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Hello all, I am a graduate student in the U.S. and I am interested in hearing how Canadian citizens feel about poverty reduction strategies in Canadian cities. In your opinion, are Canadian cities more effective at lowering the problems that we tend to associate with poverty in the U.S. (high levels of property AND violent crime, no economic opportunity, crumbling infrastructure, lack of safe and efficient public transportation, lack of consumer goods, etc)? Is dispersing social/public housing throughout the city a good strategy? Are most Canadians in favor of these types of programs or are there many who resist these types of programs and policies? Any info would be appreciated. Thanks!
I personally will oppose these "social programs".
Reduce poverty by giving the opportunity and encouraging the poor to work hard and create a better life for themeselves, no by handing them free money (at hardworking people's expenses), which will only make them think "oh, it is OK to be poor since the government will take care of everything. Why do I bother studying for that certificate I need for jobs".
I personally will oppose these "social programs".
Reduce poverty by giving the opportunity and encouraging the poor to work hard and create a better life for themeselves, no by handing them free money (at hardworking people's expenses), which will only make them think "oh, it is OK to be poor since the government will take care of everything. Why do I bother studying for that certificate I need for jobs".
I guess I should have been clearer. I am not talking about government transfers or any other type of welfare program per se. I am more interested in the actual strategy of dispersing public housing around the city rather than concentrating them in selected areas and making public housing mixed income rather than just low income, which most studies have shown is a strong predictor of increasing crime and basically creating slums. Obviously, some areas still have large, towering, post war era housing projects a la Cabrini Green in Chicago. But from what I understand, Canadian cities prefer to disperse public housing around the city and experiment with different sized units rather than monolithic, russian futurist style buildings.
I'm all for helping people get jobs to help them get out of poverty but not open to giving people a free ride,i have no problem with Canadas level of socialism as many of its universal programs like Unemployment insurance,welfare to those who qualify and healthcare are probably keeping a lot of people from getting into poverty.
Hi there - I can only speak to Toronto's approach as that is the city I am most familiar with (although I've lived in Vancouver and Montreal as well).
In Toronto, you will find social housing integrated into a variety of mixed income neighbourhoods across downtown, and for the most part this integration is successful. It's this mix of people and incomes that gives a lot of Toronto it's funky, "shabby" charm.
In my opinion, the biggest pressure facing lower income people in Toronto is the progression of gentrification in the downtown core. Most neighbourhoods near the core of the city are become increasingly unaffordable to buy and rent in. In Toronto, you have a phenomenon of reverse migration - younger professional people are moving into the downtown, while poorer people, immigrant families are pushed out to "inner suburbs" further away. You might want to google the City of Toronto's Streets to Homes approach to homelessness, as well as the Priority Neighbourhoods strategy to get an insight into the City's social policies.
Vancouver and Montreal are two completely different environments. You are probably familiar with the Downtown Eastside in Vancouver. There is no doubt that the astronomical price of real estate in Vancouver will put pressure on this neighbourhood to "disperse" the folks who live there. Don't know how the City is planning to deal with this and how willing Vancouverites are to have these folks integrated into their neighbourhoods.
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