A tale of Brian and Bryan

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 17/11/2014 (3439 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Four days a week, West Broadway Community Ministry welcomes over 100 people for a free lunch. One Friday in September, two of our guests were named Brian. One Brian would, a month later, become the mayor of Winnipeg. The other Bryan was a homeless poet recently released from jail.

Brian the mayor was friendly and approachable. He spoke to everyone gathered for two minutes about his dreams for Winnipeg and then he went around and listened to many people over lunch. Bryan the poet shared his story with Brian the mayor.

The two sat together on a bench for some time and Bryan the poet talked about his decision last year to commit a crime so he would have a place to live for the winter. He read a poem he had written about the bed bug-infested hotel he recently left.

When Brian the mayor left he told us he wouldn’t forget us, whether he became mayor or not. What a gift to have a mayor who will sit down and engage with all Winnipeggers.

All Winnipeggers includes about 71,000 men, women and children like Bryan, living with incomes that do not meet their basic needs. On any given night, it is estimated that about 2,000 are homeless, although a census to confirm these figures is in the offing. Others live in housing so bad they have told me they would prefer jail. Some have a home, but it is so expensive they have to use the food bank.

Make Poverty History Manitoba is a coalition of organizations representing business, education, student, youth, aboriginal, newcomer, labour, women’s, disability and faith groups who are committed to changing policy to achieve a Manitoba without poverty. We are calling on the city of Winnipeg to partner with community-based organizations and key stakeholders to create and implement a comprehensive poverty reduction strategy with targets and timelines.

We are optimistic about working with a new mayor who is committed to community engagement and more open government. It is our hope that our mayor and council will engage not only other levels of government and business groups, but also people who are living in poverty — those who struggle daily with the realities of living on the margins of society. We hope their advocates and direct service providers will be included as policies, programs and budgets are developed.

One key area that will make a tangible difference in people’s lives is housing. The mayor has indicated his support for Right to Housing’s proposal that the city support 350 new units of affordable housing and 350 units of social housing over the next three years. This will be a big help to people like Bryan the poet.

The city currently contributes $1 million annually to the Housing Rehabilitation Reserve. This funding, for inner city renewal and affordable housing development, is less than 0.1 per cent of the total budget, and yet has improved property values. It is a wise investment that should be increased.

There are additional policies that could increase affordable housing without using any property tax dollars. The city has the power to develop an inclusive zoning bylaw that would require developers to build affordable housing in new developments, or pay a small fee in lieu of affordable housing, similar to the current requirement for green space. The city could also, like Brandon, consider a “Housing First” for land policy. When city land is sold, the first priority would be to make some of it available for affordable housing development.

Another way the city can reduce poverty is to provide more affordable bus pass options for those with a low income. As the community minister at West Broadway Community Ministry, I sometimes give out bus tickets to people in need.

Last month I gave one to a young woman who had just finished chemotherapy treatments and finally had the energy to leave her abusive boyfriend. She needed transportation to go live with her aunt in North Kildonan. That’s a long walk from West Broadway. Without transportation, people are often trapped in very difficult situations. It’s also more challenging to volunteer, work, or have children participate in sports without affordable transportation.

Back in 2010, the City of Winnipeg committed to exploring options for a low-income bus fare once the new fare system is in place. That’s almost five years ago. Many cities have developed low-income passes, family passes, free off-peak hour fares, and other options to increase transportation options. What a difference it would make for those who are struggling. It would be one less thing to have to beg for.

Ending poverty will take a strong commitment and effective leadership from all levels of government. There are tangible steps the city can take to reduce poverty, as part of a municipal poverty reduction strategy. Make Poverty History Manitoba looks forward to working with our new mayor and council to engage all Winnipeggers toward ending poverty in our city.

 

Lynda Trono is the community minister at West Broadway Community Ministry and she chairs Make Poverty History Manitoba.