Tackling poverty in South Winnipeg

Waverley West

Those who follow my communications across various social media platforms will know I often focus on opportunities and challenges in Waverley West, along with the many great events and celebrations we share.

As I have done in previous years, I will be posting a series of updates on key local issues to help keep residents informed. Today, I am sharing data and facts about poverty in South Winnipeg. This information may come as a surprise to some but, next to downtown, South Winnipeg has the second-highest level of poverty in the city. This has been the case for many years – and the situation is worsening.

I have been working closely with Coun. Markus Chambers (St. Norbert-Seine River) to better understand the issue and determine how the city can take action, as both of our ward boundaries run along Pembina Highway.

Over the past year, Coun. Chambers and I have had many meetings and discussions with support agencies, as well as with MLAs Jennifer Chen (Fort Richmond) and David Pankrat (Waverley) and MP Terry Duguid (Winnipeg South), to better understand each level of government’s ability to respond to poverty. I will highlight what we’ve learned and the work being done in the coming weeks on my website, janicelukes.ca. I also hope to encourage residents to help where they can, whether by contacting governments or supporting local initiatives such as food drives.

No single agency or level of government can solve poverty alone. Only by working together can we reduce poverty in our community.

According to the 2021 Statistics Canada census, the second-largest area of high poverty in Winnipeg is located on both sides of Pembina Highway, in the Fort Richmond, Waverley Heights, Richmond West, and Fairfield Park neighbourhoods.

The demographic groups significantly over-represented in poverty include:

• Indigenous residents;

• Children (ages 0–14) and seniors;

• Recent immigrants and refugees;

• Lone parents (particularly women);

• Persons with disabilities;

• Members of the LGBT2SQ+ community.

We have seen changes in many neighbourhoods as newcomers move in, including many refugees coming from war-torn countries often struggling to build new lives in new countries and in a new language. Poverty in a neighbourhood can lead to poor health, higher crime, weaker schools, limited job opportunities, poor housing, and increased stress, making it harder for communities to grow and succeed.

There has been a strong focus on providing support services in the inner city, where the need is great, but both Coun. Chambers and I know the need is also significant in South Winnipeg.

I will be providing updates on my website (janicelukes.ca) and social media platforms on what we are working on, including:

• Crime resulting from poverty;

• Agencies supporting poverty reduction;

• The City of Winnipeg poverty reduction strategy;

• The provincial poverty reduction strategy;

• Supportive actions by the Pembina Trails School Division

This information is heartbreaking, and I know many of you feel the same. If you are able, please consider donating to Manitoba Harvest: https://www.harvestmanitoba.ca/. Access to food is one of the most basic human needs.

As always, I welcome your comments, concerns, and suggestions. Please feel free to email me at jlukes@winnipeg.ca.