Edmonton Social Planning Council

Author: Web Administrator

  • Blog: Impoverished In the Land of Opportunity

    [et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”0px||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ use_custom_gutter=”on” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” border_width_bottom=”1px” border_color_bottom=”#a6c942″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_post_title meta=”off” featured_image=”off” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” title_font=”||||||||” custom_margin=”||3px|||” border_color_bottom=”#a6c942″ global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_post_title][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https://edmontonsocialplanning.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/COLOUR-BLOCKS_spaced-300×51.png” title_text=”COLOUR BLOCKS_spaced” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”100%” max_height=”75px” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”10px|0px|20px|0px|false|false” global_module=”96648″ global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_image][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ use_custom_gutter=”on” make_equal=”on” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” width=”100%” custom_margin=”0px|auto|0px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”30px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _dynamic_attributes=”content” _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|600|||||||” text_text_color=”#2b303a” custom_padding=”||32px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9kYXRlIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJkYXRlX2Zvcm1hdCI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJjdXN0b21fZGF0ZV9mb3JtYXQiOiIifX0=@[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ text_text_color=”#2b303a” text_line_height=”1.6em” header_2_font=”||||||||” header_2_text_color=”#008ac1″ header_2_font_size=”24px” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”justified” width=”100%” module_alignment=”left” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”25px||||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]

    By Sintayoh Fissha Geberegziabher, ESPC Volunteer

    Edmonton is a metropolitan area (1.4 million), the fifth largest urban center in Canada, and the fastest growing population over the past two decades. (1) Edmonton has a large manufacturing sector and above-average employment in services such as transportation, ambulatory health care, and education.  Since it’s a region with resources (oil and gas) and opportunities there is a large immigrant population that contributes to Edmonton’s Economic Growth.  The city has benefited from the inflow of people, and over the past ten years, the community has attracted an average of 12,000 immigrants from more than one hundred countries around the world. With statuses of temporary foreign workers, professional immigrants, students, and immigrants with no local documentation. More than 300,000 Edmontonians are of immigrant background and have changed the face of the city. (2) 

    Edmonton, a city with a booming economy has helped immigrants to gain opportunities such as living in a peaceful environment, becoming food self-sufficient, and accessing basic services (education, health, transportation, and communication) but still many are facing economic, and social problems that continue to make their lives challenging. Due to skill and language barriers, immigrant women are often not able to get a full-time permanent job and are unable to explore the existing opportunities. This creates a barrier to fully integrating into the labour market compared to other population immigrants in Edmonton who suffer from higher unemployment rates, where most are assigned to temporary jobs. (3) 

    The emphasis of this blog is to highlight the status of low-skilled female immigrants who came to Canada, specifically Edmonton, seeking better opportunities but still are economically disadvantaged. There are strong social and labour market participation benefits to attaining greater English language competency, but some participants reported being isolated in a language class for too many months becomes a detriment to their professional skills and their networking opportunities. Immigrant women of African origin are in many cases, found at the very bottom of the labour force. (4) They face double discrimination as both women and as Black. (5) Social support or welfare is helping immigrant women to feel emotionally well but is not serving to achieve their broader objectives. (6) Social supports help to address the resource gap of the low-income groups by balancing the income allocation and distribution (7)  

    Comparative studies reveal that in any economy having a better social welfare system is necessary because: 

    • Signify the importance of optimal use of resources to fulfill human needs 
    • Helps market structure to adjust, and nurture maximum consumer and producer surplus 
    • Addresses the market distribution and structure 
    • Tackles the diverse economic problems; resource allocation, service availability, and access 
    • Draws insight into public finance 

    Overall, a comparison of studies revealed a social welfare system with programs such as health care assistance, food stamps, housing, child tax benefit, and unemployment compensation offered to both, Canadian and immigrants who are in need is crucial.  

    However, some studies showed that to improve the wellbeing of immigrant women increasing development funding in addition to social support is necessary. (3) The female immigrant population in Edmonton who struggle to integrate into the wider labour market; for a variety of reasons, need a sustainable way of living that enables them to achieve their dreams of having better lives. Policies and practices should consider the changing gender relations, cultural knowledge, increasing the development fund (training and capacity building), and informal support channels with African immigrants. (8)  

    Suggestions 

    • Create more jobs for female immigrants and encourage them to integrate into the labour market  
    • Provision of more orientation and training that encourages female immigrants to realize the necessity of integrating into the labour market, and the importance of financial independence  
    • Increase the economic development fund to decrease social expenses 
    • Evaluation of the existing system and examination of the gaps and barriers  

    References  

    1. Immigration Matters. (Spring 2019): Economic Profile Series: Edmonton, Alberta. https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/ircc/migration/ircc/english/pdf/immigration-matters/economicprofile-edmonton-alberta-en-final.pdf 
    2. City of Edmonton. (2021). Belonging: Stories of the Dignity and resilience of immigrants: The state of immigration and settlement in Edmonton: Annual Report 2021.  https://www.edmonton.ca/sites/default/files/public-files/assets/PDF/SIS-AnnualReport-2021.pdf 
    3. Guo, S. (2010). Understanding immigrants’ downward social mobility: A comparative study of economic and social integration of recent Chinese immigrants in Calgary and Edmonton. Edmonton, AB: Prairie Metropolis Centre, University of Alberta. 
    4. Agrawal, S. (2015). Immigration and settlement in Edmonton: Literature review prepared for the Edmonton Local Immigration Partnership (E-LIP) Council. https://cms.eas.ualberta.ca/UrbanEnvOb/wp-content/uploads/sites/21/2017/11/e-lip-final-report.pdf 
    5. Simich, L., Beiser, M., Stewart, M., and Mwakarimba, E. (2005). Providing Social Support for Immigrants and Refugees in Canada: Challenges and Directions. Journal of Immigrant Health, Vol. 7, No. 4. DOI: 10.1007/s10903-005-5123-1 
    6. J. Tettey, W., and P. Puplampu, K. (2005). The African diaspora in Canada: Negotiating identity and belonging. University of Calgary Press. https://prism.ucalgary.ca/bitstream/handle/1880/48644/UofCPress_AfricanDiaspora_2005.pdf?sequence=5&isAllowed=y 
    7. Stewart, M., Makwarimba, E., Kushner, K. Eastlick, Letourneau, N., Shizha, E., & Dennis, C. E. (2013). Social support intervention for Sudanese and Zimbabwean refugee new parents. Faculty of Nursing and School of Public Health, University of Alberta. DOI:10.1108/IJMHSC-07-2014-0028 
    8. Okeke-ihejirika, P., Salami, B., & Karimi, A. (2019). African Immigrant women transition and integration to Canadian society: Expectations, stressors, and tensions. Journal of Feminist Geography, 26(4). https://doi.org/10.1080/0966369X.2018.1553852 

                 

                Sintayoh Fissha has teaching and research experience in applied economics and development economics. She is currently living in Edmonton working as a researcher and sessional instructor at Grant MacEwan University. She is also working as a training facilitator at the Candora Society of Edmonton. As a socio-economist and community development expert she is interested to collaborate with people who are working on the areas of social policy growth, gender, poverty, and institution. 

                [/et_pb_text][dmpro_image_hotspot _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/dmpro_image_hotspot][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0px|20px|0px|20px|false|false” border_color_left=”#a6c942″ global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_testimonial author=”Posted by:” job_title=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9hdXRob3IiLCJzZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJiZWZvcmUiOiIiLCJhZnRlciI6IiIsIm5hbWVfZm9ybWF0IjoiZGlzcGxheV9uYW1lIiwibGluayI6Im9uIiwibGlua19kZXN0aW5hdGlvbiI6ImF1dGhvcl93ZWJzaXRlIn19@” portrait_url=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9hdXRob3JfcHJvZmlsZV9waWN0dXJlIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnt9fQ==@” quote_icon=”off” portrait_width=”125px” portrait_height=”125px” disabled_on=”on|off|off” _builder_version=”4.16″ _dynamic_attributes=”job_title,portrait_url” _module_preset=”default” body_text_color=”#000000″ author_font=”||||||||” author_text_align=”center” author_text_color=”#008ac1″ position_font=”||||||||” position_text_color=”#000000″ company_text_color=”#000000″ background_color=”#ffffff” text_orientation=”center” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”0px|0px|4px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”32px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_testimonial][et_pb_text disabled_on=”on|off|off” _builder_version=”4.16″ _dynamic_attributes=”content” _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#000000″ header_text_align=”left” header_text_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.65)” header_font_size=”20px” text_orientation=”center” custom_margin=”50px||50px||true|” custom_padding=”48px|||||” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9jYXRlZ29yaWVzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiUmVsYXRlZCBjYXRlZ29yaWVzOiAgIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJsaW5rX3RvX3Rlcm1fcGFnZSI6Im9uIiwic2VwYXJhdG9yIjoiIHwgIiwiY2F0ZWdvcnlfdHlwZSI6ImNhdGVnb3J5In19@[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” _dynamic_attributes=”content” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″ text_text_color=”#2B303A” header_text_color=”#2B303A”]@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF90YWdzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJsaW5rX3RvX3Rlcm1fcGFnZSI6Im9uIiwic2VwYXJhdG9yIjoiIHwgIiwiY2F0ZWdvcnlfdHlwZSI6InBvc3RfdGFnIn19@[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

              1. Blog: International Equal Pay Day 

                [et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”0px||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ use_custom_gutter=”on” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” border_width_bottom=”1px” border_color_bottom=”#a6c942″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_post_title meta=”off” featured_image=”off” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” title_font=”||||||||” custom_margin=”||3px|||” border_color_bottom=”#a6c942″ global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_post_title][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https://edmontonsocialplanning.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/COLOUR-BLOCKS_spaced-300×51.png” title_text=”COLOUR BLOCKS_spaced” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”100%” max_height=”75px” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”10px|0px|20px|0px|false|false” global_module=”96648″ global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_image][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ use_custom_gutter=”on” make_equal=”on” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” width=”100%” custom_margin=”0px|auto|0px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”30px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _dynamic_attributes=”content” _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|600|||||||” text_text_color=”#2b303a” custom_padding=”||32px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9kYXRlIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJkYXRlX2Zvcm1hdCI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJjdXN0b21fZGF0ZV9mb3JtYXQiOiIifX0=@[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ text_text_color=”#2b303a” text_line_height=”1.6em” header_2_font=”||||||||” header_2_text_color=”#008ac1″ header_2_font_size=”24px” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”justified” width=”100%” module_alignment=”left” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”25px||||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]

                By Mariska Konnik 

                International Equal Pay Day was established in 2019 by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly and falls on September 18th annually. (1) It was created as a response to the undervaluing of work typically done by women and the difficulties in tackling pay inequality that exists all across the globe. (1) Through creating International Equal Pay Day as an established global event, the UN General Assembly urges individuals to unite in collective action to support equal pay for work of equal value and see it as a worthwhile goal. (1)  

                What exactly does equal pay look like?  

                Equal pay means that both women and men have the right to receive equal compensation for work of equal value, and that women and men working in similar positions should receive the same pay. (1)

                [/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https://edmontonsocialplanning.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Untitled-design.png” title_text=”Untitled design” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” width=”42%” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ text_text_color=”#2b303a” text_line_height=”1.6em” header_2_font=”||||||||” header_2_text_color=”#008ac1″ header_2_font_size=”24px” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”justified” width=”100%” module_alignment=”left” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”25px||||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]

                Despite this seemingly simple definition, the issue of equal pay is one that is extremely complex and pervasive within society today. This can be demonstrated through the gender pay gap, and how it still exists worldwide, even here in Canada. Looking at Canadian statistics, on average, women workers earn between 69 to 87 cents for every dollar earned by men. (2) This figure only represents the average; the pay gap is wider for Indigenous women, women with disabilities, women with children, and women of color, to name a few. (2) The gender pay gap also exists in a wide range of jobs. For example, women in executive, high paying positions still make 56% less on average than their male counterparts. (5) The gap widens further for women of color who make about 32% less than non-visible minority women. (5) Similarly, in fields such as agriculture, law, dentistry, and engineering, the gender wage difference stands at about 30-40% in Canada as of 2018. (7) All these examples demonstrate how pervasive the gender pay gap is and how it exists across a variety of different fields, affecting women in various career paths. Furthermore, the gender pay gap persists despite there currently being more women than men pursuing university degrees. (5) Regardless of the progress in women’s education attainment, and an increasing rate of women in the labor force, efforts to close the gender pay gap have barely begun. (4)  

                Ending the gender pay gap is a significant and urgent problem within our society as it is one of the root causes of gendered poverty. (5) A direct consequence of the pay gap is women being more vulnerable to low income than men in Canada. (5) The pay gap holds a significant impact on women’s economic wellbeing, with consequences such as limited pensions upon retirement or being stuck in poverty despite working. (3) Poverty can increase rates of victimization and lead to women being trapped in dangerous situations as lack of income or housing options are considerable barriers to women being able to escape abusive relationships. (3)  

                What are some options for reducing and abolishing the gender pay gap worldwide?  

                According to Catalyst, an organization that focuses on women in the workplace, pay equity and increasing the representation of women in higher paying positions are key to addressing and closing the gender pay gap. (6) Additionally, the Canadian Women’s Foundation suggests that prioritization of workplace flexibility, especially for mothers and caregivers; ongoing audits of compensation and gendered advancement opportunities; and implementation of pay transparency policies are essential to addressing the gender pay gap. (5)  

                Through looking at the data surrounding the gender pay gap, the target goal of the UN General Assembly’s establishment of International Equal Pay Day becomes clear. Advocacy, continuous conversation, and clear action needs to be taken in regard to the gender pay gap and by establishing it as a globally-recognized day, steps can be taken to achieve just that. 

                Reference List 

                1. UFCW Media & News. (September 14, 2021). UFCW Canada supports International Equal Pay Day – September 18. UFCW Canada. https://www.ufcw.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33039:ufcw-canada-supports-international-equal-pay-day-september-18&catid=10267&Itemid=6&lang=en 
                2. NUPGE. (2021). International Equal Pay Day 2021. National Union of Public and General Employees. https://nupge.ca/content/international-equal-pay-day-2021  
                3. Women Act. (2022) Equal Pay Day in Canada. WomenAct. https://womanact.ca/equal-pay-day-in-canada/  
                4. UN Women. (September 18, 2020). Equal pay essential to build a world of dignity and justice for all, UN says, commemorating first International Equal Pay Day. United Nations. https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/09/1072722  
                5. Canadian Women’s Foundation. (March 15, 2022). The Facts about the Gender Pay Gap. Canadian Women’s Foundation. https://canadianwomen.org/the-facts/the-gender-pay-gap/  
                6. Catalyst. (September 20, 2021). The Gender Pay Gap: Ask Catalyst Express. Catalyst: Workplaces that Work for Women. https://www.catalyst.org/research/gender-pay-gap-resources/  
                7. Maclean’s. (February 18, 2018). 20 jobs that have the biggest gender wage gaps in Canada. Maclean’s https://www.macleans.ca/society/20-jobs-that-have-the-biggest-gender-wage-gaps-in-canada/#gallery/gender-pay-gap-jobs-in-canada/slide-16 

                 

                Mariska Konnik is a recent graduate from the University of Alberta with a BA in Criminology. She has a passion for social justice and hopes to assist individuals within the Edmonton community by sharing information and resources. She hopes to become a lawyer to continue her passion for social justice. 

                [/et_pb_text][dmpro_image_hotspot _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/dmpro_image_hotspot][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0px|20px|0px|20px|false|false” border_color_left=”#a6c942″ global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_testimonial author=”Posted by:” job_title=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9hdXRob3IiLCJzZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJiZWZvcmUiOiIiLCJhZnRlciI6IiIsIm5hbWVfZm9ybWF0IjoiZGlzcGxheV9uYW1lIiwibGluayI6Im9uIiwibGlua19kZXN0aW5hdGlvbiI6ImF1dGhvcl93ZWJzaXRlIn19@” portrait_url=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9hdXRob3JfcHJvZmlsZV9waWN0dXJlIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnt9fQ==@” quote_icon=”off” portrait_width=”125px” portrait_height=”125px” disabled_on=”on|off|off” _builder_version=”4.16″ _dynamic_attributes=”job_title,portrait_url” _module_preset=”default” body_text_color=”#000000″ author_font=”||||||||” author_text_align=”center” author_text_color=”#008ac1″ position_font=”||||||||” position_text_color=”#000000″ company_text_color=”#000000″ background_color=”#ffffff” text_orientation=”center” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”0px|0px|4px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”32px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_testimonial][et_pb_text disabled_on=”on|off|off” _builder_version=”4.16″ _dynamic_attributes=”content” _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#000000″ header_text_align=”left” header_text_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.65)” header_font_size=”20px” text_orientation=”center” custom_margin=”||50px|||” custom_padding=”48px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”]@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9jYXRlZ29yaWVzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiUmVsYXRlZCBjYXRlZ29yaWVzOiAgIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJsaW5rX3RvX3Rlcm1fcGFnZSI6Im9uIiwic2VwYXJhdG9yIjoiIHwgIiwiY2F0ZWdvcnlfdHlwZSI6ImNhdGVnb3J5In19@[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” _dynamic_attributes=”content” text_text_color=”#2B303A” header_text_color=”#2B303A” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″]@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF90YWdzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJsaW5rX3RvX3Rlcm1fcGFnZSI6Im9uIiwic2VwYXJhdG9yIjoiIHwgIiwiY2F0ZWdvcnlfdHlwZSI6InBvc3RfdGFnIn19@[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

              2. Vital Topic: A Look at Education, Income & Employment Inequality for Indigenous & People of Colour in Edmonton

                [et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”0px||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ use_custom_gutter=”on” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” border_width_bottom=”1px” border_color_bottom=”#a6c942″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_post_title meta=”off” featured_image=”off” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” title_font=”||||||||” custom_margin=”||3px|||” border_color_bottom=”#a6c942″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][/et_pb_post_title][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_image src=”https://edmontonsocialplanning.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/COLOUR-BLOCKS_spaced-300×51.png” title_text=”COLOUR BLOCKS_spaced” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”100%” max_height=”75px” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”10px|0px|20px|0px|false|false” global_module=”96648″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][/et_pb_image][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ use_custom_gutter=”on” make_equal=”on” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” width=”100%” custom_margin=”0px|auto|0px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”30px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _dynamic_attributes=”content” _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|600|||||||” text_text_color=”#2b303a” custom_padding=”||32px|||” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9kYXRlIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJkYXRlX2Zvcm1hdCI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJjdXN0b21fZGF0ZV9mb3JtYXQiOiIifX0=@[/et_pb_text][et_pb_button button_url=”https://edmontonsocialplanning.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/OP_ECF-Vital-Signs_19964_p6.pdf” url_new_window=”on” button_text=”Download the Vital Topic — A Look at Education, Income & Employment Inequality for Indigenous & People of Colour in Edmonton” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_button=”on” button_text_color=”#ffffff” button_bg_color=”#008ac1″ custom_margin=”||19px|||” custom_padding=”||5px|||” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″][/et_pb_button][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ text_text_color=”#2b303a” text_line_height=”1.6em” header_2_font=”||||||||” header_2_text_color=”#008ac1″ header_2_font_size=”24px” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”justified” width=”100%” module_alignment=”left” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”25px||||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″]

                Edmonton Vital Signs is an annual checkup conducted by Edmonton Community Foundation, in partnership with Edmonton Social Planning Council, to measure how the community is doing. Vital Topics are a quick but comprehensive look at issues that are timely and important to Edmonton.

                For this edition, we take a look at Education, Income, and Employment Inequality for Indigenous and People of Colour in Edmonton. This includes a look at racism, stereotypes, discrimination, and unconscious bias seen in education and employment. 
                . 

                [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0px|20px|0px|20px|false|false” border_color_left=”#a6c942″ global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_testimonial author=”Posted by:” job_title=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9hdXRob3IiLCJzZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJiZWZvcmUiOiIiLCJhZnRlciI6IiIsIm5hbWVfZm9ybWF0IjoiZGlzcGxheV9uYW1lIiwibGluayI6Im9uIiwibGlua19kZXN0aW5hdGlvbiI6ImF1dGhvcl93ZWJzaXRlIn19@” portrait_url=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9hdXRob3JfcHJvZmlsZV9waWN0dXJlIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnt9fQ==@” quote_icon=”off” portrait_width=”125px” portrait_height=”125px” disabled_on=”on|off|off” _builder_version=”4.16″ _dynamic_attributes=”job_title,portrait_url” _module_preset=”default” body_text_color=”#000000″ author_font=”||||||||” author_text_align=”center” author_text_color=”#008ac1″ position_font=”||||||||” position_text_color=”#000000″ company_text_color=”#000000″ background_color=”#ffffff” text_orientation=”center” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”0px|0px|4px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”32px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][/et_pb_testimonial][et_pb_text disabled_on=”on|off|off” _builder_version=”4.16″ _dynamic_attributes=”content” _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#000000″ header_text_align=”left” header_text_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.65)” header_font_size=”20px” text_orientation=”center” custom_margin=”||50px|||” custom_padding=”48px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9jYXRlZ29yaWVzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiUmVsYXRlZCBjYXRlZ29yaWVzOiAgIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJsaW5rX3RvX3Rlcm1fcGFnZSI6Im9uIiwic2VwYXJhdG9yIjoiIHwgIiwiY2F0ZWdvcnlfdHlwZSI6ImNhdGVnb3J5In19@[/et_pb_text][et_pb_code _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_orientation=”center” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][3d-flip-book mode=”thumbnail-lightbox” id=”200208″ title=”true”][/3d-flip-book]

                Click on image to view online.

                [/et_pb_code][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

              3. Blog: Nowhere to Go – The Do Not Rent List 

                [et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”0px||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ use_custom_gutter=”on” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” border_width_bottom=”1px” border_color_bottom=”#a6c942″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_post_title meta=”off” featured_image=”off” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” title_font=”||||||||” custom_margin=”||3px|||” border_color_bottom=”#a6c942″ global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_post_title][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https://edmontonsocialplanning.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/COLOUR-BLOCKS_spaced-300×51.png” title_text=”COLOUR BLOCKS_spaced” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”100%” max_height=”75px” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”10px|0px|20px|0px|false|false” global_module=”96648″ global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_image][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ use_custom_gutter=”on” make_equal=”on” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” width=”100%” custom_margin=”0px|auto|0px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”30px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _dynamic_attributes=”content” _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|600|||||||” text_text_color=”#2b303a” custom_padding=”||32px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9kYXRlIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJkYXRlX2Zvcm1hdCI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJjdXN0b21fZGF0ZV9mb3JtYXQiOiIifX0=@[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ text_text_color=”#2b303a” text_line_height=”1.6em” header_2_font=”||||||||” header_2_text_color=”#008ac1″ header_2_font_size=”24px” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”justified” width=”100%” module_alignment=”left” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”25px||||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]

                By Carrie Cyre 

                In June 2022, Post Media reported on a private Facebook group with more than 2000 members called “Landlords Beware! Bad Tenants — Edmonton and area” (Boothby, 2022a). A group of local landlords and property managers created this private Facebook group to share information about problematic tenants. The posts on this site list “problem” tenants accused of damaging housing or property, leaving items behind when moving out, and unpaid rent (Boothby, 2022a; Connolly & McCarthy, 2022). This group’s reported purpose is to warn other landlords about these tenants and blocklist their ability to rent in the future.  

                The Do Not Rent list can have far-reaching implications: 

                1. Unofficial and unregulated lists like this can cause worsened low-vacancy, high-rent housing situations, and housing discrimination (Boothby, 2022c). 
                2. These lists may violate individuals’ human rights to housing (Boothby, 2022c). 
                3. Misusing and sharing private tenant information is against Alberta privacy laws (Connolly & McCarthy, 2022; Boothby2022b). 
                4. Raising grievances on Facebook or any private social media space does not provide any mechanism for tenants to dispute claims (Connolly & McCarthy, 2022). 

                The Cost of Housing 

                Amid a nationwide housing crisis, many Canadians have difficulty finding affordable and safe housing. Commonly, individuals experience barriers like low vacancy rates, high prices, and discrimination (Auspurg et al., 2019; Ages et al., 2021). 

                Buying a house 

                Canada has continually been among the most expensive nations regarding housing (Du et al., 2022). Even Edmonton, one of the more affordable cities in the country, has average single-family homes costing upwards of over $400,000 (Du et al., 2022). The high housing prices in Canada have led to lower ownership rates amongst Indigenous Canadians, Black Canadians, West-Asian Canadians, and many other racialized groups (Ages et al., 2021). 

                [/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https://edmontonsocialplanning.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Screenshot-2022-09-13-084436.png” title_text=”Screenshot 2022-09-13 084436″ align=”center” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ text_text_color=”#2b303a” text_line_height=”1.6em” header_2_font=”||||||||” header_2_text_color=”#008ac1″ header_2_font_size=”24px” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”justified” width=”100%” module_alignment=”left” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”25px||||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]

                Renting 

                Canada’s rental increases over the past several years have significantly outpaced increases in the minimum wage (Springer, 2022). As a result, rent increases have disproportionately affected people living on fixed incomes, such as minimum wage workers, seniors living on a government pension, and those reliant on social services (Government of Canada, 2021).  

                [/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https://edmontonsocialplanning.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Screenshot-2022-09-13-084738.png” title_text=”Screenshot 2022-09-13 084738″ align=”center” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ text_text_color=”#2b303a” text_line_height=”1.6em” header_2_font=”||||||||” header_2_text_color=”#008ac1″ header_2_font_size=”24px” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”justified” width=”100%” module_alignment=”left” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”25px||||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]

                The Do Not Rent list also violates the individuals’ human rights to a place to live by creating an unexpected barrier to securing safe and affordable housing (Boothby, 2022b). Many individuals have experienced discrimination when renting, including those who identify as Black, Indigenous, persons from the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, low-income individuals, single-parent households, immigrants and refugees, and persons living with a disability (Springer, 2022). In addition, the private rental market can discriminate against individuals by asking them to pay relatively higher prices to get the same housing quality as others or may provide substandard housing (Pager & Shepherd, 2008). Studies have shown that individuals from marginalized backgrounds can be especially vulnerable to housing insecurity and housing discrimination (Ages et al., 2021; Auspurg et al., 2019).  

                Government intervention is often suggested as a solution to housing insecurity, high rent, and low vacancy (Pasalis, 2022). Unfortunately, the Federal government discontinued funding for subsidized housing in 1993, and responsibility was transferred to the provinces (Perrault, 2022). Additionally, Canada has failed to allow enough changes to land zoning to allow more dense housing to be built (Pasalis, 2022). In Alberta, while subsidized housing is available, it does not meet the demand, and in 2021, there were over 25 000 Albertans on the waitlist (Government of Alberta, 2021). 

                There is also a lack of housing in general across Canada. To compare Canada to other G7 nations, the average number of housing units is 471 homes per 1,000 residents across the G7 (Perrault, 2022). However, Canada has only 424 homes per 1000 Canadians, 10% lower than the G7 average (Pasalis, 2022). Further, Alberta has recorded the lowest number of private dwellings per capita relative to other provinces (Perrault, 2022). 

                [/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https://edmontonsocialplanning.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Screenshot-2022-09-13-085057.png” title_text=”Screenshot 2022-09-13 085057″ align=”center” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ text_text_color=”#2b303a” text_line_height=”1.6em” header_2_font=”||||||||” header_2_text_color=”#008ac1″ header_2_font_size=”24px” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”justified” width=”100%” module_alignment=”left” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”25px||||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]

                  The sharing of tenant information is against Alberta privacy laws.  

                  A legal criticism of this Facebook group’s list is that these landlords misappropriate private data and share it without tenant knowledge or consent. This practice is illegal as it breaks Alberta’s Personal Information Protection Act (Boothby 2022b). Public Interest Alberta and the Alberta Privacy Commissioner’s Office are aware of this sharing of tenant information and are investigating.  

                  Landlords already have the legal right to run credit checks and reference checks on potential tenants. (Government of Alberta, 2022) 

                  Personal Information Protection Act, SA 2003 c P-6.5 also called PIPA. PIPA is the act that protects personal data in the private sector in Alberta. PIPA gives consumers the right to access their personal data held by an organization such as a landlord. PIPA also imposes certain requirements on how companies or organizations may use, store and share that personal information (OICP, 2022).  

                  One final problem with the list is that there is no way for a tenant to be notified if they are on the list (Connolly & McCarthy, 2022). As a result, a tenant cannot share their side of the story or remove their information. Once someone realizes they are on the list, there is no process to have their information removed (Connolly & McCarthy, 2022). As outlined in the Alberta Tenancy Act, tenants and landlords have legal means to use when in conflict. However, Alberta housing advocates feel that legislators need to update the act to balance the power and responsibilities of landlords and tenants (Boothby, 2022b). 

                  The Do Not Rent List controversy renews the call for action on the housing crisis. Advocates, academics, and government officials have suggested many solutions to address the housing affordability crisis (Canada Housing Crisis, 2021; Erl, 2022). However, as a lack of housing and high housing prices are complex problems, they require a great deal of public support, public funds, and coordination with many different levels of government. 

                  While the Do Not Rent group page is shut down, at least for now, similar pages could resurface in other formats and locations. This current chapter in the ongoing Canadian housing crisis asks us to consider if it is fair to allow past rental problems, whether accurate, exaggerated, or fabricated, to prevent someone from accessing rental housing. If housing is a human right, whose responsibility is it to provide housing?  

                   

                  References 

                  1. Ages, A., Aramburu, R., Charles, R., Chejfecc, C., & Buhubesh, R. (2021). Housing Discrimination in Canada: Urban Centres, Rental Markets, and Black Communities.  McGill School of Public Policy. https://www.mcgill.ca/maxbellschool/article/articles-policy-lab-2021/housing-discrimination-canada-urban-centres-rental-markets-and-black-communities
                  2. Auspurg, K., Schneck, A., & Hinz. (2019).Closed doors everywhere? A meta-analysis of field experiments on ethnic discrimination in rental housing markets. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 45(1), 95-114. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369183X.2018.1489223
                  3. Boothby, L. (2022a). Edmonton landlords run ‘do not rent’ list with hundreds of tenants in private Facebook group. The Edmonton Journal. https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/edmonton-landlords-run-do-not-rent-list-with-hundreds-of-tenants-in-Private-facebook-group
                  4. Boothby, L. (2022b). Alberta privacy commissioner investigates complaint related to Edmonton ‘do not rent’ list. The Edmonton Journal. https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/alberta-privacy-commissioner-investigates-complaint-related-to-edmonton-do-not-rent-list
                  5. Boothby, L (2022c). Revamping Alberta renters’ rights and investigating Edmonton landlord group needed: advocate. Edmonton Journal. https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/revamping-alberta-renters-rights-and-investigating-edmonton-landlord-group-needed-advocate
                  6. Connolly, M., & McCarthy, T., (2022). Another do not rent list was made public in Edmonton. Radio broadcast: CBC Radio, Radio Active. https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-52-radio-active/clip/15923225-another-rent-list-made-public-edmonton.
                  7. Du, Z., Hua, Y. & Zhang, L. (2022). Foreign buyer taxes and house prices in Canada: A tale of two cities. Journal of Housing Economics, 55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhe.2021.101807
                  8. Erl, C.(2022). The Homefront Strategy: Democratizing Housing in Canada. McGill Publications. https://www.mcgill.ca/maxbellschool/article/articles-max-policy/homefront-strategy-democratizing-housing-canada
                  9. Government of Alberta. (2015). Personal Information Protection Act – Overview. https://www.alberta.ca/personal-information-protection-act-overview.aspx
                  10. Government of Alberta. (2021). A New Approach to Housing. Housing and Community. https://www.alberta.ca/article-a-new-approach-to-housing.aspx
                  11. Government of Alberta. (2022). Landlords and tenants. Housing and Community. https://www.alberta.ca/landlords-tenants.aspx
                  12. Government of Canada. (2019). National Housing Strategy Act. Justice Laws Website.https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/n-11.2/FullText.html
                  13. Government of Canada. (2021). Research Insight: Homeownership Rate Varies Significantly by Race. Housing Insight. https://assets.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/sites/cmhc/professional/housing-markets-data-and-research/housing-research/research-reports/housing-finance/research-insights/2021/homeownership-rate-varies-significantly-race-en.pdf?rev=af9ae04d-00bd-43ce-8619-d5e5d4a37444
                  14. National Right to Housing Network. NRHN (2022). Right to Housing Legislation in Canada.  https://housingrights.ca/right-to-housing-legislation-in-canada/#:~:text=The%20right%20to%20housing%20was,Economic%2C%20Social%20and%20Cultural%20Rights
                  15. Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner OIPC (Edmonton). (2022). Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA).  https://oipc.ab.ca/legislation/pipa/
                  16. Pasalis, J. (2022). Canada’s G7-Leading Pop Growth and Housing Impact. Move Smartly. https://www.movesmartly.com/articles/canadas-g7-leading-pop-growth-and-housing-impact
                  17. Pager, D., and Shepherd, H. (2008).The Sociology of Discrimination: Racial Discrimination in Employment, Housing, Credit, and Consumer Markets. Annual Review of Sociology, 34, 181-209.
                  18. Perrault, J.F. (2022). Which Province Has the Largest Structural Housing Deficit? ScotiaBank Economics Publication. https://www.scotiabank.com/ca/en/about/economics/economics-publications/post.other-publications.housing.housing-note.housing-note–january-12-2022-.html
                  19. Springer A.(2022). Living in Colour: Racialized Housing Discrimination in Canada. Homeless Hub. https://www.homelesshub.ca/blog/living-colour-racialized-housing-Discrimination-canada 

                   

                  Carrie-Anne Cyre is a public health student and currently working on her master’s degree. She has been volunteering in her community for over a decade, including the UncoverOliver Working Group. When she isn’t studying or volunteering, Carrie-Anne loves travel (pre- and hopefully post-COVID), coffee, and enjoying nature. 

                   

                   

                  [/et_pb_text][dmpro_image_hotspot _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/dmpro_image_hotspot][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0px|20px|0px|20px|false|false” border_color_left=”#a6c942″ global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_testimonial author=”Posted by:” job_title=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9hdXRob3IiLCJzZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJiZWZvcmUiOiIiLCJhZnRlciI6IiIsIm5hbWVfZm9ybWF0IjoiZGlzcGxheV9uYW1lIiwibGluayI6Im9uIiwibGlua19kZXN0aW5hdGlvbiI6ImF1dGhvcl93ZWJzaXRlIn19@” portrait_url=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9hdXRob3JfcHJvZmlsZV9waWN0dXJlIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnt9fQ==@” quote_icon=”off” portrait_width=”125px” portrait_height=”125px” disabled_on=”on|off|off” _builder_version=”4.16″ _dynamic_attributes=”job_title,portrait_url” _module_preset=”default” body_text_color=”#000000″ author_font=”||||||||” author_text_align=”center” author_text_color=”#008ac1″ position_font=”||||||||” position_text_color=”#000000″ company_text_color=”#000000″ background_color=”#ffffff” text_orientation=”center” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”0px|0px|4px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”32px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_testimonial][et_pb_text disabled_on=”on|off|off” _builder_version=”4.16″ _dynamic_attributes=”content” _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#000000″ header_text_align=”left” header_text_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.65)” header_font_size=”20px” text_orientation=”center” custom_margin=”||50px|||” custom_padding=”48px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”]@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9jYXRlZ29yaWVzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiUmVsYXRlZCBjYXRlZ29yaWVzOiAgIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJsaW5rX3RvX3Rlcm1fcGFnZSI6Im9uIiwic2VwYXJhdG9yIjoiIHwgIiwiY2F0ZWdvcnlfdHlwZSI6ImNhdGVnb3J5In19@[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

                1. Blog: Living on a Loonie – Unaffordable housing and its effect on different ethno-racial communities 

                  [et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”0px||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ use_custom_gutter=”on” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” border_width_bottom=”1px” border_color_bottom=”#a6c942″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_post_title meta=”off” featured_image=”off” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” title_font=”||||||||” custom_margin=”||3px|||” border_color_bottom=”#a6c942″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][/et_pb_post_title][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_image src=”https://edmontonsocialplanning.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/COLOUR-BLOCKS_spaced-300×51.png” title_text=”COLOUR BLOCKS_spaced” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”100%” max_height=”75px” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”10px|0px|20px|0px|false|false” global_module=”96648″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][/et_pb_image][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ use_custom_gutter=”on” make_equal=”on” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” width=”100%” custom_margin=”0px|auto|0px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”30px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _dynamic_attributes=”content” _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|600|||||||” text_text_color=”#2b303a” custom_padding=”||32px|||” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9kYXRlIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJkYXRlX2Zvcm1hdCI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJjdXN0b21fZGF0ZV9mb3JtYXQiOiIifX0=@[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ text_text_color=”#2b303a” text_line_height=”1.6em” header_2_font=”||||||||” header_2_text_color=”#008ac1″ header_2_font_size=”24px” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”justified” width=”100%” module_alignment=”left” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”25px||||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″]

                  By Jayme Wong

                  “Ethno-racial and nativity differences in access to affordable housing in Canada” is a research paper written by Kate H. Choi from the University of Western Ontario and Sagi Ramaj from the University of Toronto. Published on June 18, 2022, the paper details the ongoing housing affordability crisis in Canada and its effect on Canadians from different ethno-racial groups. Choi and Ramaj compile housing data from the six largest ethno-racial groups in Canada, including Whites, Blacks, East Asians, South Asians, Southeast Asian, and Middle Eastern and North Africans (MENA).   

                  The report begins by stating that few Canadian studies have been conducted on ethno-racial differences in access to affordable housing. Though the authors do not state why this is the case, they suggest that previous studies on the intersections between housing access and ethno-racial identity have been too narrow in scope. Deriving short-term data collected from recent immigrants, thus unable to pinpoint any ongoing housing access problems that exist for immigrants who remain in Canada for more than five years. As well identifying immigrants as one group (i.e., visible minorities) and eliminating any nuances between ethno-racial groups. Choi and Ramaj make the case to step away from this “descriptive” data, stating that “[the data has not] systematically identified the structural factors contributing to ethno-racial variations in access to affordable housing” (p 8). In other words, to truly understand why barriers exist between different ethno-racial groups when trying to obtain affordable housing, better race-based, long-term data needs to be collected. 

                  Choi and Ramaj ultimately present four findings from their research: 

                  1. There are notable differences between ethno-racial groups when accessing affordable housing. In analyzing data from the 2016 census, MENA had the highest rates of unaffordable housing followed by East Asians, South Asians, Blacks and Southeast Asians; white people had the lowest rates of unaffordable housing. 
                  2. Community contexts may explain why certain ethno-racial groups face higher barriers to affordable housing than others. Many ethno-racial immigrant groups have settled in large metropolitan areas, such as Vancouver and Toronto, to be closer to people who share a cultural background and language, and these communities typically have higher housing costs.  
                  3. Unemployment and economic disparities result in difficulty accessing affordable housing. Choi and Ramaj write that “differences in unaffordable housing rates between MENA and other groups were largely attributable to the lower employment of MENA respondents… These findings […] suggest that due to structural inequalities in the labour market, MENA workers may have higher unemployment rates and more precarious work, which reduces their economic ability to actualize their housing preferences and meet their housing needs” (p 29). In other words, the under-employment of immigrants and lack of skill or credential recognition may be contributing to greater economic disadvantages for immigrants, resulting in additional barriers to affordable housing. 
                  4. People born in Canada have lower rates of unaffordable housing than immigrants. However, this difference only decreases slightly when comparing Canadian-born ethno-racial groups, “The unaffordable housing rates of Canadian-born Southeast Asians only decreased slightly to levels similar to those of Canadian-born Whites. The unaffordable housing rates of Blacks decreased little across immigrant generations” (p 30). This comparison suggests that racial discrimination – not simply immigrant status – may play a role in affordable housing accessibility.

                  Overall, Choi and Ramaj’s paper paints a compelling picture of Canada’s current housing market and presents a problem that has been boiling under the country’s surface for a long time. As rising inflation continues to affect the cost of living for all Canadians, certain groups will be affected more than others. More specifically, people identifying as MENA, East Asian, South Asian, Black, and Southeast Asian are more likely to live in unaffordable housing and have a lower quality of life as a result. It is crucial to begin collecting aggregated race-based data to understand why these differences arise and how we can find an equitable housing solution for our growing population.  

                  The authors suggest a few solutions including designing housing policies that address the structural barriers, such as education and employment, that affect access to affordable housing and increasing the housing supply in large urban centres where more immigrants tend to settle.  

                  Certainly, Choi and Ramaj are correct to point toward the overarching systemic issues that contribute to the housing problems that they have identified in their paper. Something the authors alluded to throughout the paper, in conjunction with their complaints on the lack of ethno-racial housing data, is that many studies (and policies) have previously treated immigrants as temporary. “[Focusing] on the housing experiences of immigrants during the first four years of their arrival in Canada” (p. 1) thus providing superficial solutions to deeply rooted issues. The solution, then, requires a long-term view of immigrant settlement in Canada and housing policies that address the larger, systemic issues that impact the generations of ethno-racial groups living in Canada. 

                   

                  Jayme has a BA in English and Philosophy from the University of Lethbridge and an MA in English and Film Studies from the University of Alberta. She currently lives in Edmonton with her partner and their cat. 

                   

                  Original Article:  

                  https://osf.io/preprints/socarxiv/s32x7/ 

                   

                   

                  [/et_pb_text][dmpro_image_hotspot _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][/dmpro_image_hotspot][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0px|20px|0px|20px|false|false” border_color_left=”#a6c942″ global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_testimonial author=”Posted by:” job_title=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9hdXRob3IiLCJzZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJiZWZvcmUiOiIiLCJhZnRlciI6IiIsIm5hbWVfZm9ybWF0IjoiZGlzcGxheV9uYW1lIiwibGluayI6Im9uIiwibGlua19kZXN0aW5hdGlvbiI6ImF1dGhvcl93ZWJzaXRlIn19@” portrait_url=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9hdXRob3JfcHJvZmlsZV9waWN0dXJlIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnt9fQ==@” quote_icon=”off” portrait_width=”125px” portrait_height=”125px” disabled_on=”on|off|off” _builder_version=”4.16″ _dynamic_attributes=”job_title,portrait_url” _module_preset=”default” body_text_color=”#000000″ author_font=”||||||||” author_text_align=”center” author_text_color=”#008ac1″ position_font=”||||||||” position_text_color=”#000000″ company_text_color=”#000000″ background_color=”#ffffff” text_orientation=”center” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”0px|0px|4px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”32px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][/et_pb_testimonial][et_pb_text disabled_on=”on|off|off” _builder_version=”4.16″ _dynamic_attributes=”content” _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#000000″ header_text_align=”left” header_text_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.65)” header_font_size=”20px” text_orientation=”center” custom_margin=”||50px|||” custom_padding=”48px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9jYXRlZ29yaWVzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiUmVsYXRlZCBjYXRlZ29yaWVzOiAgIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJsaW5rX3RvX3Rlcm1fcGFnZSI6Im9uIiwic2VwYXJhdG9yIjoiIHwgIiwiY2F0ZWdvcnlfdHlwZSI6ImNhdGVnb3J5In19@[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

                2. Blog: International Literacy Day – The COVID-19 Pandemic, the Intersection of Literacy and the Digital Divide

                  [et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”0px||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ use_custom_gutter=”on” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” border_width_bottom=”1px” border_color_bottom=”#a6c942″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_post_title meta=”off” featured_image=”off” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” title_font=”||||||||” custom_margin=”||3px|||” border_color_bottom=”#a6c942″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][/et_pb_post_title][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_image src=”https://edmontonsocialplanning.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/COLOUR-BLOCKS_spaced-300×51.png” title_text=”COLOUR BLOCKS_spaced” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”100%” max_height=”75px” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”10px|0px|20px|0px|false|false” global_module=”96648″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][/et_pb_image][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ use_custom_gutter=”on” make_equal=”on” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” width=”100%” custom_margin=”0px|auto|0px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”30px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _dynamic_attributes=”content” _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|600|||||||” text_text_color=”#2b303a” custom_padding=”||32px|||” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9kYXRlIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJkYXRlX2Zvcm1hdCI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJjdXN0b21fZGF0ZV9mb3JtYXQiOiIifX0=@[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ text_text_color=”#2b303a” text_line_height=”1.6em” header_2_font=”||||||||” header_2_text_color=”#008ac1″ header_2_font_size=”24px” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”justified” width=”100%” module_alignment=”left” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”25px||||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″]

                  By Susan Wright 

                  Literacy is foundational for individuals to participate in certain forms of learning, work, and social activities through reading and writing. UNESCO (2022) defines literacy as:  

                  “A means of identification, understanding, interpretation, creation, and communication in an increasingly digital, text-mediated information-rich and fast changing world.” 

                  Education systems are one of the pillars for helping young learners gain the tools of literacy. During COVID-19, 90% of the global population encountered learning disruptions (UNESCO, n.d.b,) and as Audrey Azoulay, the Director-General of UNESCO, notes due to these disruptions individuals, especially those from vulnerable populations, may have stopped pursuing or dropped out of education programs (UNESCO, n.d.a). Prior to the pandemic, digital technology was becoming more central to global society. During the pandemic, access to digital services became more significant as major shifts to learning, working, and socializing online occurred. As online learning has risen, for vulnerable populations and those who cannot access the online world it is important to question: what impact is this having on literacy development?  

                  Key points of Literacy  

                  • Efforts have been made to increase literacy globally with an increase from 68% of the global population being able to read and write to 86% in 2019 (UNESCO, 2022; UNESCO, n.d.b). However, there are still 771 million people globally who cannot read or write, two-thirds being women (UNESCO, 2022). 
                  • Literacy in Alberta: The Government of Alberta’s Literacy Framework  
                    1. The Government of Alberta introduced the Literacy Framework in 2009 with four goals: “[1] Increase literacy, [2] build awareness. [3] enhance opportunities, [4] facilitate partnerships” (Government of Alberta, 2014, p. 2).  
                    2. The Government of Alberta is hoping with the Literacy Framework that 70% of Albertans will have level 3 literacy by 2020 (Government of Alberta, 2014). The results from this should be illustrated in the next International Adult Literacy Survey, the last survey was released in 2013 and the next will be released in 2023 (Government of Alberta, 2022). 
                    3. From the 2013 International Adult Literacy Survey Results, Alberta ranked the highest in Canada for literacy and among the top in the world (Government of Alberta, 2014).  
                      • Youth literacy rates in low-income countries and the gender gap continue to have lower literacy rates (UNESCO, n.d.b).  

                      Literacy, COVID-19, and the Digital Divide  

                      • Digital literacy refers to one’s ability to understand, use, and participate in to both the cultural and structural components of the digital world.  
                      • The digital divide refers to one’s lack of ability to access the digital world. This ranges from one’s ability to understand digital culture to one’s ability to physically access the internet.  

                      Literacy is a form of empowerment that enables individuals to communicate, learn, socialize, work, and more. Literacy is not something that is only learned during childhood but continues throughout all phases of life and through engagement with new technological developments. Many individuals who have low levels of literacy do not realize how this will impact their lives, for this reason, it is important to raise awareness among all people (Government of Alberta, 2014). 

                      UNESCO explains how the impacts of the pandemic could cause individuals, particularly young women, to not continue to receive formal education. Currently, the digital divide in Canada is visible through the digital infrastructure, with households in rural communities having lower levels of access than Canada’s average as only 37% of households in rural Alberta have proper access to the internet (Reiger, 2021). Moreover, in Indigenous communities, only 24% of households have proper access to the internet (Reiger, 2021). For those who are unable to access internet technology, it creates a barrier to completing online learning. As UNESCO (2021) discusses in the YouTube video, “International Literacy Day 2021: Literacy for a human centred-recovery: Narrowing the digital divide,” although digital technology and platforms helped to continue learning during the pandemic, it also highlighted the digital divide. The digital divide illustrates the barriers that vulnerable populations have when trying to access the internet and further creates barriers to accessing education and learning resources during the COVID-19 pandemic. To learn more from UNESCO about the impact of literacy and the digital divide during COVID, watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spAAxgGZ4HI&t=1s  

                      What impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on literacy is still to be determined, and we may not see the full impact of results for a few years as research continues. UNESCO (2022) will be conducting a global survey, “Learning from the COVID-19 crisis to write the future: National policies and programmes for youth and adult literacy,” to gain a better understanding of the impacts of the transition to the online world during the pandemic. The International Adult Literacy Survey, which is used by the Government of Alberta to assess adult literacy competency (2022), will also be an important resource moving forward to understand if there was an impact on literacy during COVID-19. As studies continue, it will be important to continue to monitor how COVID-19 has impacted the digital divide and literacy.  

                      To Learn More :  

                      • Youth Literacy: Government of Alberta, Education, Literacy Support Documents, some highlights are:  

                       

                      Susan Wright (she/her) has a Master of Information degree (2019) from the University of Toronto with a specialization in Critical Information Policy Studies. Susan focused her research in her classes on how individuals find and understand information surrounding health, specifically related to individuals’ relationship to food. 

                       

                       

                      References 

                      Government of Alberta. (2022). International Adult Literacy Survey Results. https://www.alberta.ca/international-adult-literacy-survey-results.aspx  

                      Government of Alberta. (2014). Living Literacy: A Literacy Framework for Alberta’s Next Generation Economy: The Report 2009–2013. http://www.iae.alberta.ca/post-secondary/community/publications.aspx.  

                      Rieger, S. (2021, Sep 19). Canada’s digital divide is stark – and rural residents say fixing it must be an election priority. CBC News. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/rural-internet-access-1.6181426  

                      UNESCO. (n.d.a). International Literacy Day. https://www.unesco.org/en/days/literacy-day.  

                      UNESCO. (n.d.b). International Literacy Day 2021: Literacy for a human centred-recovery: Narrowing the digital divide: Fact Sheet. https://en.unesco.org/sites/default/files/ild-2021-fact-sheet.pdf  

                      UNESCO. (2022). What you need to know about literacy. https://www.unesco.org/en/education/literacy/need-know  

                      UNESCO [UNESCO]. (2021, Sep 9). International Literacy Day 2021: Literacy for a human centred-recovery: Narrowing the digital divide [Video]. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spAAxgGZ4HI&t=1s  

                       

                       

                      [/et_pb_text][dmpro_image_hotspot _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][/dmpro_image_hotspot][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0px|20px|0px|20px|false|false” border_color_left=”#a6c942″ global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_testimonial author=”Posted by:” job_title=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9hdXRob3IiLCJzZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJiZWZvcmUiOiIiLCJhZnRlciI6IiIsIm5hbWVfZm9ybWF0IjoiZGlzcGxheV9uYW1lIiwibGluayI6Im9uIiwibGlua19kZXN0aW5hdGlvbiI6ImF1dGhvcl93ZWJzaXRlIn19@” portrait_url=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9hdXRob3JfcHJvZmlsZV9waWN0dXJlIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnt9fQ==@” quote_icon=”off” portrait_width=”125px” portrait_height=”125px” disabled_on=”on|off|off” _builder_version=”4.16″ _dynamic_attributes=”job_title,portrait_url” _module_preset=”default” body_text_color=”#000000″ author_font=”||||||||” author_text_align=”center” author_text_color=”#008ac1″ position_font=”||||||||” position_text_color=”#000000″ company_text_color=”#000000″ background_color=”#ffffff” text_orientation=”center” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”0px|0px|4px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”32px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][/et_pb_testimonial][et_pb_text disabled_on=”on|off|off” _builder_version=”4.16″ _dynamic_attributes=”content” _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#000000″ header_text_align=”left” header_text_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.65)” header_font_size=”20px” text_orientation=”center” custom_margin=”||50px|||” custom_padding=”48px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9jYXRlZ29yaWVzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiUmVsYXRlZCBjYXRlZ29yaWVzOiAgIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJsaW5rX3RvX3Rlcm1fcGFnZSI6Im9uIiwic2VwYXJhdG9yIjoiIHwgIiwiY2F0ZWdvcnlfdHlwZSI6ImNhdGVnb3J5In19@[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]