and
In addition, each chapter has specific
County of Haliburton Councils approved the
tasks assigned for all levels of government,
development of a joint strategy in early 2011.
including the municipality, which will help
The joint steering committee was formed as
reach the action plans goals.
a result.
With all of the information presented to
Following several focus groups, conferences
council so far, Perry said the county is in a
and online polls, all organized by the steering
favourable position to implement meaningful
committee in 2012, the group used that
changes which will help families struggling
information to develop five chapters. Each
with poverty.
chapter is a major point of emphasis in the
Reeve Murray Fearrey spoke with The
fight against poverty. They include affordable
Highlander after the employment and
By Alex Coop
Staff writer

Mike Perry

housing, transportation, food security,

employment and education and children and
youth.
The strategys fifth chapter on early
childhood assistance will be released in early
2016.
Perry said its unclear how the steering
committee will operate after the final chapter
is released.
We will certainly help the municipality
as the steering committee if asked for
assistance, he said.
Perry noted he would like to see some
regular status updates moving forward
regarding how and when parts of the poverty
reduction strategy are implemented by
council.
To view all of the information released thus
far by the steering committee, visit www.
city.kawarthalakes.on.ca/residents/house-and-
home/poverty-reduction-strategy.

Quick Facts
In Kawartha Lakes, 1,6002,100
people use food banks on a
monthly basis, 40 per cent of
them children. In the County
of Haliburton, 271 households
access food banks on a monthly
basis, 30 per cent of whom are
children.
Fifteen per cent of Ontarios
children live below the Low
Income Measure

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