A living wage lifts workers and the economy

By Kirsten Bernas and Lynne Fernandez As of October 1st, minimum wage earners in Manitoba will earn $10.70 per hour – just over $20,800 annually. This leaves a family of four, with both parents working, with an income …

City hall can help jobless

While election cycles bring some community challenges to the spotlight, the work creating solutions to these complex challenges is ongoing. Winnipeg’s inner-city neighbourhoods have been quietly transforming — creating employment, reducing poverty, reversing neighbourhood decline and preventing crime. …

Policy and Poverty in Manitoba – Budget 2013

PDF version by Kirsten Bernas and Shauna MacKinnon It was a welcome change to hear politicians of all stripes talking about poverty in the lead up to the 2013 provincial budget and in the analysis that followed. Unfortunately …

Creating opportunities with green jobs: the story of BUILD and BEEP

PDF version Full report by Kirsten Bernas Social enterprises have emerged as viable business models that create a blended return on investment as a result of the multiple economic, social, and environmental benefits they bring to local communities. …

City no longer a player in poverty reduction: Winnipeg falls further behind other cities with proposed budget cuts

PDF version by Kirsten Bernas The City of Winnipeg’s preliminary operating budget (PDF) for 2013 cuts spending on poverty reduction, housing, and neighbourhood initiatives at a time when government leadership and resources are desperately needed to address economic …