Speaking Up Homelessness: Supporting our Unsheltered Relatives

October 14, 7 – 8:15 pm Join us for our first in a series of fall presentations! Homelessness: Supporting our Unsheltered Relatives The pandemic has changed many aspects of life but for many people in Winnipeg their lives …

Increasing Benefits for Low-income Manitoba Renters Through Rent Assist

By Josh Brandon and Jesse Hajer

Low income Manitoban’s falling behind in 2018

By Josh Brandon As we roll into 2018, low income Manitobans are falling further behind. While minimum wage in Ontario went up on January 1 to $14 per hour, in Manitoba it is stuck at a poverty level …

No Poverty Reduction Strategy in Speech from the Throne

By Josh Brandon Tuesday morning, I received a phone call from a Make Poverty History Manitoba member. He lives on a disability benefit that provides him only $180 per month for food and other basic necessities. He wanted …

Proposed legislation a sentence of poverty for low income workers

By Josh Brandon and Molly McCracken Working should be a route out of poverty, but for some, low wages are a poverty trap. The current minimum wage is inadequate as at $11/ hour, it places workers as far …

Budget 2017: No strategy no change to poverty

By Josh Brandon Low income Manitobans were hoping that this year’s budget would offer a plan to help lift them out of poverty. A well-funded strategy with targets and timelines for its implementation and for reducing poverty would …

Community looking for action plan from Province on poverty

By Josh Brandon When Lieutenant Governor Janice Filmon delivers the throne speech November 21, a plan for poverty reduction should top the government’s priority list. The Province has promised a plan by next year’s budget and Manitobans are …

Social Enterprises Create Pride through Decent Work

Social enterprises fill an important gap in Manitoba’s economy for those struggling to enter the workforce. The provincial government has seen the value of investing in social enterprises through funding training and procuring housing retrofit services. This in …

Poverty on the Agenda: an analysis of party platforms

By Josh Brandon  Manitobans rate themselves to be a generous and caring society. When natural disasters strike, we are the first to respond. Manitobans are Canada’s most reliable donors to causes both at home and abroad. So how …

Federal Budget provides opportunities for Social Housing in Manitoba

By Josh Brandon Budget 2016 provides some welcome news for nearly 600,000 Canadian families who depend on social housing. The budget allocates $2.3 billion dollars over two years for housing initiatives. While this announcement falls short of the …