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Home My WebLink AboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 2016-02-10, Page 88 Lucknow Sentinel • Wednesday, February 10, 2016 Local poverty rates increase Zoe Kessler Postmedia Local poverty levels have increased, not decreased - and may worsen - accord- ing to officials with local community service agen- cies, including one who questioned the finding that overall poverty levels have declined over the past 20 years, as reported in the recently released Fraser Institute report on Cana- dian poverty. When asked about the report, Francesca Dobbyn, Executive Director of United Way Grey Bruce, said, "Anybody who's doing a lot of poverty work and looking at the data, it's just not credible data." In a Feb. 2 interview, Dobbyn added the lack of reliable data was largely due to the discontinuation of the long -form census, and pointed to Statistics Canada's after-tax income report from 1989-2013 as more representative due to its higher sample size. Dobbyn said the Statis- tics Canada report high- lighted the growing dispar- ity between Canadian incomes, with the highest income earners rising 37 percent, while those in the lowest income bracket had an increase of only nine percent. It's rising income ineq- uity that traps people in poverty, she said, adding that the frustration of those who are just getting by financially is coming out in the community around the refugees' arrival. "[There's] a not unjusti- fied resentment of, 'Hey, I can barely make it through the day, here's somebody coming in, from a horrible situation, but somebody's bought them a house; I wish somebody would buy me a house.." Dobbyn said food costs, expected to rise "4.6 per- cent this winter," are add- ing to financial pressures. There are signs that more Bruce County residents are struggling, Dobbyn said, including increases in foodbank usage, access to the United Way's utility assistance programs and affordable housing wait lists. The number of Bruce County families waiting for rent -geared -to -income (RGI) residences has increased from 258 in Sep- tember to 279 households at the end of December, according to Bruce County Community Housing Reg- istry statistics. Claude Anderson, Exec- utive Director of the Cana- dian Mental Health Asso- ciation (CMHA) of Grey -Bruce expressed con- cern in the coming years that the Bruce Power refits will bring "a lot of people into the area, driving the cost of already limited affordable housing higher as housing demands increase....I mean, it's great for the economy of the shoreline...but is any- body thinking of the peo- ple on the margins that are going to get squeezed out of housing because of it?" he added. While the anticipated Bruce Power retro -fit may drive housing prices up, it also may act as "an insula- tion factor," said Dobbyn, adding, "It will be interest- ing to see how the retail sector responds to the wage pressures...you can't pay people minimum wage and expect people to live in Saugeen Shores at a minimum wage. You can't do it." Job growth is in the retail sector which is part-time work at minimum wage, and considered "precari- ous work," Dobbyn said. The Fraser Institute report said 1.5 percent of those in poverty experi- enced "persistent low- income" from 2005 - 2010 (the latest data available from Statistics Canada) and said that high risk Historical Society seeks authors Submitted The Bruce County Histor- ical Society is encouraging writers to submit manu- scripts and articles on Bruce County history for inclusion in its annual "Yearbook." "We're organizing our 2016 publishing program," President Irene Howe said in a press release, "and would love to see local authors step forward with proposals for books or articles!' The historical society has been publishing books on Bruce County history since 1906 when it published Norman Robertson's "His- tory of the County of Bruce." For the 2017 edition of e aot 30e 7 ow:eve/rawer./ At The Holyrood General Store & Post Office, aka Miller Mall Your friendly korner store in the kountry • Open 7 days/week • 519-395-5062 February 15th to 20th 2016 Free Sleigh Rides - Saturday, Feb. 20Th t$1 pm Join us as we say thanks for your patronage. The Murray Farms will take you for a sleigh ride (wea her permitting). Come enjoy hot chocolate, coffee & treats! Bergeron Margarine, 13 kg $2 off Ivory Hand Soap 10 bars $4.99 Peanuts in Shell $1.95 Ib. Pkg. Bulk Candy 20% off Pkg. 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Brooms $2 off Mitts, Gloves, Work Socks 20% off Red Bird Matches $2.59 Cashmere 12 Double Rolls Toilet Tissue $6.99 KS 30 Rolls Toilet Tissue (Reg. $23.99) $20.99 Black Shoe Polish $4.99 Pinty's Chicken Wings $2 off Instant Coffee $4.99 Box Cookies $1 off per box Order your bulk garden seeds Small packages in stock Dutch Mill Drink Crystals 20% off We reserve the right to limit quantities MANY OTHER IN-STORE SPECIALS HUNTING & FISHING LICENSES >ieecia awl -due, • NO RAIN CHECKS AVAILABLE (MUST HAVE CARD) 2f&€€er &.1tirsdey the "Yearbook," Editor Bill Stewart is looking for arti- cles and photographs on historical topics, especially those that celebrate the 150th anniversary of Bruce County, which will occur in 2017. factors include being part of a lone -parent family, having a less than a high school education, and physical or mental disabilities. Dobbyn said mental and physical health issues are "causes external to market forces," adding, "We need a system where being diag- nosed with something is not a poverty sentence." Contributing to income inequity and the persis- tence of poverty, she added, is "the lack of tax transfers down to lower income people; consolida- tion of capital assets in the wealthy, and the banks aren't lending as much and investing as much in the communities in small businesses." Both Anderson and Dob- byn agree that many organizations are working on solutions. Dobbyn was one of 25 delegates from across Can- ada to attend a five-day gathering in Banff on The society is known for its annual historical "Year- book" and such books as "Postcard History of Bruce County," which features postcards picturing the many locations, buildings and streetscapes that have Canadian income inequity, recently returned from her trip. The event was spon- sored by the Peter Lougheed Leadership Ini- tiative in partnership with Community Foundations of Canada. Dobbyn said approaches explored by the delegates included establishing a minimum income for all Canadians, and a benefit system that was independ- ent of where someone worked. "It's going to take the whole community," Dob- byn said. "I know [Saugeen Shores] Mayor Smith is very aware of these issues....And he's very engaged with the work of the poverty task force and the work of the United Way; as well as my Board Chair is on the Saugeen Shores Council," she added. "The solutions ...are not coming from a charity. They'll come from the community," she said. seen been lost to the past. For more information, or to submit your proposed text, contact Publications Manager Jeff Hemming at jaycee@bmts.com or "Year- book" Editor Stewart at willstew@bmts.com. Stratford -Bruce Peninsula employment increased, still lower than Ontario rate Four County Market Planning Board Ontario began 2016 with an employment rate of 60.5 per cent and a partic- ipation rate of 64.6 per cent, while the Stratford - Bruce Peninsula region saw the year start at rates of 56.8 per cent and 60.2 per cent respectively. Employment increased by 2,200 in the Stratford - Bruce Peninsula eco- nomic region between December 2015 and January 2016. These gains were seen in full-time employment with the addition of 3,100 jobs while part-time lost ground by 900 positions. When looking at employment by industry during this same time, the services -producing sector saw the most gains locally with employment expand- ing by 1,700 jobs in whole- sale and retail trade. This sector also saw the highest employment loss with 900 fewer jobs in business, building and other sup- port services. Both utilities and con- struction in the goods - producing sector saw employment expand by 700 jobs respectively, while employment in Manufacturing fell by 1,000 positions. Disappointing news in the fourth quarter of 2015 will find the Kraft Heinz Company closing its' food processing plant in St. Mary's by 2017, represent- ing a loss of 214 jobs.