Posted: September 20, 2018
On October 24, 2018, Winnipeggers will go to the polls to elect a mayor, city council, and school trustees.
Our city, like many in Canada, continues to face high poverty rates. Up to 107,000 Winnipeggers live in poverty. Increased crime rates and addictions are some of the results of high poverty. Many in Winnipeg are homeless or lack secure housing. At the same time, many community members have come together around solutions. Winnipeg’s social enterprise, co-operative, and local economy movement is strong. However, funding for projects from our city government continues to go toward multi-national corporations, instead of growing the local economy and supporting meaningful employment for Winnipeggers who need it most.
Sometimes, we hear that municipal governments are the closest to the people and communities we live and work in everyday. Therefore, we know that the City of Winnipeg can and must take action to support sustainable and inclusive communities. So many in our local communities are already doing it. This election, CCEDNet Manitoba is supporting our members and community partners in calling for greater leadership from our city government toward a fairer and stronger local economy, tackling poverty and homelessness, and investing in a sustainable city.
We Want to Work | Winnipeg Without Poverty | Housing is City Business
Winnipeg Votes 2018
Make Community Economic Development a Priority
A Fairer and Stronger Local Economy: We Want to Work
CCEDNet Manitoba supports the work of many of our social enterprise members who are coming together to tell the city government: “We Want to Work”.
Winnipeg’s social enterprise sector is strong and growing, including construction, composting and recycling, catering, restaurants and retail companies.
Spending money with social enterprise is money well spent – especially for government. Social enterprise provides professional services, while reducing recidivism rates, reducing welfare costs, keeping families together, reducing carbon emissions and waste.
With the municipal election approaching, now is the time to work with local politicians to build on our success, and build a local economy that includes everyone.
Find out more information at: wewantto.work
Like the We Want to Work Facebook page for campaign updates!
Tackling Poverty and Homelessness: Winnipeg Without Poverty
CCEDNet Manitoba is an active member of Make Poverty History Manitoba, envisioning a Winnipeg and Manitoba without poverty. We support the Winnipeg Without Poverty: Calling on the Mayor to Lead community-led plan.
Poverty hurts the whole city, and costs our society more in the long-run. Our City needs a comprehensive and coordinate strategy to tackle poverty.
Last May, Make Poverty History Manitoba launched Winnipeg Without Poverty: Calling on the City to Lead. Created through community collaboration, it identifies what the City of Winnipeg can do to reduce poverty.
Support the campaign, sign the petition, and find out more at winnipegwithoutpoverty.ca
Part of an organization that agrees with the vision? Endorse the plan
Right to Housing: Housing is City Business
Social housing is a critical measure to end homelessness, create employment and training opportunities, and reduce poverty. CCEDNet Manitoba supports the work of Right to Housing coalition.
Winnipeg is in the midst of an affordable housing crisis. The city needs an increased supply of affordable homes for existing residents, and those expected to move here over the next 10 years. Affordable housing is City business. An adequate supply and array of housing options benefits a city and its people with social inclusion, safety, healthy communities and healthy citizens, all of which attract businesses and workers.
Right to Housing calls on the City of Winnipeg to support at least 350 new units of affordable rental housing, and 350 new units of social housing.
Effectively providing a range of housing options for all residents needs leadership that only the City can provide – in planning, zoning, land allocations, funding and collaborations with developers and social organizations. Cities that have made any significant progress in increasing affordable housing options have Mayors and City Councillors who understand that affordable housing is city business.
Find out more information at: http://righttohousing.ca/
Election Information
Election day is October 24, 2018.
Advance Voting Information can be found here. There are lots of opportunities to vote in locations around the city in advance.
More to add? Another important campaign to mention? Contact Michael Barkman, CCEDNet Manitoba Public Policy Coordinator at: m.barkman@ccednet-rcdec.ca
