Richmond to provide feedback on B.C.’s poverty reduction

What would Richmond need to do to reduce its poverty rates?

Residents looking to weigh in on B.C.’s first poverty reduction strategy are invited to provide their input at a community meeting on Thursday.

Richmond’s poverty rate is at 22.4 per cent, while across Metro Vancouver, the poverty rate is 16.5 per cent. These poverty rates are based on families who live with low-income when taking into account average household needs. 

According to the province, B.C.’s poverty rate is one of the worst in Canada and this fall, it plans to release a strategy to address the issues surrounding low-incomes.

Last October, the minister’s advisory forum on poverty reduction was appointed to provide their insights as the poverty reduction strategy was developed. The advisory forum’s role included identifying causes of poverty and approaches to poverty reduction, recommending principles for the poverty reduction strategy and working within communities to encourage engagement with the strategy.

To date, seven community meetings have been held province-wide. Participants are asked to consider what success would look like in a poverty reduction strategy, what are the best ways to reduce poverty in B.C. and what can be done as a province and as communities to reduce poverty and contribute to economic and social inclusion. Twenty-eight meetings are scheduled across B.C.

Richmond’s opportunity to provide feedback is on Thursday, Jan. 25. The meeting is from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Richmond Secondary’s gymnasium.

B.C. residents can also submit their feedback online by March 30.