News & Media

Action planning for poverty reduction resumes with final dinner and dialogue event

The fourth and final Dinner and Dialogue event, as part of the current funding for the Community Together to End Poverty Hw-nuts’-ulwum (as one) project is scheduled to take place on Thursday, May 30, 2024 starting at 5:30 p.m. at the Stz’uminus Community Centre.

The first three events, hosted by the Town of Ladysmith and the Poverty Reduction Task Group (PRTG) of local agencies have been well attended with the first two at Aggie Hall and the third at the Stz’uminus Community Centre. At each event, participants had dinner and began prioritizing and planning which actions from the Town’s poverty reduction strategy are most needed to improve affordability, equity and inclusion in Stz’uminus and Ladysmith.

Some of the actions prioritized include investigating the expansion of options for growing and sharing food, finding ways to improve local mental health supports, coordinating a community-supported breakfast program, advocating for more adequate income supports including Universal Basic Income, considering how to incentivize secondary suites/coach houses and exploring new transportation options – a project which is underway now.

The goal of the fourth event is to share the initial planning that has been drafted and seek further input to finalize the planning. Participants will also be encouraged to sign up for the actions they may want to help implement.

“The ultimate hope is that participants will be inspired to carry the work forward because they see themselves as part of the solution,” says Rosalie Sawrie, from Social Planning Cowichan who has been coordinating the project. “Ending poverty is an ongoing process so we encourage everyone to attend, even if it is your first event.”

 

Some of the feedback heard repeatedly throughout the first three Dinner & Dialogue events is there is often limited knowledge and/or awareness of current services and resources that already exist that fall under the ten themes in the poverty reduction strategy. In response to this feedback, there will be representatives and resources available from various organizations and community groups to share information about what supports are available.

The development of the Town’s Poverty Reduction Strategy and current actions underway, have been made possible through funding received by the Province’s Poverty Reduction Planning and Action program. With no new funding announcements made this year and none likely until the release of the revised TogetherBC Provincial Poverty Reduction Strategy, it is up to communities to take the lead to continue to move these actions forward.

 

A key priority of Council's 2023-2026 Strategic Plan is developing comprehensive affordability strategies that reflect the needs within our community.

 

For more information on the strategy and current initiatives, visit the Town’s website at www.ladysmith.ca/povertyreductionstrategy.

For the latest news and updates, visit the Town’s website at www.ladysmith.ca, as well as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.

You can also receive up-to-date information in your email inbox by subscribing to the Town’s newsletter.