1. Does Poverty Exist in Peel?
Adaoma Patterson
Specialist – Peel Poverty Reduction Strategy

2. The Short Answer is Yes Today’s presentation will address:
Peel’s population – growth, immigrants, income
Peel’s low-income population – who is most vulnerable
The Peel Poverty Reduction Strategy Committee
Peel’s first poverty reduction strategy
Feedback on the issues

3. Peel’s Population 50% of population are racialized people
48% are immigrants
Brampton racialized population is 57%

4. Peel’s Population

5. Peel’s Growth vs Other Regions

6. Population Percentage Change 2001 - 2006
205 census tracts in Peel – populations of 2500 – 8000
DA’s are up to 800
Dark blue areas refer to a decrease in population – decrease in south Mississauga & downtown Brampton (wards 1, 3, 7) & Malton
Orange are the growth areas

7. Immigrant Population 2006 – percentage of total population by Census Tract
Dark orange – high immigrant population – central Mississauga, Malton, West Mississauga, North East/North West Brampton

8. Recent Immigrants Population by Census Tract - 2006
Under 5 years in Canada
Orange are high areas

9. Average Individual Income – 15 years & over by Census Tract
Blue stripes are the highest areas; orange/red are low
Average individual income in Toronto CMA is 40,704
Average income in Peel is 36,997

10. Incidence of Low-income by Dissemination Areas
20% of children 0 – 6 are in low income
We use dissemination areas to look at poverty in Peel because high incomes tend to mask the pockets if we use census tracts.

11. Who is most impacted by poverty?
20% of children 0 – 6 live in poverty, up from 14% in 2001
Unattached older seniors have decreased – seniors income programs account for this

12. Specific Challenges Lack of affordable housing
High youth unemployment rate
Rapid population growth
Outdated provincial funding formulas
Municipal governments doing more
1. The centralized wait list contains 15,341 households and is up to 15 years – longest wait list in the province
There are currently 14,729 social housing units in Peel; the Region of Peel & partners are investing in four new units
2. Peel's unemployment rate remained elevated at 11.6 per cent from July to September This was above the 11.4 per cent unemployment rate which was recorded in the third quarter of For the first three quarters of 2010, the quarterly average youth unemployment in Peel averaged over 20 per cent.
3. More than 34,000 people move to Peel each year
4. The funding for programs such as mental health services and other social services do not reflect the current realities of Peel and other 905 communities which results in extensive wait lists
5. Annually, the Region spends 31% of its total property tax supported operating budget ($414 million), and 22% of the net property tax supported budget ($180 million) on three programs supporting low income families in Peel:  Ontario Works, Children’s Services and Social Housing. The number of Ontario Works (OW) caseloads registered in Peel continued to trend upwards during the first half of During the six month period, the total number of OW caseloads registered in Peel was 91,165 cases, up 3.9 per cent relative to the 43,550 cases registered in the first half of 2010.

13. Peel Poverty Reduction Strategy Committee
Addressing poverty is an investment, not a cost; We believe that by working together we can create opportunities for people.
“No single idea is the silver bullet that will end poverty” 13

14. What is the Peel Poverty Reduction Strategy Committee?
The Peel Poverty Reduction Strategy Committee was formed in response to the Province of Ontario’s announcement about the creation of a province wide poverty reduction strategy and to growing and critical issue of poverty in Peel.
Co-chaired by United Way of Peel Region and the Region of Peel, the Committee is addressing the growing and critical issue of poverty in Peel and has aligned its work with the Ontario Poverty Reduction Strategy, Breaking the Cycle and is building on the Region of Peel’s 2005 Strategic Review of Poverty to create a regional strategy that addresses the root causes of poverty in Peel.
Partners include:
This committee is a collaborative that includes local government and the non-profit sector. We recognize that in order to really address poverty, we must all work together – business, all levels of government, and the non-profit sector. You are an important part of effecting change – businesses build communities and create opportunities so your voice is critical.
905 Interfaith Coalition
Brampton-Mississauga District Labour Council
Caledon Community Services
City of Brampton
City of Mississauga
Regional Councillor Allan Thompson
Success by 6 Peel
United Way of Peel Region
Fair Share Peel
Mississauga Community Legal Clinic
Peel District School Board
Peel Newcomer Strategy Group
Peel Poverty Action Group
Region of Peel
Social Planning Council of Peel

15. History 2005 Strategic Review of Poverty 2005 - 2008
Initiatives that Impact Poverty
2007
Provincial Focus on Poverty
2008
Peel Provincial Poverty Strategy
Committee
Advocacy with senior levels of government
Collaborate on new social and labour market programs
Joint supports for neighbourhood capacity building
Regional Council directed staff to engage with community organizations to develop an action plan to mitigate the impact and reduce rate of poverty in Peel
Report back with recommendations in 2006
Since the Review, these initiatives have begun:
Community Investment Strategy
Families First
The Peel Regional Task Force on Homelessness
Neighbourhood Capacity Support Strategy
Peel Newcomer Strategy Group
Peel Youth Violence Prevention Strategy
Regional Diversity Roundtable
Success by 6 Peel
Peel Children and Youth Initiative
211
Provincial government announces Minister of Children & Youth Deb Matthews will be taking the lead to develop a comprehensive child provincial poverty reduction strategy
United Way Peel Region & Region of Peel created this committee to ensure Peel’s voice was included in the provincial consultations and decisions about investments
Initial focus included:
Respond to issues related to poverty in Peel
Present and respond to the provincial and federal governments’ consultations and recommendations
Engage the community to get input on ways of reducing poverty in Peel
Ensure poverty remains on the political agenda
The committee is building on work began in 2005 with a review of poverty in Peel.

16. Campaigns

17. Sample Responses to Poverty in Peel
Peel Poverty
Strategy
Reduction
Community Investment Strategy
Families First
Peel Newcomer Strategy Group
Chapelview & Peel Youth Village
Affordable Housing
Peel Children & Youth Initiative
Neighbourhood Strategies
Home ownership program – 230 home owners to date.
4 new developments in progress

18. Working Towards a Peel Wide Poverty Reduction Strategy
Strategy May 2012
Launch
Boards of Trade, Unions, SME’s, corporations & people living in poverty
Create opportunities to engage non- traditional partners:
Map & align with other strategic initiatives:
Long-term Housing & Homelessness Strategy,
Peel Children & Youth Initiative
Peel Newcomer Strategy Group
This is how the boards of trade can provide input and help us understand what are the barriers in hiring people. We want to have conversations about how your issues are linked to the issues faced by many people such as affordable childcare, bus service that gets people to &from jobs at a reasonable cost and time; jobs that allow people to pay their rent without compromising on food and other necessities.

19. Peel has a long history of collective action
Peel has a long history of collective action. There are more than 15 collaboratives in Peel and countless partnerships between the public and non-profit sectors. To achieve long-term systemic change on poverty, we need to build and expand the current partnerships to include the private sector, residents and other non-traditional stakeholders. The Peel Poverty Reduction Strategy Committee remains committed to advocating on issues related to poverty - the need to ensure sufficient, safe & affordable housing, child care, educational and life-long learning opportunities, elimination of systemic barriers and social exclusion, increased access to quality healthcare, and social supports.

20. Economic Opportunities
Defining the problem:
Income disparities – widening gap between the top and bottom earners
Unequal opportunities – a large pool of skilled people who are unemployed or underemployed, and in particular skilled immigrants
Changing nature of work - increase in lower paying service jobs that provide limited opportunities for higher earnings, job security and benefits
Skills mismatch - many employers indicate that they struggle to find employees that have the skills required for their businesses, yet there is a large pool of unemployed/underemployed skilled workers
What does prosperity look like:
All Peel residents working full-time full year have sufficient income to meet their needs
Peel residents are able to secure good quality jobs that pay a reasonable wage
Employers are thriving and contributing positively to our community
Residents have sufficient incomes to support local businesses
Actions:
Work with relevant stakeholders to create awareness about the impact of precarious employment on Peel residents and the community.
Develop a business case for addressing poverty in Peel.
Develop an initiative that connects families and individuals experiencing low-income to tax credits and programs for which they are eligible. (Make Tax Time Pay model)
Annually, the Region spends 31% of its total property tax supported operating budget ($414 million), and 22% of the net property tax supported budget ($180 million) on three programs supporting low income families in Peel:  Ontario Works, Children’s Services and Social Housing.
Boards of Trade
Business Improvement Associations
City of Brampton
City of Mississauga
Economic Development Corporations
Labour Councils & Organizations
Mississauga Summit
Peel Halton Development Workforce Group
Peel Newcomer Strategy Group
Peel Poverty Action Group
Professional Networks
Town of Caledon
United Way of Peel Region

21. Income Security – OW, ODSP, EI
Defining the problem:
Inadequate supports - for those outside of the labour market/labour force, help to move forward and achieve goals is often limited
Siloed - systems do no align and support people in moving from one to the other
A last resort – social assistance requires people to exhaust all of their savings and some assets in order to qualify
Complex - rules are complicated and various program rules often conflict
Disincentives & barriers - the current systems are punitive and do not provide incentives for transitioning to work.
What does prosperity look like:
A seamless connected system that supports people in time of need, treats people with dignity and respect.
Income support programs that provide Peel residents with adequate supports and opportunities to participate in their communities.
Actions:
Ensure Peel’s perspective is included in the provincial review of social assistance and advocate for changes that result in the vision.
 Create a roundtable that engages Peel’s business community in the discussion and solutions.
Develop a guide that helps people understand benefits and requirements of all income security programs.
 Encourage local income security systems to convene a table aimed at increased communication, improved client service and providing more seamless service.

22. Affordable & Accessible Transit
Defining the issue:
Limited regional transit – inter/intra transit connections within Peel and GTA are limited
High cost – continued increase in fares makes transit an expensive option for people living in poverty
Unavailable - no public transit system in Caledon
Limited subsidies - subsidies currently exist only for seniors and students; youth not in school, the working poor are not eligible for the subsidy
Limited access - eligibility restrictions to existing accessible programs (i.e. TransHelp)
What does prosperity look like:
Transit systems that enable people to move around Peel and the GTA in an efficient and affordable manner
Actions:
Convene a transit working group with area municipalities to develop affordable transit programs.
Partner with local grocer to create a free or discounted pick-up & drop-off program to their store
Public transit in Peel is operated by the City of Mississauga and City of Brampton; currently no public transportation exists in Caledon. Increasingly, transit has become a focus of local governments and attempts are being made to address issues related to accessibility and increased service. During the 2011 Peel public consultations on social assistance however, residents expressed frustration about the rising cost of public transportation. Many noted that the costs and availability of routes prevent them from getting to and from employment opportunities, appointments and other essential activities. TransHelp, a transportation system for those with disabilities who are unable to use public transit due to mobility issues, is available for residents of Peel.

23. Food Security Defining the problem:
Inaccessible - high and increasing cost of healthy food
Unequal – inconsistent supply and quality at food banks across the Region
Expanded definition – need to increase community/public space for food production
What does prosperity look like:
A region where everyone, at all times, has physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.
Actions:
Work with partners to increase the number of breakfast & food programs in schools.
Promote partnerships and programs that support rural-urban food links and the availability of locally grown, healthy foods through the Farmer’s Market and other rural-urban initiatives.
Create a Peel food charter that articulates Peel’s commitment to creating a community with sufficient access to food.
Work with partners to increase the number of affordable farmers markets in Peel.
: “ensuring that all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.”
According to the annual Nutritious Food Basket Survey, the average weekly cost of basic healthy eating for a family of four in Peel Region has risen by 10.6 per cent between 2009 and 2011.

24. “Anyone who is working should not go home (at the end of the day) and still be living in poverty…100 years ago, we decided as a society that we did not want kids working in our factories; we made a values decision and the economic system did not crash…for too long we’ve allowed our economics to drive our values – our values should drive our economics.”
Mark Chamberlain, President President Trivaris Ltd., and former Chair of the Hamilton Roundtable on Poverty Reduction 24 24

25. References Louay Eskandar, GIS Mapping Specialist, ROP
Andre Lyn, Researcher, Social Planning Council of Peel
Simon Black, York University
Web-sites

26. Investing for Resilience