On Thursday, the Community and Protective Services Committee approved Ottawa’s Poverty Reduction Strategy, an extensive report prepared by the Poverty Reduction Strategy Steering Committee.
This report recommends 16 initiatives that aim to reduce the poverty of Ottawa’s population. Among the recommendations are increased investments in social housing and increased diversity in the city’s workforce. Within the report, the Poverty Reduction Strategy Steering Committee also proposes to start an analysis of the options for a living wage policy at the City of Ottawa.
Especially this part of the Poverty Reduction Strategy seems to have the interest of Ottawa’s citizens. At Thursday’s committee meeting, several citizens showed up in the City Hall to support the idea of a living wage.
Some of them contributed to the discussion about the Poverty Reduction Strategy with a public speech.
“The poor people are not being paid enough to live in the city that they are making liveable for us,” said Michelle Walrond, an Ottawa citizen, with reference to cleaners who work for minimum wage.
As the Community and Protective Services Committee approved the Poverty Reduction Strategy, one of the committee members, Coun. Rick Chiarelli, said he disagreed with two of the recommendations in the Poverty Reduction Strategy report, including the living wage proposal.
However, Coun. Diane Deans, the chairperson of the Community and Protective Services Committee, is convinced that city council will also approve the Poverty Reduction Strategy. The plan will be presented for city council by February.