Help make CED an issue in the upcoming election and ask your candidates for a commitment on the six questions below.

Drafted by our election committee, these questions introduce some of the CED solutions that our network has been working on at the municipal level. Members have identified these as actions that our City government can take towards community renewal and poverty reduction.

These questions have been sent to all council and mayoral candidates. Their responses will be posted on our website and shared with participants at our annual CED Gathering.

We encourage all of our members and supporters to bring these issues to their local candidate by contacting them directly, or asking them in person at one of the upcoming debates. A great opportunity will be at tonight's mayoral debate: Tuesday, October 12, 6:30 – 9:00, Indian and Métis Friendship Centre of Winnipeg – 45 Robinson Ave.

Q1. Will you commit to using a Community Economic Development Lens in all municipal programming and policy development as part of the city's Community Sustainability Plan?

• This CED Lens would create the kind of sustainability Winnipeg needs. It includes environmental sustainability, but with a stronger focus on social and economic component of full community sustainability. This concept is in keeping with the Integrated Community Sustainability Plans that the City must do in order to get federal gas tax funding, and is discussed in the Our Winnipeg documents.

Q2. Will you commit to the creation of a comprehensive Municipal Poverty Reduction Strategy?

• This would have clear targets and timelines outlining the various actions the City would take - within its mandate - to reduce poverty and social exclusion in Winnipeg. If we do not tackle poverty in Winnipeg, we will exacerbate many other difficult municipal issues, such as housing and crime, and the economic costs of addressing these issues will continue to climb.

Q3. Will you commit to the creation of a Human Resources Roundtable?

• This Round Table would bring together the City’s HR department, education and training organizations (e.g. Red River College), and community-based employment development organizations to form a workforce intermediary

Q4. Will you commit to the creation of an Ethical Procurement Policy?

• This policy would consider the environmental and social impact of all City spending; to support preferred purchasing from non-profit, co-operative and locally owned businesses that employ local people, particularly those with barriers to employment, pay a living wage, and spend their profits locally.

Q5. Will you reinvest in our city’s planning capacity?

• This would increase the capacity of the Planning Department to respond in a timely manner to neighbourhood planning needs, and to implement the initiatives detailed in this year's Our Winnipeg Plan.

Q6. Will you end the property tax freeze to allow our city to catch up with badly needed investments in infrastructure, community services, public transportation, etc.?

• Property taxes have been frozen in Winnipeg for the last 13 years. By refusing to reevaluate the property tax rate, the City has forfeited revenue that could have paid for much needed public spending.