Edmonton Social Planning Council

Category: **Resources: ESPC Documents:

  • Invest in Families: Ending Child Poverty Is Good For All

    Invest in Families: Ending Child Poverty Is Good For All

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    Every night, hundreds of thousands of Alberta children suffer the all-encompassing effects of poverty.

    Every night, hundreds of thousands of Alberta children suffer the all-encompassing effects of poverty. Poverty is the single most important determinant of health for both children and adults. In Canada, approximately 1 in 5 children live below the poverty line. This leads to debilitating effects for their personal physical and mental health, which can cause lasting damage.

    Research shows that children and youth who grow up impoverished face significant challenges. They are more vulnerable to issues affecting mental health, educational attainment, health & cognitive development, housing, relationships, employment, and food insecurity. When compared to the non-poor, the long-term poor show large deficits in cognitive and socioemotional development; score significantly lower on tests of cognitive achievement than do children who are not poor. It is immoral to allow child poverty to exist. Children and youth are suffering from long-term health issues and seeing their potential diminished.

    Poverty is often linked to adverse childhood experiences and economic security for families is imperative in mitigating the cycle of poverty. In general, children who grow up in low-income situations are more likely to remain in low income into adulthood. Family circumstances may also affect one’s life path. For instance, Alberta children living with a lone parent are five times more likely to live in low-income households, while immigrant or Indigenous children are also at a higher risk of living in poverty.

    Currently, children’s health is being explored through the lens of trauma. Adverse childhood experiences are traumatic events in childhood such as household instability, economic insecurity, and experiencing or witnessing violence. Adverse childhood experiences have been linked to precarious health behaviours, chronic health issues, poorer outcomes, and early death. Children who experience cumulative adverse childhood experiences are more likely to have physical, emotional, and social issues. Children whose parents are living in poverty are more likely to experience lower socioeconomic status as well as other negative outcomes as adults.

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    By getting involved with the Edmonton Social Planning Council, you add your voice to our message of positive social development and policy change.

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  • 2019 Vital Topics – Sports and Recreation

    2019 Vital Topics – Sports and Recreation

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    Edmonton Vital Signs is an annual check-up conducted by the Edmonton Community Foundation, in partnership with the Edmonton Social Planning Council, to measure how the community is doing. This year we will also be focusing on individual issues, VITAL TOPICS, that are timely and important to Edmonton. 

    This edition focuses on the impact of Sports and Recreation.

    Download: Vital Topic – Sports and Recreation

     

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    * Please note that we are not a government department or direct service provider. We do not provide individuals with information about social benefit programs (i.e. AISH, workers compensation benefits, etc.). If you have questions about these services, please dial 211 or access online by clicking here. For assistance with provincial programs, Alberta Supports can help you access more than 30 programs and 120 community services https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-supports.aspx.

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    Edmonton Social Planning Council
    10544 – 106 Street NW, Suite 200 (Bassini Building)
    Edmonton, Alberta T5H 2X6
    780-423-2031.

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  • 2019 Alberta Provincial Budget Fact Sheet

    2019 Alberta Provincial Budget Fact Sheet

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    Download: 2019 Alberta Budget fACTsheet

    Introduction

    The 2019 budget, which runs until March 31, 2020, is titled A Plan for Jobs and the Economy. The main priorities it identifies is creating jobs and reducing the deficit. We are now almost 7 months into the 2019-20 budget year, so many of the big changes announced will not take effect until next spring’s budget covering the 2020-21 fiscal year which starts on April 1, 2020. The government fiscal plan will see a 2.8 per cent reduction in spending over the next four years or $1.3 billion lower than 2018-19 levels. Since Alberta’s inflation and population growth is going up about 3.5 per cent per year, in real per capita terms this represents a spending reduction of 17 per cent. To address this spending reduction, the size of the public service is expected to shrink by 7.7 per cent. The reductions will be achieved largely through attrition, although some layoffs will also occur.

    Revenue Measures

    Revenue is forecast to remain flat at $50 billion in 2019-20 and $50.1 billion in 2020-21 and will increase to $57.5 billion in 2022-23. A modest but realistic oil price outlook, along with market access issues, impede revenue growth over the next two years. In addition, the carbon levy from the previous NDP government was repealed as of May 30, 2019. The corporate tax rate will decrease from 12 per cent to eight per cent over a period of two and a half years. Conversely, personal income taxes will be going up due to exemptions and tax brackets no longer being indexed for inflation.

    Child Benefits

    The Alberta Child Benefit and the Alberta Family Employment Tax Credit, two programs designed to support lower- and middle-income working families will be replaced with a new Alberta Child and Family Benefit program starting in July 2020. While the base benefit for the lowest income families is being increased by 15 per cent, the benefit will be phased out more quickly as income rises so fewer families will receive the benefit. That’s why the new single benefit will deliver about $40 million less to Alberta families than the two benefits delivered by the previous government.

    Affordable Housing and Homelessness

    Funding for affordable housing and homelessness is being maintained for the balance of the 2019-20 fiscal year. Starting next year there will be a 24 per cent reduction to the Rental Assistance Program and a 3.5 per cent reduction in operating budgets for housing management bodies like Capital Region Housing. Partnerships will be pursued with housing management bodies and private sector to reduce the public costs of affordable housing. Eight million dollars is also being made available to the Hope Mission to build a new emergency shelter in Edmonton.

    Childcare and Child Intervention

    Funding for early intervention programs will be reduced to $91 million in the 2020-21 compared to $104 million this year.  Child intervention funding is being kept at the same level as this year’s funding for the following three years without adjustments for caseload growth or inflation.

    The Early Learning and Child Care centres (aka $25 per day child care) pilot project will continue until the end of their three-year terms and thereafter reviewed with no assurance that they will be continued or expanded.

    Employment and Income Support

    Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH), the Alberta Seniors Benefit, Income Support, and Special Needs Assistance programs are being kept at their current levels, however they are being de-indexed from the Consumer Price Index (CPI). This means they will not be kept up with the rising cost of living.

    A full program review will be undertaken to address the rapid growth of costs for AISH, Persons with Developmental Disabilities, and Family Support for Children with Disabilities. A $193 million reduction in funding for Employment and Income Support (social assistance) is expected between now and fiscal year 2022-23 due to expected reductions in caseloads due to an improving economy.

    The Summer Temporary Employment Program (STEP), which provides funding to employers to hire high school or post-secondary students for summer jobs, will be eliminated after the 2019 program year. This will have a detrimental impact on students seeking to build their job-related experiences and skillsets when pursuing careers in their field of study.

    Addiction and Mental Health

    Over the next four years, an additional $100 million will go towards a mental health and addiction strategy, $40 million for an opioid response, $20 million for palliative care, and $6 million for a new sexual assault hotline.

    Seniors Drug Coverage

    Coverage for non-senior dependents including spouses under seniors’ prescription drug coverage is being ended. Income testing may be introduced for seniors’ drug coverage.

    Community Supports and Family Safety (CSFC)

    There is $125 million budgeted for CSFC for fiscal year 2019-20 which will increase to $134 million in the next three years. The Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) budget has been maintained at the same level during this time.

    K-12 Education

    School nutrition programs will see a 20 per cent increase after earlier facing the threat of elimination. However, the school fee reduction program is instead being eliminated.

    An estimated additional 60,000 children are expected to enter the K-12 education system during the next four years.  However, education funding is being kept at the same $8.2 billion level. Neither inflation nor enrolment growth is being funded.

    Affordable Transportation

    The low income transit support pilot program, first introduced in 2017 in Edmonton and Calgary, will be extended to support Albertans in need of public transportation at $9.5 million per year. This enables economic participation and improves the quality of life for low-income Albertans. The government fiscal plan will see a 2.8 per cent reduction in spending over the next four years or $1.3 billion lower than 2018-19 levels. Since Alberta’s inflation and population growth is going up about 3.5 per cent per year, in real per capita terms this represents a spending reduction of 17 per cent. The Edmonton Social Planning Council is an independent, non-profit, charitable organization focused on social research. This fACT Sheet, prepared by the Edmonton Social Planning Council, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Edmonton Social Planning Council #200, 10544 – 106 Street, Edmonton, Alberta, T5K 1C5 www.edmontonsocialplanning.ca @edmontonspc  [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]
  • 2019 Alberta Budget fACTsheet

    2019 Alberta Budget fACTsheet

    The 2019 budget, which runs until March 31, 2020, is titled A Plan for Jobs and the Economy. The main priorities it identifies is creating jobs and reducing the deficit. We are now almost 7 months into the 2019-20 budget year, so many of the big changes announced will not take effect until next spring’s budget covering the 2020-21 fiscal year which starts on April 1, 2020.

    The government fiscal plan will see a 2.8 per cent reduction in spending over the next four years or $1.3 billion lower than 2018-19 levels. Since Alberta’s inflation and population growth is going up about 3.5 per cent per year, in real per capita terms this represents a spending reduction of 17 per cent.

    To address this spending reduction, the size of the public service is expected to shrink by 7.7 per cent. The reductions will be achieved largely through attrition, although some layoffs will also occur.

    ESPC Documents/Fact Sheets/2019 Alberta Budget fACTsheet.pdf

  • The fACTIVIST Fall 2019

    The fACTIVIST Fall 2019

    • Executive Director Update
    • Strengthening Heritage Language Learning Among Children in Newcomer Families
    • Social Isolation of Indigenous Seniors
    • A Profile of Poverty in Edmonton (Updated May 2019)
    • Living Wage Edmonton 2019
    • fACT Sheet
    • Vital Topic – Greenspaces
    • Vital Topic – Arts in Edmonton
    • ESPC News
    • New Board Member Biographies
    • About the ESPC/Membership

    ESPC Documents/PUBLICATIONS/A.06.A NEWSLETTERS/2019 Fall fACTIVIST Final.pdf

  • Public Engagement on Affordable Housing in Edmonton Report

    Public Engagement on Affordable Housing in Edmonton Report

    Access to stable and quality housing can produce positive outcomes to community health and education, and ultimately improve neighbourhood conditions and perceptions. Families that are in unstable housing are more likely to face intergenerational poverty. Living in unsafe neighbourhoods could have detrimental effects on physical and mental health. Despite these benefits, there is still formidable public opposition to providing quality affordable and safe housing to vulnerable populations, as these projects are seen as posing a risk to the dynamic and safety of the neighbourhood. Reasons for this vary and include fear, racism, safety, or concerns around decreased property values.

    To alleviate these concerns, a robust public engagement strategy with communities is necessary. In order to explore the effects of current public engagement practices on the acceptance of affordable housing in Edmonton, the Edmonton Social Planning Council was tasked with conducting focus groups across the city with Community League members. This report details the findings and offers recommendations to Community League members, City administration, and affordable housing developers.

    To increase acceptance of affordable housing and to improve the public engagement process, the report’s recommendations include:

    • Create a campaign on what affordable housing is, using a human rights-based approach to housing and use unconventional messengers, such as religious leaders or conservative politicians, to speak to affordable housing issues.
    • Break down silos between members of the public, developers, and City administration. Ongoing dialogue where engagement begins early to allow for context-specific concerns to be fully explored with each engagement.
    • Restructure public engagement to have clear expectations where all stakeholders outline their desired outcomes of engagement and how it will be conducted.
    • Create a guiding set of principles to anchor public engagement processes in a human-rights based approach to housing.
    • Increase support for community building and integration between new housing tenants and pre-existing members of the community.
    • Employ non-traditional engagement formats, as preferences vary widely accordingly to the individual. Examples include walking tours of successful affordable housing developments, neighbourhood walkthroughs given to developers to allow for innovative ways of hearing community feedback.

    ESPC Documents/PUBLICATIONS/A.06.G REPORTS/EFCL – Public Engagement on Affordable Housing.pdf