Niagara Poverty Reduction Strategy

Our 2024-2028 strategy

Working together to prevent and end poverty, and increase well-being in Niagara

Niagara Poverty Reduction Strategy

Poverty is unique to each person, complex with no single solution and a human rights issue. The Niagara Poverty Reduction Strategy:

• Reflects concerns, opportunities and actions identified by residents
• Highlights best practice
• Leverages local knowledge to inform future action and improve local collaboration

See Niagara Poverty Reduction Strategy at a glance.

Background

The community spoke. We listened. Together, we developed a strategy.

The Niagara Poverty Reduction Strategy is driven by diverse perspectives and experiences, shaped by people who are affected by poverty and often underrepresented in research. The recommendations in the strategy are supported by research.

How we got here

• Niagara Region Council approves development of a local poverty reduction strategy
• More than 1000 residents give input about an ideal future state, challenges, strengths and actions
• More than 200 Indigenous people give input about Indigenous prosperity
• Staff review research to identify best practice to address poverty
• Staff draft recommendations based on community input and best practice
• Staff engage with local area municipalities
• More than 100 content experts validate recommendations
• Niagara Region staff indicate alignment with other Niagara Region plans
• Steering Committee prioritize recommendations based on impact, effort and community support

See input provided by residents.

Areas of focus and actions

The community identified eight areas of focus to address poverty in Niagara.

The strategy includes a recommendation for each area of focus, along with sample actions. The actions are supported by research and take into account their impact, effort required and community support. They also align with Council's priorities.

Putting this strategy into action involves many dedicated individuals and groups. Niagara Region staff and the Poverty Reduction Steering Committee will work with community leaders to implement and monitor these actions, known as the 100 Actions Workplan. This workplan is flexible and will be updated regularly based on community feedback.

• Indigenous well-being

  Recommendation

  Indigenous community to develop a strategy for Indigenous specific poverty reduction initiatives.

  Action

  • Work with Indigenous community leaders to develop a strategy driven by a community process

  Achieving prosperity for Indigenous peoples in Niagara requires deep understanding of Indigenous history and culture. This includes the mental, physical, spiritual and emotional well-being of the individual, family and both human and non-human communities.

  Creating culturally safe environments is essential for Indigenous peoples to engage with and build relationships with municipal governments. Niagara Region acknowledges that colonialism and past actions and inactions of all levels of government have led to discriminatory policies and practices against Indigenous peoples. This has had devastating effects on the health and well-being of First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities.

  We need to move beyond acknowledgment and take actions to change this. All levels of government in Canada, including municipal, have a significant role to play. Each shares responsibility in eradicating anti-Indigenous racism and discrimination and fostering equity and respect for all.

• Housing

  Recommendation

  Provide housing stability services for people living in poverty to maintain their current housing, prevent eviction and improve social inclusion. Help individuals access income through periods of financial instability.

  Action

  • Improve relationships between tenants and property owners to reduce evictions
  • Expand the use of quick reconnects of financial and other supports for people who have previously been homeless
  • Increase legal supports for people in low-income households
  • Increase early identification of housing related risk
  • Address needs of those escaping gender-based violence

  Other actions we are monitoring

  • Increase resources to support households during short periods of financial crisis to limit trauma and mitigate long-term financial implications
  • Increase financial support as part of wrap around supports for households that share characteristics with chronically homeless populations
  • Increase housing and homelessness provider awareness of bias and discrimination experienced by newcomers, racialized and marginalized populations. For example, provide cultural safety training to housing and other service providers.
  • Enhance support provided for housing application process to help applicants address challenges in applying
  • Increase application to grants that incentivize accessibility upgrades or new construction and climate considerations that can reduce heating bills and other longer-term costs
  • Increase landlord engagement to build stronger tenant-landlord relationships
  • Explore enhancements to administrative processes that can support rent payment for stabilized housing
• Income

  Recommendation

  Increase opportunities for living wage employment in Niagara. Advocate for adequate, liveable rates from government income assistance programs.

  Action

  • Increase awareness, support and adoption of the living wage in Niagara as a poverty reduction effort
  • Advocate to federal and provincial governments to:
  • Develop and implement a universal basic income
  • Increase government programs that provide income and benefits. Examples include Ontario Works, Ontario Disability Support Program, Canadian Pension Plan and Old Age Security.
  • Improve access and eligibility for people living in poverty to access health benefits such as dental services, drug benefits and eyeglasses

  Other actions we are monitoring

  • Advocate to federal and provincial governments to increase minimum wage to a living wage
  • Advocate for an increase in social assistance rates and for policy adjustments that are more supportive of people on social assistance to exit from poverty, such as policies related to income deductions, benefits and eligibility
  • Scale up and sustain community capacity to deliver financial empowerment initiatives for people living in poverty or at risk of poverty. This includes support clinics for clients to get documentation needed to receive government programs.
  • Financial institutions to increase affordable and accessible banking options; provide financial coaching, tax-filing help and credit building information; and increase services to help newcomers get mortgage downpayment assistance; increase awareness of existing services
  • Increase residents' knowledge about their rights and how to get the supports they are eligible to receive
  • Promote the Canada Learning Bond program to families on low incomes to successfully participate in postsecondary education saving plans
• Employment

  Recommendation

  Promote and develop decent work opportunities that provide fair wages and benefits. Foster stable, consistent and safe employment.

  Action

  • Increase vocational training for those living in poverty to qualify for stable employment opportunities in local industries
  • Increase internships and apprenticeship opportunities for foreign-trained newcomers to work while obtaining Canadian credentials
  • Explore a social procurement policy for Niagara Region that increases opportunities for small businesses and equity-seeking groups

  Other actions we are monitoring

  • Advocate to federal and provincial governments to make accreditation processes easier and more affordable for newcomers
  • Advocate for implementation of equal-pay-for-equal-work provisions in the Employment Standards Act, enforce pay equity, and implement pay transparency
  • Increase employer knowledge on how to connect employees to social services, such as housing, mental health services, transportation and child care
  • Increase employee awareness on their rights in the workplace
  • Provide resources to help employers remove barriers for under-represented groups to become employed in all sectors. Promote the "Human Resources Best Practices Guidebook - How to Increase Diversity and Inclusion in Recruitment, Hiring, and Promotion". Increase learning opportunities for community organizations about human resource best practices to address accessibility from an employment perspective.
  • Promote social enterprise opportunities
  • Increase mentorship and apprentice opportunities for Indigenous peoples with all levels of education and recognize Indigenous teachings and knowledge
  • Increase people's stage of readiness to engage in skill development opportunities
  • Promote opportunities in core and emerging sectors to youth
  • Promote a consistent message to raise awareness about existing educational, employment, job training and skill development programs
• Food security

  Recommendation

  Improve access to fresh, culturally appropriate, affordable and nutritious foods through income-based solutions to food insecurity.

  Action

  • Advocate to federal and provincial governments to use evidence-based policies to reduce food insecurity
  • Pilot interventions that reduce barriers to food access in priority neighbourhoods
  • Continue to monitor and report the extent and severity of food insecurity and effective interventions. This will help build awareness and knowledge about the problem and support for actions.

  Other actions we are monitoring

  • Niagara Region Public Health to continue conducting Niagara Food Basket and share results with interested parties; determine provincial and federal advocacy opportunities in collaboration with other agencies
  • Improve coordination and collaboration of food access and food security providers
  • Increase partnerships with local farmers to provide more fresh food at affordable prices to those who need it most. Include farmers in any intervention from planning to implementation and evaluation.
  • Implement Indigenous-led food-related initiatives, while respecting the self-determination of each community and organization, including access to land to facilitate the sharing of traditional knowledge and access to traditional plants and medicines
• Early child development

  Recommendation

  Improve access to affordable, high-quality child care for families living in poverty or at risk of poverty.

  Action

  • Continue to implement the Canada Wide Early Learning and Child Care program in Niagara. This includes reducing the cost of child care to an average of $10 per day by 2026.
  • Continue to develop and put in place an Early Childhood Educator Workforce Strategy in children's services. This will help to expand the system and increase child care spaces.

  Other actions we are monitoring

  • Explore expansion of EarlyON services that are tailored to priority populations within priority neighbourhoods and use them as hubs for a network of Niagara Region and community-based services and supports, such as low barrier parenting support and prenatal groups
• Transportation

  Recommendation

  Continue the work of Niagara Region Transit to achieve affordable and equitable access to services in the cities / towns in Niagara.

  Action

  • Provide concession fare products for people who are living in poverty
  • Improve access to transit and active transportation
  • Increase hours of service to make evening, weekend and holiday transportation hours more consistent across all service levels

  Other actions we are monitoring

  • Review effectiveness of on-demand and specialized services to ensure equitable transit services to all residents and communities
  • Enhance and develop services to areas that are underserved
  • Investigate a low-income transit pass as has been done in other jurisdictions across Canada
  • Improve online and conventional wayfinding to make it easier for people to navigate and access transit services
  • Improve the built environment at bus stops to increase safety and accessibility, such as lighting, shelter, accessibility, signage at hubs and snow removal
  • Address challenges in transit access for individuals with disabilities
  • Education, health and employment hubs to create or update transportation plans for their facilities that include transit hubs and facilities that encourage active transportation, such as walking or cycling
  • Explore priority snow removal on routes to access bus stops
• Mental health and addiction

  Recommendation

  Enhance core service capacity. Offer a choice of timely, early recovery interventions and treatments for people who are living in poverty or at risk of poverty.

  Action

  • Address gaps and improve coordination of local mental health and addiction services
  • Keep promoting the wellness and safety of people experiencing issues with substance use and addiction

  Other actions we are monitoring

  • Increase access and coordination of services which impact social determinants of health related to root causes and stressors, such as housing, food, transportation, income and trauma
  • Continue to advocate to all levels of government for increased support and expansion of harm reduction services, such as consumption and treatment services