"Tackling poverty in Canada requires coordination among all levels of government, starting with municipalities. Today's release of a federal poverty reduction strategy is a meaningful response to FCM recommendations, and is a positive step toward tackling the poverty that affects Canadians in every city and town across the country.
"Every single day, municipal leaders see how poverty prevents people and communities from achieving their full potential. From their place on the front lines, local governments are also making the most of the tools available to respond. They are bringing diverse actors together to tailor federal and provincial initiatives to local realities, and many are leading the way with comprehensive local poverty reduction plans of their own.
"Opportunity for All aligns with FCM's recommendations to boost access to the things people need to thrive - from affordable housing, childcare and transit to robust income supports. Our top priority is an effective roll-out of the National Housing Strategy engaging all orders of government. As well, strengthening data collection and reducing data gaps, if this engages local governments and service providers, will enable municipalities to design, scale up and track local solutions with sharper evidenced-driven policies and programs.
"The experience of living in poverty varies across the country, and so do the right solutions. While Canadians see and feel poverty's effects most at the local level, other orders of government manage investment and policy levers that are vital to lasting solutions. So we especially welcome today's fresh recognition that tackling poverty requires coordinated action across orders of government, grounded in municipal expertise.
"FCM was pleased to participate in this process through our CEO, Brock Carlton, who served on the Ministerial Advisory Committee that informed Opportunity for All. To succeed, any national poverty reduction strategy will need to continue engaging the local order of government every step of the way. FCM and our municipal members look forward to working in partnership to build a Canada where everyone has the opportunity to thrive."
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) is the national voice of municipal governments, with nearly 2,000 members representing more than 90 per cent of the Canadian population.