Government Downloading Perpetuates Poverty

We need to find poverty's ignition switch, Dec.1, 2022

Dear Editor,

Thank you for the well written and timely article about poverty.  As mentioned, food banks are just one institution representing the perpetual offloading of social services from provincial and federal levels of government to local municipalities that has been increasing for some time. The mandate of local governments has historically been focused on roads, water, sewers, parks and public amenities, not helping people survive.  The federal government stopped funding co-operative housing programs twenty years ago and cities are feeling the impacts now. Provincial governments used to fully fund health care. Instead, hospitals are no longer fund-raising for an "extra" piece of equipment on an occasional basis but now many are utilizing charity lotteries as a mainstay of equipment replacement and in some cases even funding facility expansions. If we normalize these continual shifts within our communities, poverty will increasingly land on the doorstep of local governments who will either be forced to shift spending from infrastructure to people or put the increased taxes needed onto commercial and residential property owners. Shifting the problem of poverty is not fixing it. Accepting growing amounts of poverty is not ok. Time for a dedicated city position focused on systemic solutions?

Jerome Dickey