The Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD), in partnership with the City of Courtenay, Town of Comox, Village of Cumberland and K’ómoks First Nation, has received $100,000 grant funding to undertake a regional poverty assessment and reduction strategy.
Together with community partners such as the Coalition to End Homelessness, the Comox Valley Social Planning Society and the Comox Valley Community Health Network, the assessment will build on the findings of the recently completed Regional Housing Needs Assessment and the 2019 Comox Valley Childcare Inventory and Action Plan.
“The strategy will help identify key actions that local government and community partners can take to reduce local poverty, co-ordinate actions with senior-level government, and ensure a more inclusive community for all residents,” said Alana Mullaly, senior manager of sustainability and regional growth strategy planning.
The findings of the work will help meet key goals of the Regional Growth Strategy, including:
• Ensuring a diversity of affordable housing options to meet evolving regional demographics and needs.
• Developing an accessible, efficient and affordable multi-modal transportation system.
• Increasing local food security.
• Supporting a high quality of life through the protection of community health and well-being.
Funding for this project is provided by the Provincial Poverty Reduction Planning & Action program. The program is intended to support local governments in reducing poverty at the local level and to support the Province’s poverty reduction strategy. The Province has provided five million dollars over three years towards the program that is administered by the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM).
More information about the project will soon be posted to: www.comoxvalleyrd.ca/povertyreduction