Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction Community – Government Collaboration on Policy

1. Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction Community – Government Collaboration on Policy

2. Poverty in Hamilton • 2001 Hamilton Poverty Matrix: 20% of Hamilton’s residents are living in poverty. Rates are even higher for children under 14 (24%), seniors age 65 and older (24%), the Aboriginal community (37%), and recent immigrants (50%). • This is unacceptable. We stand together as a community to find solutions.(Source: Hamilton Poverty Matrix, 2005) • 2006 Statistics Canada Data – 18.1% of Hamilton’s residents are living in poverty. Children 12 and under 23.4%. This is still unacceptable.

3. The Roundtable • Formed in May 2005 • Co-convened by the City of Hamilton and Hamilton Community Foundation • Cross-sectoral table with members from business, government, voluntary sectors and people living in poverty • Financial Support: City of Hamilton, Hamilton Community Foundation, The. J.W. McConnell Family Foundation, The Charles Johnson Charitable Fund, Corporate Partners including Pictorvision, Dofasco, Turkstra Lumber, Mark’s Work Wearhouse

4. Roundtable Cultural Shifts • Shift emphasis from alleviation to prevention • Think comprehensively and tackle root causes • Work collaboratively across sectors • Abandon blame and acknowledge we are all part of the problem and part of the solution • Emphasize innovation, risk taking and long-term change

5. Making Hamilton the Best Place to Raise a Child Asset Building Wealth Creation Quality Early Learning and Parenting Skills through education, Activity and recreation Targeted Skills Development (PSE) Employment Tackling Root Causes: Affordable Housing, Food Security, Income Security, Accessible Transportation, Safe Neighbourhoods • Hamilton Roundtable for • Poverty Reduction • How We will do Our Work: • Move from Alleviation to Prevention Tackle Root CausesWork collaboratively across sectors • Abandon Blame – all can be part of the solution • Emphasize innovation, risk taking, long term change Linking and Facilitating Role Strategic Poverty Focus Community Engagement Change and Action Learning and Accountability Changes in: Structures Processes Policies Indicators Community-Level Macro Strategy Knowledge Transfer: Outputs Outcomes Evaluation Learning Critical Points of Investment Strategy Community-Lead Initiatives

6. Four Roles which Drive the Work of the Roundtable Strategic Poverty Focus • Develop a shared poverty aspiration and outcomes • Keep the focus on strategic community change Broad Community Engagement • Engage the community in creating solutions • Ensure civic space for discussion across sectors Supporting Change and Action • Identify barriers that block progress and provide solutions • Help link organizations to strategies • Leverage resources and attract investment • Provide administrative support to continue moving forward Learning and Communication • Facilitate the exchange of knowledge • Communicate to the community about poverty and change strategies • Measure progress and report to the community

7. Starting Point Strategy – March 2007 Aspiration: Making Hamilton the Best Place to Raise a Child Three Strategies at the core of the work plan: • The Big Picture: The HRPRMacro Strategy focusing on Policy and Systems Level Changes • Leveling the Playing Field for all Children:Five Critical Points of Investment • Collective Leadership: Local Strategies and Community Solutions - led by community partners

8. Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction Leadership and Governance

9. Roundtable Governance • Roundtable – 42 members, cross sectoral leadership including 10 low income, citizen leaders • Over 400 individuals and groups engaged in poverty reduction efforts across he community Committees and Working Groups • Steering Committee • Youth Voice Against Poverty • Governance Working Group • Policy Working Group • Evaluation and Learning Working Group • Government Engagement Working Group • Neighbourhood Development Strategy Working Group • Starting Point Partners

10. Engaging the Community

11. Community Engagement: Key Success Factors • A broad range of people are participating and engaged • People are thoughtfully trying to solve poverty in Hamilton • The engagement process creates vision, achieves results, creates movement and change • Different sectors are involved in the process • There is a focus on collaboration and social inclusion • The community determines its priorities • There is a balance between engagement processes and action

12. Community Engagement – Results to December 2007 • Hamilton Spectator – 3 year editorial commitment (2006-2008) • 400 articles, editorials and letters to the editor • 5 Hamilton Stories published by the Caledon Institute of Social Policy • 11 community consultations • 2 community wide events and 84% retention rate • 5 collaborative tables • 91 locally led community solutions • 33,787 individuals connected at presentations, meetings & events • 300 citizens engaged in neighbourhood planning process

13. Policy and Systems Change

14. Policy and Systems Change – Approach • Identify core policy areas • Host a Policy Working Group and Government Engagement Working Group • Develop linkages with Caledon, Vibrant Communities and other partners • Identify opportunities for policy influence at the municipal, provincial and federal levels • Identify short and long term strategies • Develop an evaluation approach to policy work

15. Policy Working Group Table of community leaders and roundtable members with a specific policy focus on poverty reduction Meet monthly since June 2007 Lead on Briefing Notes Hosted pre-election meetings with candidates – federal, municipal, provincial Individual meetings with 5 area MPs and MPPs and all city council members and senior city staff In development – overarching policy paper for Roundtable Government Engagement Working Group Senior staff from all three levels of government – co-chaired by City of Hamilton and MCSS Meeting since November 2007 Currently in learning and engagement phase – sharing information around table about investments aligned with HRPR Critical Points of Investments Creation of synergies across levels of government and opportunities to exchange around priorities High level of engagement – continually adding in members Policy Leadership

16. Early Policy Results- Policy and Briefing Notes • Who Lives in Poverty – September 2005 • Hamilton Poverty Matrix – September 2005 • Shared Governance – Government Learning Circle Article – March 2006 (Caledon Institute of Social Policy) • HRPR Strategic Overview – June 2007 • Federal Government – 2008 Budget Submission • Ontario Poverty Strategy – September 2007 • Government of Ontario – 2008 Pre-Budget Brief – January 2008 • Federal Government – Meeting with Minister Monte Solberg – Briefing Note – February 2008 • Briefing Note: Statistics Canada – Income Release – May 2008 • Ontario Poverty Strategy – Questions and Answers – May 2008

17. Policy Change • Policy Convening and Responses :HamiltonChild Care Wait List Strategy, Immigration Strategy, Ontario Child Benefit, Every Child Plays, Hamilton Partners for Healthy Weights, School Boards – Poverty and Equal Opportunities teams, Affordable Transit Pass Pilot, Ontario Social Assistance Rates Board, Downtown Safety and Security Report, Hamilton Economic Summit, Hamilton Pan Am Games Bid, MetroLinx Transportation Consultation, Living Wage Research • Policy Change Results: • Return of Municipal Portion of the NCB Claw Back - $2 million to 6, 413 families • Affordable Transit Pass Program for Low Income Workers - $500,000 to 1200 employees • City of Hamilton adopts HRPR Aspiration as part of City Vision • City of Hamilton Living Wage Procurement Policy –currently under development • Alignment with Immigration Strategy Table, Human Services Planning Table and Jobs Prosperity Collaborative • Increased alignment of City funding around poverty priorities

18. Tracking Policy Changes Collection of Weekly Results Data – What is Changing and HRPR Involvement Examples • Ontario Poverty Strategy Consultation – Half of the participants in Hamilton were individuals living with low or limited incomes • Ontario Budget Release – sharing of information regarding Hamilton impact from sources across City – municipal, agency, chamber • Ontario Social Assistance Rates Board Legislation – economic impact study collaborative convened by HRPR with legal clinics, city staff, SPRC and economist from McMaster University • Hamilton Economic Summit – representation and leadership from a number of Roundtable and community leaders – prosperity/poverty key part of discussions during the day • HRPRregularly invited to consultative tables in the community around transportation, recreation, and arts and culture • Policy Influence – share information and resources with city staff regarding living wage, Ontario Poverty Strategy, housing and homelessness, early years, education

19. Ontario Poverty Reduction Plan • Cabinet Committee on Poverty Reduction • To develop a focused strategy for reducing poverty, including associated indicators and targets • Vision – focus on children through expanding opportunities, real solutions to put people first, we all have a role to play and poverty reduction is the right thing to do for families and economy • Changes already - Ontario Child Benefit, child care, early learning education, health, skills training, minimum wage increases, affordable housing, social assistance, newcomers • Currently – launched website, series of invitation consultations focusing on 6 questions, public consultations hosted by local area MPPs

20. The Ontario Context • Landscape is Crowded: Number of inter-connected poverty advocacy organizations at the provincial level with focus on Ontario Poverty Reduction Plan – Campaign 2000, SPNO, Colour of Poverty, ISAC, ISARC, Vibrant Communities, United Way, OMSSA, PRO • Local Organizing: ISAC, SPNO and Colour of Poverty received funding for local community organizing • Existing Community Efforts: VC organized in Hamilton, KW and Niagara with emerging efforts in many other communities • Voice of low-income individuals not always present • Next 6 Months: Intense efforts as groups position selves and try to influence Ontario Poverty Reduction Plan

21. Moving Forward – HRPR Next Steps

22. HRPR Next Steps – 2008 – 2009 • Continued Progress on Poverty Change Strategies • Focus on Policy and Systems changes at the municipal, provincial and federal levels including the Ontario Cabinet Committee on Poverty Reduction, the Affordable Transit Pass, the Ontario Child Benefit, etc. • Integration of the Neighbourhood Strategy into the work plan including the recruitment of a City-wide committee focusing on neighbourhoods and the development of neighbourhood launch pads • Continued focus on community engagement with the Roundtable including the support of starting point partners working groups, and community tables • Completion of the HRPR Evaluation Framework and development of community indicators to report poverty reduction progress • Continued linkages with Ontario and National partners including Vibrant Communities and Caledon Institute of Social Policy

23. Website Resources Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction ~ www.hamiltonpoverty.ca Vibrant Communities ~ www.tamarackcommunity.ca The Caledon Institute of Social Policy ~ www.caledoninst.org Government of Ontario – Poverty Reduction Plan ~ www.ontario.ca/growingstronger