MLA Scott Fraser is hosting a Community Forum on Poverty from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 24 at the Port Alberni Friendship Centre, in partnership with the Alberni Valley Community Foundation and the Alberni Valley Health Network.
The goal of the forum is to open a discussion on poverty in the Alberni Valley and to forge some “made in the Alberni Valley” solutions, according to Alberni-Pacific Rim Constituency Assistant Patty Edwards.
“It’s just a starting discussion, but we’re hoping to come up with some creative ideas,” Edwards said. “We decided the Friendship Centre would be a good location because it’s in a central location and very accessible for low-income people.”
The agenda includes a series of speakers, starting off with Dr. Paul Hasselback, Chief Medical Officer for Island Health.
“Dr. Hasselback will be speaking on Determinants of Health, most specifically on income and housing and how they affect health for low-income people,” Edwards said.
Hasselback will be armed with data from the 2015 Alberni Valley Vital Signs report (http://www.albernifoundation.ca/vital-signs) published by the Alberni Valley Community Foundation.
Vital Signs spells out in detail what is right and what is not-so-right about life in the Alberni Valley in comparison with other communities on Vancouver Island and in greater B.C.
Some of the data is specific to the Aboriginal community. As of 2011, 13.3 per cent of Valley residents identified themselves as Aboriginal, compared to 6.6 per cent for Vancouver Island and 5.4 per cent for B.C.
The Alberni Valley Aboriginal (six-year) high school completion rate in 2013-14 was 41.7 per cent, compared to 61.8 per cent, province-wide.
According to 2013 figures, the percentage of Alberni Valley children living in poverty is 30.8 per cent, compared to a B.C. average of 20.4 per cent. Measured by the Early Development Instrument, 30 per cent of Alberni Valley children are “vulnerable,” meaning that, without additional support, “they may experience future challenges in school and society.”
In 2013, the overall poverty rate for the Alberni Valley was 18.5 per cent. That’s 13 per cent higher than the provincial average and 26.6 per cent higher than the national average.
And at 78.67 years, Alberni Valley life expectancy is below the average for the Island Health service area (82.05 years) and B.C. at large (82.92).
“After Dr. Hasselback, we have Wes Hewitt from the Port Alberni Shelter, and [Rev.] Minnie Hornidge, who is the chair of the Bread of Life Society,” Edwards said. The Bread of Life served 26,493 meals in 2014. “We’re also hoping to bring in a representative from the Living Wage group in Vancouver.”
Following the presentations, participants are invited to join a discussion group with one presenter.
“The goal is to create working groups to look at specific issues related to poverty and to come up with a community strategy,” Edwards said.
Admission to the Forum is free and a light supper will be served. The Port Alberni Friendship Centre is located at 3555 Fourth Avenue.
