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Province allocates $212M for poverty reduction

The province this afternoon unveiled what it called Western Canada's first comprehensive poverty reduction strategy.

The government has earmarked an additional $212 million this year in capital and operating money to create more affordable housing, boost training, income and child development efforts and better co-ordinate services and programs.

The announcement this afternoon received a thumbs up from groups as diverse as the Main Street Project, the Winnipeg Poverty Reduction Council and the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce.

The government held back the specifics on much of its new initiative except for a series of announcements on housing, including funding for:

  • 100 new homeless shelter beds.
  • 285 more mental-health housing units with accompanying support services, including 40 units in downtown Winnipeg converted to housing with supports for chronically homeless persons.
  • Monthly subsidies of up to $200 a month to allow 600 low-income Manitobans with mental-health challenges rent from private landlords. These renters will also receive assistance from eight support workers.

The province also announced that it will host a "homeless prevention summit" in the fall.

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca

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