Building a Caring Community Together
A Collaborative Poverty
Elimination Strategy
Copyright © Community-University Institute for Social Research, 2006.
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This publication was made possible, in part, by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
of Canada.
Please direct inquiries about this publication to:
Community-University Institute for Social Research
University of Saskatchewan
432-221 Cumberland Avenue
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
S7N 1M3
Telephone:
Facsimile: E-mail: Web site: (306) 966-2121
(306) 966-2122
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Table of Contents
The Organizational Context ............................................................................................................. 1
CUISR’s Role In Community-University Partnerships
The Quality of Life Research Module
The Quality of Life Steering Committee
Quality of Life Priorities: A Mosaic of Community Actions .......................................................... 2
QoL Data Collection Analysis Summary 2001/04 ....................................................................................... 3
The Growing Income Gap
Social Inclusion
Responsibility for Change
QoL Community Forums ................................................................................................................. 10
October 2001 Community Forum
June 2004 Quality of Life Action Forum
May 2005 Community Forum
Post-2005 Forum Deliberations
October 27, 2005 Taking Action Saskatoon Community Quality of Life Priorities
Current Community Response to Growing Income Gap and Poverty Issues
Poverty Elimination Strategy As a Collaborative Issue ............................................................... 15
Potential Role(s) of the Quality of Life Steering Committee (QoLSC) in a Collaborative Poverty
Elimination Strategy
Support The Work Of Others
Facilitate and Strengthen Networks for Poverty Elimination
Undertake Knowledge Transfer And Public Awareness Initiatives
Engage Community on QoL Issues
Measuring Progress and Monitoring Results ............................................................................... 17
The Future .................................................................................................................................... 18
Appendix A: Quality of Life Steering Committee ....................................................................... 19
Appendix B: Quality of Life Policy Forum 2001 .......................................................................... 20
Appendix C: Quality of Life Policy Forum May 2005 ..................................................................26
Appendix D: Quality of Life Survey Neighbourhoods ..................................................................28
Appendix E: Sample of Organizational Document ....................................................................... 29
Appendix F: Table of 300 QoL Initiatives (2005) ....................................................................... 31
Executive Summary
“A Collaborative Poverty Elimination Strategy” document summarizes the findings of the Quality of Life study in Saskatoon, initiated and directed by Community University Institute for Social
Research (CUISR)/ Quality of Life (QoL) Module. In sharing this document with you, we hope to engage different sectors of the community in discussing an action plan to eliminate poverty in Saskatoon.
Poverty is identified as a notion that connects many of the quality of life issues that have been identified throughout the study. It has also been stressed that poverty needs to be addressed in a collaborative manner. This is why collaboration from the community as a whole is essential.
Exploring the dimensions of quality of life was initiated by Community University Institute for
Social Research (CUISR)/ Quality of Life (QoL) Module. Between the years 2000 and 2006, CUISR/
QoL module has been monitoring the quality of life in Saskatoon using different approaches: i) QoL
Surveys, ii) Community Forums, and iii) Community Action Plan Information System (CAPIS). The
combination of findings provides a global view of QoL in Saskatoon, and the opportunity to develop
a strategic action plan to address the deficiencies identified by this study, specifically poverty elimination. This study is overseen by CUISR / Quality of Life Steering Committee (QoLSC). The QoLSC is
integrated by representatives from community-based organizations, government agencies, Aboriginal
organizations, businesses, and community residents.
i) CUISR has conducted two surveys (2001 and 2004), and will conduct another survey in 2007.
The surveys collect information to examine how evaluations of the quality of life differ across three
neighbourhood clusters, representing low, medium and high socio –economic status (SES). The information collected from the surveys is complemented by focus groups and personal interviews. Each
of these phases is cumulative, where the information gathered in the previous phase informs the next
phase.
The surveys (2001 and 2004) coincide in several findings, which are grouped into three core
themes:
• Growing Income Gap: income inequalities in Saskatoon continue to widen; as well as low
income households feel less positive about their QoL.
• Social Inclusion: a number of people do not feel part of their neighbourhood as a consequence
of living at the lower end of the economic gap
• Responsibility for Change: it is identified that the community, as a whole, is responsible for
the quality of life in Saskatoon. However, both surveys identified that government money should be
allocated to improve the quality of life of the economically disadvantaged.
ii) CUISR has organized a number of Community Forums (one in 2001 and two in 2005) to
present the QoL research outcomes, and also to engage representatives from community-based organizations (CBOs), government agencies, and engaged citizens in multi-sectoral conversations about
quality of life deficiencies.
At the 2001 community forum, recommendations for action included issues related to employment, housing, and education, among others.
Participants at the Community Forum in May 2005 identified fourteen different focus areas,
in-cluding poverty reduction. Under poverty reduction several strategies were mentioned, such as:
employment policy, housing policy, education and advocacy about income inequalities.
The Community Forum in October 2005 provided two insights: 1) poverty elimination is a collaborative issue and 2) poverty is a systemic problem.
During this Forum, poverty issues surfaced as part of the three core themes (Growing Income
Gap, Social Inclusion, and Responsibility for Change). The participants embraced the notion that poverty connects many of the focus areas identified at the May, 2005 Forum.
iii) After the Community Forum in 2001, the QoLSC wanted to explore if community agencies
were taking actions on recommendations that had been identified by forum participants. Furthermore, the QoLSC wanted to identify which agencies were engaged in specific actions (“who is doing
what?”). These issues began the process for a Comprehensive Action Information System (CAPIS).
CAPIS has three different components: a bibliography of action plan documents, a directory of CBOs
dealing with QoL Issues in Saskatoon, and the interpretation and mapping of QoL initiatives. In short,
CAPIS is a mechanism to identify and catalogue community initiatives targeted towards improving
quality of life. The knowledge gained from the development of the CAPIS has been used to support
and supplement the information gathered thus far in the investigation of QoL in Saskatoon.
“A Collaborative Poverty Elimination Strategy” is an information tool about QoL in Saskatoon.
This strategy is the first step to engage new partners in working toward poverty elimination. Members from different sectors (Government, Business, Aboriginal organizations, etc.) would ideally be
integrated into a Social Planning Table (?) to develop a strategic action plan. This work would be organized by an administrative body (?) with representatives from all the sectors. Taking into action the
strategic plan would be under the directions of the Social Planning Table (?). These are questions that
we can answer together working toward a Saskatoon without poverty.
The Organizational Context
CUISR’s Role In Community-University Partnerships
The Community-University Institute for Social Research (CUISR) is a partnership between researchers, community-based organizations, and citizenry to enhance community quality of life.
CUISR serves as a focal point for community-based research and integrates the social research
needs and experience of community-based organizations with the technical expertise available at the
University of Saskatchewan.
CUISR promotes, undertakes, and critically evaluates applied social research for community-based
organizations, and serves as a data clearinghouse for applied and community-based social research.
The Quality of Life Research Module
The Quality of Life (QoL) module of CUISR attempts to contribute to effective policy change
and action development on QoL issues in Saskatoon.
Since 1999, the activities of CUISR’s QoL module have focussed on conducting research about
quality of life issues in Saskatoon. This research has facilitated information exchange and action on
QoL between CUISR and a variety of community-based organizations.
Over the years, CUISR/QoL has supported many processes and activities that were intended to
help strengthen quality of life in Saskatoon. For example:
• CUISR/QoL has provided financial and technical support to community-based organizations for
applied community research projects. In doing these projects, participant organizations increased
their capacity to learn more about quality of life issues. Recommendations from the applied
community research were often used as the foundation for taking appropriate actions to address
quality of life issues.
• In collaboration with community-based organizations, government agencies, and university partners, CUISR/QoL developed a comprehensive quality of life telephone survey. The survey was
conducted, consecutively in 2001 and in 2004. The survey was conducted with one thousand
households in nine Saskatoon neighbourhoods. The results provided valuable insights into how
people feel about their quality of life.
The results of these surveys were discussed at several Quality of Life Community Forums. These
forums allowed community-based organizations, government agencies, and university researchers to
interact and consult with each other regarding quality of life issues in Saskatoon. Further, the Community Forums were an occasion to collaboratively articulate long-term and short-term action priorities
to address quality of life deficiencies in the community.
The Quality of Life Steering Committee
The Quality of Life Steering Committee (QoLSC) is linked to the goals and activities of the
Quality of Life module within CUISR .
The QoLSC includes representatives from community-based organizations, government agencies,
Aboriginal organizations, businesses, and community residents. (See Appendix A for current QoLSC
members.)
The QoLSC advises CUISR on the direction for the QoL module activities and reviews the progress of these activities. Committee members distribute information about the QoL module activities in
the community through their respective workplaces, associations, and networks.
Building a Caring Community Together
Quality of Life Priorities: A Mosaic of Community Actions
Between the years 2000 and 2006, CUISR/QoL facilitated a number of public discussions regarding
quality of life issues. CUISR/QoL organized a number of Community Forums to engage representatives
from community-based organizations (CBOs) and government agencies in multi-sectoral conversations
about quality of life deficiencies.
QoL Data Collection Analysis Summary
CUISR conducted two QoL surveys (2001 and 2004) that asked selected Saskatoon residents
about their personal observations and experiences with their quality of life. Three QoL themes emerged
from the results:
Growing Income Gap
Social Inclusion
Responsibility for Change
Income inequalities in Saskatoon A number of people do not feel Community as a whole is, to
continue to widen; low income a part of their neighbourhood as some degree, responsible for the
households feel less positive a consequence of living at the quality of life of the neighbourabout their quality of life.
lower end of the economic gap. hoods in Saskatoon.
QoL Forums
October 2001 Community Forum (over one hundred QoL recommendations were articulated)
June 2004 Quality of Life Action Forum
This Forum was designed for the participants to have an opportunity to learn, and to reflect on,
the prototype of a Community Action Plan Information System (CAPIS).
May 2005 Community Forum
Action Auction: Community Forum participants showed a public interest to one or several Quality of Life Action Themes
• Civic Services
• Cross-Cultural Awareness
• Economic Policy • Housing • Increase Access to Education • Information and Research
• Integrated Poverty Reduction Strategy • Support Services • Supported Training
Post 2005 Forum Deliberations
Post Forum Action Priorities: Community Forum participants articulated nearly three hundred
action priority suggestions on index cards. These suggestions have been grouped as the following:
• Arts
• Civic Services • Crime and Safety
• Cross-Cultural Awareness
• Economic Policy
• Housing
• Information
• Institutional/Procedural
• Miscellaneous Policy
• Miscellaneous Capacity
• Research
• Support Services
• Support Training
• Poverty Elimination
October 27, 2005 Taking Action Community Quality of Life Priorities
Taking Action meeting provided two learning outcomes:
• Poverty as a systemic quality of life deficiency
• Poverty elimination strategy as a collaborative issue
Building a Caring Community Together
QoL Data Collection Analysis Summary 2001/04
CUISR’s Quality of Life research includes two comprehensive surveys involving selected neighbourhoods in Saskatoon, conducted in both 2001 and 2004. Both surveys included telephone surveys,
face-to-face interviews, and focus groups that probed people’s satisfaction with their life generally, their
neighbourhood, and their environment in Saskatoon, as well as gathered people’s perceptions about
empowerment and areas of government spending and funding for social programs.
The cumulative research, therefore, is a subjective assessment about the quality of life in Saskatoon.
Data was taken from the same three socioeconomic neighbourhood clusters: high socio-economic status (SES) neighbourhoods, middle SES neighbourhoods, and low SES neighbourhoods, as well from
special interest focus groups.
After the collected data was analyzed, twenty key policy informants who are engaged in issues
that affect the quality of life in the city were interviewed about their organization’s consideration of
the quality of life themes that arose.
The results of the quality of life reviews in Saskatoon show that overall perception is generally
positive.
Despite this, there are noticeable variations in responses of people from high, middle, and low
socio-economic areas regarding certain aspects of their quality of life. For example, in 2004, people
living in the lower socio-economic city neighbourhoods rated their quality of life lower than people
from the high socio-economic neighbourhoods.
Comparing the 2001 and 2004 QoL survey results:
• only residents in higher socio-economic status neighbourhoods reported that their overall quality of
life had improved, but all others reported a worsening; similar circumstances held for the quality
of life in neighbourhoods;
• overall quality of life deteriorated, particularly for older residents, residents with low income, and
single or divorced residents; and
• overall quality of life was perceived as slightly worse by all respondents combined.
Figure 1: Overall Quality of Life (CUISR Quality of Life Survey, 2001 and 2004)
Building a Caring Community Together
The Growing Income Gap
Income inequalities in Saskatoon continue to widen; low income households feel less positive
about their quality of life.
In 2001, we said, “The disparity between high and low socio-economic neighbourhoods in
Saskatoon has been intensifying since 1980.” Although as of 2004 there were slightly fewer people
who are desperately poor, the disparity between rich and poor continues to grow.
The disparities between the incomes of residents in high SES neighbourhoods on one hand and
the middle and low SES neighbourhoods on the other hand are clearly evident. While most neighbourhoods (high, middle, low) have experienced a slight increase in income over time, the income disparities continue to grow among neighbourhoods (Figure 2). City of Saskatoon data show that the median
income of the wealthiest of our study’s neighbourhoods is about six times greater than that the poorest
of our study’s neighbourhoods.
Figure 2: Changes in Household Income, 1989-2001, Nominal Dollars (City of Saskatoon)
“The income gap affects the whole community as it lowers QoL for everybody.
It is producing more and more demand on police, more and more on remedial
education. It is costing all of us to respond to the products of poverty which our
economy and our structures are creating. Do we care about equality?”
– Key policy informant
Building a Caring Community Together
Other facts (sources: CUISR, Statistics Canada, Generation5):
• Low income is regarded by many as deficiency in Quality of Life
• Income inequalities create difficulties in accessing Quality of Life tangibles (affordable housing,
transportation, nutrition, education, and others)
• Middle income neighbourhoods saw the largest drop in median household income between 2001
and 2004
• Labour force participation has remained essentially static since 2001
• Home ownership has remained essentially static since 2001
Action Priorities of the Quality of Life Community (source: CUISR Community Action Plan
Information System):
• Elevating Basic Income Supports through higher Social Assistance Policy
• Providing effective incentives for a transition from social assistance to employment
• Provide a linked continuum of services tailored to meet individual needs; this might take the form
of a core community training and resource centre.
• Increasing shelter allowances for social assistance recipients for safer, better quality housing
• Continue to provide opportunities for residents to purchase and renovate houses in the core neighbourhoods through home ownership co-ops as part of Quint’s Affordable Housing Program.
• Expand community and cooperative ownership of existing and new rental accommodation and
establish measures to ensure long term affordability.
• Providing childcare resources that facilitate parents’ labour force participation
• Creating workforce environments with incentive equity for women, Aboriginal people, and other
marginalized groups
• Designing employment and job readiness programs for all
• Giving community groups greater authority and responsibility to manage public resources
• Implement the recommendation in the Youth Resource Development Network for transition housing
for youth with mentoring supports
• Expand community and cooperative ownership of existing and new rental accommodation and
establish measures to ensure long term affordability (CNDC)
• Continue to provide opportunities for residents to purchase and renovate houses in the core
neighbourhoods through home ownership co-ops as part of Quint’s Affordable Housing
Program.(CNDC)**
Core Neighbourhood Development Council
** Core Neighbourhood Development Council
Building a Caring Community Together
Social Inclusion
It is a measure of how much people feel part of their neighbourhood. A number of people feel
excluded as a consequence of living at the lower end of the economic gap.
Social inclusion is a key component to our quality of life. There are many ways in which a resident can feel a lack of inclusion. A number of people in Saskatoon feel excluded as a consequence of
living at the lower end of the economic gap. The survey respondents in 2001 noted that there was a
lack of equality of access to services in the lower income neighbourhoods. The respondents from these
neighbourhoods in 2004 continued to feel the same because of a lack of economic resources.
Social inclusion is a key component to our quality of life. The concept of social inclusion connects to certain aspects of the survey respondents’ daily life. For example:
• how much respondents feel a part of their neighbourhood;
• how comfortable they are with participating in neighbourhood projects;
• how comfortable they are calling on neighbours in a crisis; and
• whether or not they volunteer in any organizations.
These factors measure the sense of belonging to a place, which in turn can affect the perception
of overall QoL. Figure 2 shows that there was an even, though not dramatic, drop in the perceived
social inclusion in all neighbourhoods.
Figure 3: Social Inclusion Composite Index (CUISR Quality of Life Survey, 2001 and 2004)
When people feel left out, unstable, they don’t take advantage of recreation facilities. We are all paying for infrastructure and services that are not reaching
those most in need so people getting sicker, unemployed for longer, not getting
stable housing. The disenfranchised group is growing and that affects our own
youth. They need safety and peace and security. That lack leads to crime. It affects everyone at large because it increases fear, that insecurity, perception that
the tax money is not there for you.
– Key policy informant
Building a Caring Community Together
Other facts (sources: CUISR, Statistic Canada, Generation5):
• The sense of social inclusion has decreased for residents in all neighbourhood types
• Crime is a concern across neighbourhood types
• Racism is a barrier to social inclusion
• Education is essential to enhancing the sense of social inclusion by combating racism and providing better livelihoods
Action Priorities of the Quality of Life Community (source: CUISR Community Action Plan
Information System-CAPIS, Urban Aboriginal Strategy):
• Recognize the importance of advocacy for groups of people and grass roots organizations
• Provide informal programming in areas of life skills, recreational, cultural activities, and special
events
• Utilize a youth cooperative to engage youth life skills and work skills programming
• Operate the street outreach program to connect with youth leading “high risk” lifestyles
• Develop and implement an Action Plan for Homelessness and Housing in Saskatoon
• Acquisiton and renovation of building for shelter and transitional housing for women and children
• Provide accessable space for interaction among community residents and diverse community service programming
• Facilitate a support group for women with disabilities in Saskatoon and surrounding areas to enhance
their self-esteem through support, networking, information and referral, encouragment, and fun
•Introduce programs in building self-esteem and parenting programs (UAS).
•Reduce the number of gang and drug houses in the core neighborhoods (UAS)**.
•Institute community watch programs and block parent programs (UAS)***.
•Educate and raise awareness in the schools about the dangers of the sex trade and how to avoid
recruiting pressures from Johns, pimps, and prostitutes (CNDC)****
•Expand the youth coop model into more neighbourhoods (CNDC) *****
•Support youth initiatives focused on food security and production (eg youth gardening, jobs and
micro-business opportunities in the food processing sector) (CNDC) ******
•Provide a linked continuum of services tailored to meet individual needs; This might take the form
of a core community training and resource centre (CNDC) *******
Saskatoon Urban Aboriginal Strategy Website (www.saskatoonuas.org)
**
Saskatoon Urban Aboriginal Strategy Website (www.saskatoonuas.org)
***
Saskatoon Urban Aboriginal Strategy Website (www.saskatoonuas.org)
**** Core Neighbourhood Development Council
***** Core Neighbourhood Development Council
******Core Neighbourhood Development Council
*******Core Neighbourhood Development Council
Building a Caring Community Together
Responsibility for Change
Community as a whole, is, to some degree, responsible for the quality of life of the neighbourhoods
in Saskatoon. We are all responsible for improving our community quality of life, and government’s
first focus should be on the most vulnerable.
Many of the 2004 survey respondents said that we are all, to some degree, responsible for the
quality of life of our neighbourhood and city. Similar to 2001, there was a general consensus in 2004
that government money should be allocated to improve the quality of life of the economically disadvantaged.
Respondents in low SES neighbourhoods suggested that governments should spend money on
improving housing programs, safety, education, cleaning up the city, improving the downtown core,
and implementing after-school programs for children.
The chart below summarizes and contrasts survey respondents’ answers on priorities for servicespecific government action in both 2001 and 2004. Health was the top priority in both years, with a
significant increase in 2004. Schools were the second priority in 2004, followed by roads, which may
be a proxy for infrastructure issues. Protection services and social programs continued to be of interest,
but less so in 2004 when compared to 2001.
Figure 4: Suggested Government Funding Priorities (CUISR Quality of Life Survey, 2001 and 2004)
“It is about good housing, about opportunities, about living wages, and rebuilding
the safety net. Hunger exists because we chose it to exist, because some countries
chose for it not to exist. So that not only is there no food banks but there is no
charges for health care, no charges to post secondary education.”
– Key policy informant
Building a Caring Community Together
Other facts (sources: CUISR, Statistics Canada, Generation5):
• Health services are the number one priority for citizens concerned with quality of life
• Schools and roads were larger priorities in 2004
• Social programs continue to be a priority, especially in low income neighbourhoods
Action Priorities of the Quality of Life Community (source: CUISR Community Action Plan
Information System-CAPIS, Urban Aboriginal Strategy)
• Community and government, at all levels, need to work together to create social policy that advances
a common goal: poverty reduction
• Government should continue its engagement with housing as a primary concern for urban Aboriginal issues
• The Government of Saskatchewan needs to work with the Government of Canada to develop a
universal, comprehensive chidcare/early childhood development program
• Government to use housing to stimulate the local economy and build equity in the community rather
that allowing million of dollars of DSS rent allowances flow out of our community and into the
hands of absentee landlords
• The City should continue developing more systemic monitoring of housing conditions throughout
the city in terms of indicators of the outcomes of policies affecting physical, economic, and social
development
• Form a partnership between the City of Saskatoon, Saskatoon Police, Saskatoon Fire and Protection
Services, Saskatoon Health Region, the Rentalsman, Saskatchewan Justice, and the Department
of Social Services to take a more aggressive stance against persons providing unsafe housing
• Expand intersectoral work to include those not normally linked with others. This builds relationships
between different sectors beyond the current networks. Also included in this is the idea that all
groups working for First Nations and Metis should work inter-sectorally too, sharing resources
and research; breaking stereotypes
• Problem-solving, identification of needs, and decision-making should occur at the community
level. This equalization of power validates the process. Pool resources to support a broad objective thereby resulting in a higher benefit than having funds filtered through various government
departments/agencies. Promote co-operation between organizations.
• Institute K 1-12 grade school programs at the local community level with child daycare services
within the school system for Aboriginal parents. (UAS)
• Support the initiative for a centrally located grocery store and/or food co-op with grocery delivery
services
Saskatoon Urban Aboriginal Strategy Website (www.saskatoonuas.org)
Building a Caring Community Together
QoL Community Forums
October 2001 Community Forum
The 2001 CUISR Community Action Plan Forum examined the status of QoL from the perspectives of “what works” and “where are the gaps.” The Forum also resulted in a number of visions or
recommendations for action. One hundred QoL recommendations were articulated and grouped in 19
areas.
After the Community Forum, the QoLSC was interested in exploring: if proposed recommendations were transferred into QoL actions, how the process was occurring, and who was doing what.
These questions originated the work for the Community Action Plan Information System (CAPIS).
CAPIS is a compendium, an analysis, and a purposive contextualization of QoL actions and
recommendations from collaborative action plan documents, focused on the Saskatoon community.
CAPIS is a mechanism to catalogue, interpret, and analyze community initiatives targeted towards
improving quality of life.
Time and funding constraints imposed on CUISR, required that the development of a CAPIS
utilized only a sample of QoL community organizations and QoL statements, rather than working with
all potential statements. A purposive sampling process was utilized in order to provide the initial data
sample. The purposive sampling procedure was executed between March 2003 and May 2003.
The components of the CAPIS are:
• A Bibliography of Documents Articulating Specific QoL Initiatives. The CAPIS bibliography consolidates and complements the existing references to documents that articulate “what is/should
be done” in QoL enhancement in the City. A total sample of 58 documents were identified and
referenced. Some documents were examined and catalogued. Classifying the document type
involved the identification of action statements, recommendations, or need assessments within
the document. See Appendix E for a sample of organizational documents concerned with QoL
issues
• A Directory of CBOs Dealing with QoL Issues in Saskatoon. The CBOs directory gathers a comprehensive directory of organizations working towards the enhancement of quality of life. The
intent is to create a consolidation of the many listings and databases regarding the QoL “actors”
in the City. A total sample of 170 organizations are contained in the directory. A number of approaches were used to identifiy suitable organizations; the first one was the CBO database at the
Saskatoon Public Library. Initially, attendance records at the 2001 Community Forum were used
to identify eligible organizations. Secondly, various directories and research documents were
made available through a network of eligible organizations (i.e. the Saskatoon Communities for
Children, the North Saskatchewan Independent Living Centre), and an internet search. Thirdly,
iterations of soliciting feedback from a network of organizations assisted with the identification
of organizations.
• Interpretation and Mapping of QoL Initiatives. In an effort to better understand QoL initiatives, the
QoL Research Project identified and analyzed these initiatives, attempting to capture the patterns
(themes, trends) in QoL enhancement, and the connections between these patterns. A sample of
338 initiatives were classified and analyzed (See Appendix F). The sample QoL statements analyzed in this study clearly show that most QoL initiatives have a tendency towards achieving QoL
outcomes. While many initiatives focus on a range of the very basic QoL needs, other initiatives
target the higher-level QoL needs (e.g. ‘affordable housing’, ‘capacity and empowerment’, and
‘social inclusion’) .
Building a Caring Community Together
10
June 2004 Quality of Life Action Forum
This Forum was designed for the participants to have an opportunity to learn, and to reflect on,
the prototype of a CAPIS. In its present form, utilizing a relatively small sample of QoL initiatives, the
CAPIS has analyzed and mapped QoL initiatives. However, to be fully operational, and to maximize
the benefit to the QoL community, the present CAPIS needs to be further refined in its methodology,
and needs to become much more comprehensive in its inclusion of QoL initiatives.
The CAPIS is identified as a convenient and time-saving information resource. Suggestions
to increase and facilitate access to the CAPIS and its components included the distribution of hard
copies to CBOs, libraries, and other public access points, and the development of a web-based access site. The CAPIS is a potential catalyst for change where an envisioned Social Council type of
network structure could raise awareness of QoL deficiencies with the use of the CAPIS as a tool in
an effort to educate policy and decision makers, as well as the media, about QoL needs in the city.
Overall, the CAPIS could inform and support a Comprehensive Community Action Plan System,
identifying where the recommendations as well as the actions are ranked. Through constant updates
conducted via CUISR, along with the information coming from QoL telephone surveys, interviews and focus groups; CAPIS would be a tool to describe in a comprehensive way the QoL in
Saskatoon.
The work done by CUISR has provided the foundational groundwork for the next evolution
in the CAPIS. The mapping of current QoL Actions and Recommendations has facilitated community collaboration towards a comprehensive community service information system. The CAPIS,
initiated by CUISR, is an important first step in providing simple access to vital community resource
and service information. The next important steps in supporting the community with such an initiative could be incorporated with other initiatives to develop a single comprehensive and exhaustive
database to serve the broader community of Saskatoon.
May 2005 Community Forum
At this Forum CUISR’s recent QoL research outcomes were presented to an audience consisting
of representatives from CBOs, government agencies, and engaged citizens. CUISR’s 2004 Quality of
Life Survey results were presented and provided a snapshot of how Saskatoon residents perceived their
quality of life, and as compared to 2001.
Within the context of these results, the Forum highlighted and celebrated the QoL actions taken
by Saskatoon’s diverse QoL community. Representatives from organizations spoke about their accomplishments, but also about the challenges involved in pursuing QoL enhancement.
Finally, Forum participants identified and discussed Action Priorities on QoL-related policy and
program. Through a unique process, Action Auction, Community Forum Participants showed a public
commitment to one or several Quality of Life Action Priorities. Individuals and/or organizations engaged in a particular set of QoL-related action priorities.
• Civic Services
• Increase Access to Education • Cross-cultural Awareness
• Information and Research
• Economic Policy • Integrated Poverty Reduction Strategy • Housing • Support Services • Supported Training
11
Building a Caring Community Together
After the Forum people that showed interest in the Action Theme “Integrated Poverty Reduction
Strategy” met once in June 2005.
The QoL Action Priorities that emerged at the Forum were found to link closely to the QoL Core
Themes discussed earlier.
For example, several Action Priorities related to poverty reduction addressed concerns about
growing income inequality, as expressed by respondents to the QoL survey.
Similarly, many Action Priorities identified a need to facilitate social inclusion through the approaches to affordable housing, supported training, access to education, cultural awareness, and
information and research.
Lastly, related to the QoL core theme of Responsibility for Change, several Action Priorities
focused on civic and other support services, and on economic policy.
See Appendix C for a complete listing and quotes of the QoL Action Priorities.
Post-2005 Forum Deliberations
After Forum Action Priorities: Community Forum participants articulated nearly three hundred
action priority suggestions on index cards. These suggestions have been grouped as follow:
• Institutional/Procedural
• Arts
• Miscellaneous Policy
• Civic Services
• Miscellaneous Capacity
• Crime and Safety
• Research
• Cross Cultural Awareness
• Support Services
• Economic Policy
• Support Training
• Housing
• Poverty Reduction
• Information
The Quality of Life Steering Committee concluded that these Action Priority clusters should be
examined by the QoL community once more. This would help to identify those QoL Action Priorities
that require urgent mobilization of organizations and networks in order to make significant progress.
To that end, an event titled “Taking Action: Saskatoon Community Quality of Life Priorities “
was organized and facilitated by CUISR on October 27, 2005.
October 27, 2005 Taking Action: Saskatoon Community Quality of Life Priorities
At the Taking Action meeting, participants actively identified and interpreted the range and the
diversity of QoL actions already underway in Saskatoon. Three questions were put out to participants
for discussion:
• “What did the Forum participants say are the QoL Action Priorities in our community?”
• “Which Action Priorities are part of a process already?”
• “Which Priorities require mobilization of organizations and networks to move forward?”
Building a Caring Community Together
12
After the Forum Action Priorities were presented, participants highlighted their involvement in a
variety of QoL actions. This process resulted in an extensive list of “currently being done” references
to current QoL actions. Appendix C contains a transcript of these QoL actions.
Evidently, the content and detail of the QoL Action Priority suggestions on poverty elimination
provided additional insights into income and poverty issues. Several participants argued that the fundamental QoL issue of poverty elimination be selected as the Action Priority. The fact that poverty
issues surfaced in the analysis of the Quality of Life surveys (Growing Income Inequality and Social
Inclusion themes) was also confirmed by various participants at the meeting, embracing the notion that
poverty as a quality of life issue connects many of the other Action Priority clusters compiled from
the May 2005 Forum. The experience of many QoL-focused organizations was that a large number of
their clients are directly affected by income deficiencies or even conditions of poverty.
The Taking Action meeting provided two learning outcomes:
• Poverty elimination strategy as a collaborative issue
• Poverty as a systemic quality of life deficiency
At the Taking Action Forum, participants discussed several additional suggestions for setting
concrete targets for action on poverty elimination.
There was a realization that significant policy change would be required to effectively address
poverty. The new legislation on poverty in effect in the Province of Quebec was mentioned as a positive example of policies that address poverty.
Current Community Response to Growing Income Gap and Poverty Issues
At the Taking Action event, participants saw the mobilization of the entire community as a key
element to success—CBOs working with government and businesses. The need for stronger ties with
the business community to achieve progress on poverty reduction was expressed.
Several other participants wanted to learn more about the range and diversity of QoL actions
already being implemented by numerous CBOs and government agencies. In particular, interest in
the issue of “collaboration among organizations” was expressed. The Taking Action event built up a
momentum for a collaborative initiative focusing on Poverty Elimination.
The following table briefly identifies several examples of organizations that are already engaged
in some form of poverty elimination strategy. This is not meant to be a comprehensive and all-inclusive
listing of all entities engaged in poverty reduction work. Clearly, there are many more communitybased organizations, government agencies, and businesses in Saskatoon that have similar or related
interest.
Organization
Target Groups
Diversity of Actions Related to Poverty Elimination
Communities for Well-being of all • compiles and publishes provincial Poverty Report
Children (C4C)
children; parents
Cards
• organizes Provincial poverty forums
• supports the work of organizations dedicated to
poverty reduction
Saskatoon Anti-Pov- People living in low • provides leadership on poverty reduction issues
erty Coalition
income, poverty
• raises public awareness of poverty
conditions
• strives to influence public policy
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Building a Caring Community Together
Saskatoon Urban Aboriginal people in
Aboriginal Strategy Saskatoon
Saskatoon Housing People facing finanInitiatives Partner- cial barriers to rental
ship
or ownership of affordable suitable
housing
Saskatoon Credit Low income; low
Union
financial skills
Quint Development Low income; people
Corporation
in poverty conditions
Saskatchewan Home
Based Business Association Saskatoon
Chapter
People for whom
self-employment
facilitates attaining
economic self-sufficiency
Saskatoon Labour Business communiMarket Committee ty; policy agencies
Refinery Arts and Low income; people
Spirits Centre
in poverty conditions
S a l v a t i o n A r m y People living in low
C o m m u n i t y a n d income, poverty
Family Services
conditions; homeless
CUISR
Community organizations; policy
agencies and government; post-secondary students
S a s k a t o o n F o o d People living in low
Bank and Grass- income, poverty
roots Resource and conditions
Self-Help Center
Building a Caring Community Together
• funds poverty reduction projects
• co-ordinates Aboriginal strategies for poverty reduction
• lobbies for funding policy change regarding Aboriginal poverty strategies
• facilitates housing investment (especially homeownership) programs and grant programs
• advocates for appropriate affordable housing policy
and resources
• supports the Individual Development Account
program
• undertakes community based economic development
• undertakes affordable housing programming and
policy advocacy
• leads employment training and development
• promotes self-employment education and programming as an economic policy initiative
• co-ordinates the “Opportunities Committee” and
“People against Racial Discrimination” committee
• strives to raise awareness of poverty among employers
• engages the congregation in issues connected to
poverty reduction strategies
• raises awareness of poverty issues
• provides emergency shelter
• operates food support programs
• funds community-based and community-initiated
research into poverty
• identifies policy and gaps and opportunities in the
area of poverty reduction and economic policy
• operates food support program
• facilitates personal development, parenting, assertiveness
• training and problem solving
• operates resource library
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Poverty Elimination Strategy As a Collaborative Issue
Potential Role(s) of the Quality of Life Steering Committee in a Collaborative Poverty Elimination Strategy
The QoLSC is committed to take a role in a community-wide collaborative poverty elimination
strategy.
At minimum, the QoLSC could contribute this document as a source and instrument for information exchange.
At a more involved level, however, the QoLSC could actively assist in a variety of collaborative efforts that deal with poverty issues. Several potential strategies and actions might be available,
sketched out below in no particular order.
Support The Work Of Others
Multiple opportunities for providing support to organizations involved in poverty issues may exist. The support that the QoLSC provides may be in-kind only, rather than financial. The QoLSC has
already committed and supported:
• Saskatoon Anti Poverty Coalition poverty awareness campaigns address residents, the business
community, and government policy makers alike. The ultimate goal of these campaigns is to bring
policy changes.
• Saskatoon Urban Aboriginal Strategy (UAS) funds and monitors projects that impact on Aboriginal people in the areas of poverty, youth, health, and economic development. The UAS is
planning a major event in Saskatoon to build an understanding and consensus of the quality of
life deficiencies and strategies to address these.
Facilitate and Strengthen Networks for Poverty Elimination
Tamarack Foundation’s Vibrant Communities initiative provides logistical and limited funding
support for the creation of organizational networks that address poverty issues at the community level.
The different stages of organizational network begin with the Pan-Canadian Learning Community, and
develop into the establishment of a Trail Builder community.
The QoLSC can build on the previous initiative of others in facilitating and convening a PanCanadian Learning Network. The QoLSC could design a community “Learning Strategy” to expand
interest in community-based poverty reduction and increase the effectiveness of community-based
poverty reduction efforts.
As well, at the appropriate time, the QoLSC could apply for the Vibrant Communities Trail Builder
Community status, with its own set of resources, roles, and responsibilities.
http://tamarackcommunity.ca/downloads/partner/Vibrant_Communities_Final.pdf
Undertake Knowledge Transfer And Public Awareness Initiatives
CUISR has developed considerable experience and credibility in organizing community brown
bag seminars. These seminars have been attended by a wide range of community-based organizations,
individuals, and members of the academic community.
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Building a Caring Community Together
The QoLSC could utilize the brown bag seminars as a vehicle for transfering research findings
from the QoL surveys and community forums to others. As well, the seminars would give other organizations a useful forum for public engagement and discussion of poverty elimination strategies.
The 2001 and 2004 QoL surveys contain a wealth of data related to poverty. The assessment of
quality of life, health, social inclusion, economic well-being, and other issues could be examined from
many perspectives. The QoLSC could encourage the community-based organizations and agencies to
identify their specific information needs. In response, targeted analyses of the survey data could be
undertaken.
Engage Community on QoL Issues
The QoLSC might involve a variety of organizations and agencies in future QoL research. Specifically, the planned 2007 QoL Survey may provide an opportunity to identify several new questions
and actions that relate to poverty issues.
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16
Measuring Progress and Monitoring Results
The impact of the work undertaken by various organizations to eliminate poverty, and the QoLSC’s
impact in a similar context, should be monitored as much as is feasible. Fortunately, the development
of progress indicators, and the monitoring of these indicators, is already an aspect of the work done
by several organizations.
For example:
• The City of Saskatoon maintains current community profiles that provide evidence for the shifts
in disposable income by residents in all neighbourhoods. The previous observations about growing income inequality are based on data processed by the City. As well, several other social and
economic indicators are in use, such as those related to affordable housing.
• Several report cards on Child Poverty are already in place and have been utilized by Saskatoon
Communities for Children and the Saskatoon Anti-Poverty Coalition to support their advocacy
for poverty elimination. Future report cards could help identify how much will have changed,
and in what way, in the economic circumstances of children and families.
• The Comprehensive Community Information System (CCIS) is a collaboration among a wide
range of human services in Saskatoon and area. These agencies supply their quantitative data on
a wide range of social and economic measures to CCIS. This data can assist in the monitoring of
changes in poverty in Saskatoon.
• CUISR/QoL module has conducted quality of life surveys in 2001 and 2004, and its third iteration
is upcoming in 2007. The surveys are sources of quantitative and qualitative data on quality of life
perceptions, blended with a wide range of socio-economic characteristics of survey respondents.
Data (especially from low-income survey respondents -quality of life perceptions, health status,
mobility, and other aspects) would eventually be tracked between the years 2001 and 2007. This
will provide clues to the direction and magnitude of change in poverty status and its effects on
people.
• CUISR/QoL module has compiled a database inventory that includes a great many Saskatoonbased organizations and agencies that deal with quality of life issues. The database contains contact
information for these organizations, together with a mission statement (where available) and a
brief classification of their quality of life “interests”. The database content, if updated periodically, could show who and how many organizations work on poverty issues over time.
• CUISR/QoL’s Community Action Plan Information System (CAPIS) is connected to the database
inventory. CAPIS is a tool for collecting, interpreting, and mapping quality of life actions and
recommendations. The data is collected from collaborative action plan documents that focus on
the Saskatoon community. Thus, CAPIS may provide a foundation for a knowledge-based and
current reporting mechanism on the state and evolution of quality of life action and policy.
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The Future
CUISR/QoLSC aspires to:
CUISR/QoLSC
A Collaborative Poverty Elimination
Strategy
Support The Work
Of Others
Facilitate and Strengthen
Networks for Poverty
Elimination
Undertake Knowledge
Transfer And Public
Awareness Initiatives
Engage Community
on QoL Issues
Measuring Progress and Monitoring Results
Poverty Elimination
Building a Caring Community Together
18
Appendix A: Quality of Life Steering Committee
Sheri Benson
Director of Community Services
United Way of Saskatoon
100 506 25th Street East
Saskatoon, SK S7K 4A7
Phone: (306) 975-7705
Email: sbenson@saskatoon.unitedway.ca
Dwayne Docken
Urban Aboriginal Strategy Coordinator
Urban Aboriginal Strategy
315 Avenue F South
Saskatoon, SK S7M 1T3
Phone: (306) 242-6197
Email: ddocken@cumfi.org
Vanessa Charles
Co-Chair, Saskatoon Anti-Poverty Coalition
c/o 808 20th Street West
Saskatoon, SK S7M OY3
Phone: (306) 653-2662
Livia Kellett
Planner, City Planning Branch
Community Services Department
City of Saskatoon
222-3rd Avenue North
Saskatoon, SK S7K OJ5
Email: livia.kellett@saskatoon.ca
Jo-Ann Coleman Pidskalny
Executive Director
Saskatoon Housing Coalition
Phone: (306) 665-4977
Email: saskatoonhousingcoalition@sasktel.net
Kathie Cram
Community Development Consultant
Public Health Services, Saskatoon Health Region
Email: kathie.cram@saskatoonhealthregion.ca
Sue Delanoy
Saskatoon Communities for Children
Suite 200 335 Packham Avenue
Saskatoon, SK S7N 4K4
Phone: (306) 956-6147
Bill Holden, Senior Planner
Planning Research and Information Resource
Center
Community Services Department
City of Saskatoon
222-3rd Avenue North
Saskatoon, SK S7K OJ5
Phone: (306) 975-2687
Email: bill.holden@city.saskatoon.sk.ca
Kelley Moore
Co-ordinator, Regional Intersectoral Committee
on Human Services
8th Floor, Sturdy Stone Building, 122 3rd Avenue N
Saskatoon, SK S7K 2H6
Phone: (306) 933-5032
Email: k.moore@sasked.gov.sk.ca
Kate Waygood
Community Co-Director, CUISR
University of Saskatchewan
432-221 Cumberland Avenue
Phone: (306) 966-2136
Email: cuisr.liaison@usask.ca
Dr. Allison Williams
McMaster University
School of Geography and Geology
1280 Main St. W.
Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1
Phone: (905) 525-9140 Ext. 24334
Email: awill@mcmaster.ca
Joanne Hritzuk, Business Owner
Board Member Community Development
Society of Saskatchewan;
Saskatchewan Home-Based Business Association
(Saskatoon Chapter)
Phone: (306) 222-2676 (Cell Phone)
Email: sportex@sasktel.net
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Appendix B: Quality of Life Policy Forum 2001
PRINCIPLES
Communications
• A communications strategy that emphasizes building relationships and fostering a common understanding of language and circumstances, and use innovative methods to ensure that all receive
and understand the message.
• Improve community-university dissemination of information/research.
Education/Information Sharing to Change Attitudes
• Programs to reduce perceived racial/social/economic/age barriers between various groups and areas of the city and further understanding the importance of diversity, equality, and respect (e.g.
exchanges (e.g. civil servants and CBOs); mentorships; gatherings).
• Work to change attitudes, develop better understanding of the issues facing people living in poverty,
working for CBOs (i.e. “Walk a mile in my shoes”).
• Develop job exchanges between government staff and CBO staff to enrich understanding of issues
each face, skill development and training/mentoring.
• Communication must be in accessible language (including other languages and easy to understand
language); disseminate information in diverse ways, using modern technology, newsletters, community bulletin boards, school newsletters, etc.
• Encourage civic responsibility through education.
Education For Individuals and CBOs
• Community leadership development; fundraising (writing grant proposals etc.); civic responsibility.
Education Commitment to Children and Young Adults
• Concentrate on children’s needs education, particularly so that the cycle of poverty/disengagement/hopelessness, etc. is broken.
• Commit as a community to create an environment that will support/allow all youth to complete
their education.
• Paying attention to demographics, concentrating on the growing number of young Aboriginal males
who are disengaged in community.
• Education is critical for enabling individuals to reach their full potential.
• Access to education is important, and this is affected by poverty, access to services, jobs, housing,
and transportation.
• Expand education opportunities to appeal to under-educated people.
Eliminate Barriers to Employment
• Appropriate and accessible training for employment.
• Educate employers to recruit beyond the traditional labour pool.
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20
Self-Determination
• Programs to develop self-reliance and self-worth, empower individuals and communities to develop
their own strategies and solutions. Support these programs over the long-term and across agencies and government departments (i.e. no resources spent seeking grants and writing proposals)
with core funding to community associations/groups. Examples: food production and economy,
on-the-job-training, skills training (Quint). In addition, support volunteers/volunteerism.
• Support programs that promote self reliance and self-worth that are empowering to communities
and individuals.
• Support housing initiatives that lead to self empowerment.
Networks/Inter-sectoral/Inter-departmental
• Create intersectoral partnerships around broad objectives and shared commitment versus sectors
or issues (i.e. everyone needs an appropriate and affordable house/home regardless of whether
they are young, old, physically or mentally challenged, employment status, education status,
financial status, race, religion, gender, etc.). Networking and information-sharing should take
place between managers and frontline/grassroots personnel within and between partner organizations/groups, departments, and levels of bureaucracy. Problem-solving, identification of needs,
and decision-making should occur at the community level. This equalization of power validates
the process. Pool resources to support a broad objective, thereby resulting in a higher benefit than
having funds filtered through various government departments/agencies. Promote co-operation
between organizations.
• Develop a broad coalition of CBOs, university, health, business, churches, committees to lobby
and educate government on poverty issues. Recognize the importance of advocacy for groups of
people who are unable to speak for themselves and for all grassroots organizations.
• Integration of education, social services, justice, and health can best take place at the community
level.
• Expand intersectoral work to include those not normally linked with others. This builds relationships
between different sectors beyond the current networks. Also included in this is the idea that all
groups working for First Nations and Metis should work intersectorally, too, sharing resources
and research, breaking stereotypes.
• Core values must include a shared commitment from all sectors.
• Reward collaborative initiatives (e.g. housing).
• Form broad coalitions—faith, education, governments, health, business, and grassroots (i.e. expand
intersectoral work to include grassroots workers/initiatives).
Co-operative Model
• For food stores, housing, appliances, etc.
• Promotes unique partnerships and solutions.
• Co-operatives are viable alternatives for services and housing.
Databases
• Create a table of government funders and community leaders (social and business) to review funding allocations to Saskatoon and determine equitable access.
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• Central clearinghouse of CBO strategic plans to share ideas, reduce duplication, gain momentum
for common issues, and share resources and skills.
Inclusion
• No one should be denied access (e.g. student fees not affordable, issues about affordability such as
with after-school programs, and stigmatization).
• There is a standard of inclusion:
- how to feel included
- more approaches/ways of reporting to access of services
- social skills programs (policies)
- community center for range of services; knowing what is there
- more community stations (police)
- small town concept where there is information for program and services
- possible use malls as an information kiosk for programs and services; maybe Sunday Sun
newspaper to each home
- physical access of buildings have to be more inclusionary
- inclusive philosophy, but what are the indicators
- employment equity policies
- transportation for low income families (practical).
• Community participation in action planning (collaborative effort).
Research
• Measure our progress by quality of life improvements and not pure economic gains.
• Develop indicators to measure quality of life progress.
• Measure advancements leading to better integration of the four capitals, such as amount of social connectedness in neighbourhoods, green space, human scale structures, and pleasing build environment.
ACTIONS
Housing
• Each high school to build one new house per year (or major renovation) (utilize community service
hours).
• That all Aboriginal organizations and agencies working with Aboriginal clients share existing needs
assessments documents regarding housing and shelter with the “Bridges and Foundations” research
project that is focused on improving sustainable housing for Aboriginal people.
• Use existing buildings such as warehouses for additional housing, including emergency shelters for
homeless; rental housing and affordable housing in general.
• Increase shelter allowance for social services recipients culminating in safe, well-kept, and quality
housing.
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22
• Strengthen existing advocacy supports that are encouraging in this community. Build on these
strengths and create a “pool” of advocates for housing issues. This could become a “housing
cooperative” involving all stakeholders and offering an opportunity for dialogue and communication, and a place to share resources, ideas and supports.
• To develop a strategic plan to (a) articulate the importance of housing (public health, social cohesiveness, quality of life); (b) establish targets to have ownership by neighbourhood and related
timelines; and (c) identify a method for performance research to track progress toward targets.
• Develop land trust for more affordable housing options.
• Encourage infill housing and facilitate it through changes in zoning regulations.
• Expand shelter housing.
• Develop universal building design to meet needs of disabled.
• Develop housing that meets needs of people suffering from AIDS.
• Develop a central directory of affordable housing units for sale in the city.
• Donate house in need of repair and utilize volunteers to repair it. Resale and put profits towards
next house purchase.
Employment
• Employment equity policies and practices must stay on the table and continue to evolve so that effective results can be achieved. Establish benchmarks and indicators of success (accountability).
Ensure that current inclusive policies are practiced. Effective communication to ensure that all
are aware of programs. Central location for information on employment programs.
• Provide daycare to support employment.
City of Saskatoon
• In addition to using the City of Saskatoon’s Land Bank to generate revenue, also allocate a portion of the land designated for social issues, such as affordable housing (e.g. land trust, deferred
purchase plan).
• Supertax owners with more than ten units:
- refundable if units are properly maintained.
• Review zoning bylaws to facilitate easier in-fill (construction) in core neighbourhoods.
• Tax abatement for essential services in core neighbourhoods (e.g. grocery stores).
• Develop a concept of equalization on the distribution of tax dollars to ensure a standard level of
community services:
- a guaranteed standard of community service.
• Tax rebates to landlords who maintain a certain level and could be implemented through city inspectors.
• Tax/new development charges; new housing surcharge.
• New outside core development surcharge.
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Co-operative Model
• Tax incentives for cooperatives.
• Have supermarket co-operative on westside.
• Facilitate cooperative purchase of housing and appliances.
• More finely tuned research in co-operatives.
Tax Incentives
• Tax incentives:
- quality rentals/inspections
- cooperatives to support development.
• Waive taxes for a grocery store chain to establish themselves on the westside.
• Lobby government for provincial tax credits for donations to non-profits.
• Tax incentives: waive building permit fee for remodelling in core areas; five-year tax abatement
on improvements in core areas; supertax owners with more than ten housing units; encourage
more co-operatives.
• Tax abatement for essential services, including retail services in the core areas (e.g. grocery
stores).
Government
• Allocate surplus federal land for development of affordable housing (e.g. Veterans’ Home on Preston Avenue).
• Waive building permit fees for remodelling in core areas and provide five-year tax abatement on
improvements in core areas.
• Change legislation to mandate affordable/social housing ratios in housing neighbourhood development.
• Require government/civil servants officials to spend fifteen percent of their time in a chosen community-based organisation.
• Lobby government to expedite charitable number applications.
• Lobby funding agencies to allow non-profit applications.
• Make housing a strategic priority for community health and building a cohesive community, and
include it in public health policy.
• Distribute wealth equitably across all sectors through equalization payments.
Services
• More outreach services to those isolated.
• Transportation alternatives and enhancement.
• Promote the development of community centres that incorporate accessible services (e.g. groceries,
health, police, social services).
• Have a supermarket co-operative put in place on the westside.
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24
• Needs initiative, volunteer hours, or waive taxes for a grocery store chain to establish themselves
on the westside.
• Develop healthy community shops that link person with solutions in community.
• Develop and support peer-based programs youth-to-youth.
• Drug detox centre needed.
• Use malls for information kiosks for community services and programs. Develop community information centres in every neighbourhood to facilitate easy access to existing services.
Sustainability
• Lobby for funding to set up and sustain programs (as opposed to just funding the development),
rather than the continually writing of proposals.
• Keep supporting agencies, programs, and organizations that work with grassroots and the vulnerable.
• Educate agencies on how to secure funds.
• Develop a means for measuring equitable distribution of community resources charity dollars.
• Consider the cost of fundraising versus the amount of funds collected (through taxes) to support
service agency programs.
• Broaden funding pool so that agencies do not have to access from individual departments (table of
government funders and community leaders to allocate funds equitably).
• Expedite charitable number applications and allow non-profit applications.
• Educate CBOs on how to lobby.
Widely Accessible Databases (Tables)
• Government funders and community leaders (social and business) to review funding allocations to
Saskatoon and determine equitable access.
• Not-for-profit organizations in Saskatoon (to facilitate partnerships, reduce duplication, increase
capacity).
• Current housing available for tenants looking for accommodation.
Develop and/or Apply Models
• Look at successes and use as models that can be used/adapted to all neighbourhoods.
• Safety (e.g. West Flats Project Model in Prince Albert).
Research and Accountability
• Include indicators of success in the action plan.
• Increased use of needs assessments and other tools to aid in creating action plans and successful
policy.
• Commitment to creating access to research initiatives in the area of housing, keeping quality of life
as a major thread throughout.
Volunteerism
• Put a dollar value on volunteer time.
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Appendix C Quality of Life Policy Forum May 2005
ACTIONS: Poverty Elimination
• Adequate shelter and food allowances—emphasis on supporting very young children and their
families with adequate, safe housing and proper nutrition. More emphasis on food security.
• Access to affordable housing and nutritious food.
• Collaborative support for “Station 20”—integrated foodstore, linked to health, well-being, and
employment.
Concrete strategies included raising Social Assistance rates, but also raising minimum wage levels
• Income inequality, increase SAP rates.
• Lobby government for social assistance increase so that it at least meets the poverty line.
• Increase social assistance payments, higher minimum wage.
Increased flexibility with employment income and SAP benefits were seen as instrumental
• More incentives to become employed; reliance on SAD (income security) is encouraged through
disincentives.
• Removing disincentives to employment—when one income security, when having multiple barriers
(childcare, stable housing, transportation).
• Maintain benefits from social assistance with a job (health, etc.)
• Advocate for DCRE income security policies that provide for adequate supports for labour force
attachments.
In this context, a number of employment policies and program priorities were identified
• Increase the minimum wage.
• Lobby for industry; lead employment creation programs .
• Adjust labour standards and look at new policy regarding family responsibility leave, benefits for
part-time employees.
• Support groups committed to poverty reduction; tackle the big questions like structural issues (taxes,
student loans, how institutions encourage poverty).
Targeted hiring programs for Low SES neighbourhood residents were seen as a priority
• Encourage businesses to take risks in identifying and training low income family members, and
employ them in their organizations. Make it a priority. Assign them a mentor to help them with
their day-to-day challenges.
Building a Caring Community Together
26
Advocacy and education were seen as important cornerstones of a Poverty Reduction strategy
• Advocacy for integrated strategy to reduce poverty.
• Educating people about income inequalities (i.e. addressing perceptions of income levels, dealing
with people’s attitudes about the poor). Make people more open about people’s experiences, give
people a chance.
Community based economic development and partnerships with the business community were mentioned
• Use community-based economic development to build success. Need to support the core neighbourhood food store and Station 20 with community enterprise centre. Important for health reasons
and neighbourhood revitalization.
• Be aware of and promote opportunities for economic activity in Saskatoon and Saskatchewan.
Develop partnerships with the business community and get to know their needs, particularly in
terms of labour requirements.
• Business partnerships, building support to build success.
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Appendix D: Quality of Life Survey Neighbourhoods
Building a Caring Community Together
28
Appendix E: Sample of organizational documents concerned
with QoL issues
Name of Source
A=Actions; R= Recommendations
Source Document, if applicable #A/R
CUISR 2001 Community Forum
•
Summary of conference discussions
95 R
Child Hunger Education Program
•
Misc. brochures, annual report
7A
Child Friendly Saskatoon
•
Saskatoon Communities for
Children Information Document
3A
City of Saskatoon
•
•
City of Saskatoon Safer City Committee 9 R
Public Opinion Survey - Report Summary
Pleasant Hill Local Area Plan
1 A
Core Neighbourhood Development
Council
•
CNDC Workplan
Communities for Children
•
•
•
Building a Community Action Plan
Saskatoon Community Solutions
for Children not in School
Terms of Reference Update - Success by 6 35 A
CUMFI
•
Saskatoon Community Plan for Housing
and Homelessness - Progress Report 2002 2 A
EGADZ Youth Centre
•
Egadz 2001/2002 Annual Report
9A
Habitat for Humanity
•
Verbal information
5A
NSILC
•
Web page
3A
31 A
Quint Development Corporation
•
•
•
Rainbow Community Coalition
•
Riversdale Business Development •
Quint Development Corporation
Draft Action Plan 2003-2004
2001-2002 Annual Report
Saskatoon Community Plan for Housing
and Homelessness - Progress Report 2002 13 A
Roots of Poverty
•
Uprooting Poverty and Planting
Seeds for Social Change: The Roots
of Poverty Project
29
Verbal information Riversdale - West Central Business
Development Strategy
5R
2A
52 R
Building a Caring Community Together
Name of Source
Source Document, if applicable #A/R
Salvation Army
•
Saskatoon Community Plan for Housing
and Homelessness - Progress Report 2002 1 A
Saskatoon Crisis Intervention Centre
•
Saskatoon Community Plan for
Housing and Homelessness Progress Report 2002
1A
Save the Children
•
Saskatoon Community Plan
for Housing and Homelessness Progress Report 2002
1A
Saskatoon Housing Coalition
•
Saskatoon Community Plan
for Housing and Homelessness Progress Report 2002
•
Operating Strategic Plan and
Program Brochure Saskatoon
Housing Coalition
Saskatoon Community Plan for
Homelessness and Housing •
Saskatoon Community Plan
for Housing and Homelessness
•
Saskatoon Community Plan for
Housing and Homelessness Progress Report 2002
1A
12 A
5A
41 R
SHIP
•
Saskatoon Community Plan
for Housing and Homelessness Progress Report 2002
Western Region Métis
Women’s Association.
•
YWCA
Saskatoon Community Plan
for Housing and Homelessness Progress Report 2002
1A
•
Saskatoon Community Plan
for Housing and Homelessness Progress Report 2002
1A
Building a Caring Community Together
2A
30
Appendix F Table of 300 QoL Initiatives Broken Down in Actions and Recommendations
Actions
Recommendations Total
Higher-level QoL needs
Labour Force Training and Participation
6
2
Capacity And Empowerment
14
58
Labour Force Participation
8
12
Social Inclusion
21
32
Quality Community
7
9
Basic Education
5
2
Basic level QoL needs
Basic Income Support
2
11
Basic Food/Nutrition
8
7
Safe/Secure Development
29
9
Affordable Housing
29
53
Physical Safety
6
4
Total 31
135
8
72
20
53
16
7
13
15
38
81
10
199
Building a Caring Community Together