|
|
|
Strong Neighbourhoods Task Force Questions and Answers
|
1. What is the Strong Neighbourhoods Task Force?
The Strong Neighbourhoods Task Force is a year-long joint initiative of United Way of Greater Toronto and the City of Toronto, supported by the
governments of Canada and Ontario. It developed out of the work of the Toronto City Summit Alliance, whose action plan for Toronto, Enough Talk,
recommended a tripartite agreement to fund community infrastructure in Toronto's high-need neighbourhoods. It also builds on United Way's report,
Poverty by Postal Code: The Geography of Neighbourhood Poverty, released April 5 that documents the increase in neighbourhood poverty in
Toronto from 1981 to 2001. The Task Force will articulate a vision for strong neighbourhoods by providing governments with the tools to make
meaningful, sustainable and coordinated investments in the quality of community life.
|
|
2. Who is leading the Task Force?
The Task Force is led by three co-chairs: Eric Gam, Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services for the City of Toronto; Robert Harding,
Chairman, Brascan Corporation; and Frances Lankin, President of United Way of Greater Toronto. There are 22 other task force members from the
corporate sector, organized labour, and community organizations.
|
|
3. What will the Task Force do?
The Task Force has three primary tasks:
- Articulate a vision for strong neighbourhoods in Toronto
- Recommend the principles, potential scope and purpose of a tripartite agreement between all levels of government to mobilize investment in community infrastructure in Toronto's neighbourhoods
- Advocate for change.
The Task Force will conduct research, examine existing material on the subject from both a national and international perspective, and issue an
interim report and an action plan to its supporters and the public in spring 2005.
|
|
4. How does it differ from the Mayor's Community Safety Plan?
The Mayor's Community Safety Plan is focussing on the more immediate solutions to address community safety issues while simultaneously developing
longer-term preventative measures that address the needs of at-risk youth. The Strong Neighbourhoods Task Force will focus on broader neighbourhood
issues requiring sustainable multi-pronged solutions.
|
|
5. Is this a national Task Force?
The Task Force is focussed on neighbourhoods in the City of Toronto with support from the federal and provincial governments. We anticipate that the
research and recommendations coming out of the Task Force may be useful for other large urban settings in Canada and internationally.
|
|
6. Who is funding the Task Force?
The governments of Canada and Ontario are providing $185,000 each in funding for the Task Force. The City of Toronto and United Way of Greater Toronto
are providing significant in-kind support.
|
|
7. Why are strong neighbourhoods important?
Toronto is a city of neighbourhoods and these are central to the social, cultural and economic vitality of our region. However, in recent years,
there have been indicators that many neighbourhoods lack community services, poverty is growing, and residents are under stress due to a variety of
factors.
There is a critical need to address the issues of family income and affordable housing. It must happen together with developing and promoting
community infrastructure that actively promotes social inclusion, labour market participation and immigrant settlement.
|
|
8. How can governments contribute to making neighbourhoods stronger?
This is what the Strong Neighbourhoods Task Force has set out to determine. The question is so important that all three levels of government -
federal, provincial and municipal are actively supporting the Task Force.
There is no simple, single recipe for a strong neighbourhood. But we know that a healthy community is one that fosters citizen engagement, cares
for the most vulnerable, promotes the participation of children and youth, welcomes newcomers, and encourages labour market attachment. Some of
these programs and institutions are administered by the public sector, and some are provided by the voluntary sector, usually with public support.
The Task Force will help to map out the connections between community investments and desirable neighbourhood outcomes, and demonstrate how
governments can support community infrastructure.
|
|
9. Why are the private sector, the voluntary sector, government and labour involved in the Task Force?
Simply put, strong neighbourhoods are everyone's business - and it makes sense for everyone to be involved in finding solutions. Ultimately, we
hope that governments will find better ways to coordinate increased investment in Toronto neighbourhoods. These efforts should be supported by the
active participation of the voluntary sector, in cooperation with business and labour. The Task Force's work will help to build strong relationships
among governments, and between governments and non-governmental players.
|
|
10. What happens when the Task Force finishes its work?
The Task Force will issue a report to the three levels of government, United Way of Greater Toronto, and the Toronto City Summit Alliance in spring,
2005. The Task Force will provide information and models for intervention. It will be the responsibility of governments to negotiate tripartite
agreements and to coordinate their contributions to building and strengthening community infrastructure. If the Task Force succeeds, governments
will have the tools to implement a coordinated response that will improve the quality of life in Toronto's neighbourhoods.
|
|
Q&A
