Life in Communities Today

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Feb 10 2014

We have spent an energizing day talking about what community means in today's face paced living and today's consuming of things and experiences. Do you choose communities you join by how big, far or demanding they are, or do you make the best of your neighbourhood and your work place you are tied to anyway? Are online communities superficial or an escape? If the good old days are never coming back, what is it we can do to keep nurturing deep and meaningful relationships?

Local Discussions on Taxation

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Feb 5 2014

kitchen table talks 2011“Taxes are the way we pay for the things we decide to do together, and we are stronger together." - powerful words spoken by Alex Himelfarb that seemed to echo at the Kitchener City Hall during the book launch of the "Tax Is Not A Four Letter Word".
We are ready to share with you some of the first conversations held on taxes and public services in 2011 Kitchen Table Talks, and the discussion that took place at the workshop after the book launch. You can view videos that recorded the guest speaker and panel presentations at our YouTube Channel.

Ontario Pre-budget Consultation- Asking the Government to Follow

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Feb 3 2014

Poverty Free KWThe Poverty Free Kitchener-Waterloo Action Group has dedicated its stretched resources to pass its knowledge and experience to different government bodies. We are still waiting for a holistic vision and approach regarding poverty elimination in Ontario that shows our political leadership has heard what has been said in our community and in communities across all of Ontario.

Read the submission as a response to the Ontario Government Priorities: Invest in People, Infrastructure and Business

Well-paid Workforce is Good For Business

Jan 31 2014

The announcement was made January 30, 2014 by Premier Kathleen Wynne that the Ontario minimum wage will be increased from $10.25 to $11.00 an hour starting June 1, 2014 and furthermore, will be adjusted according to the Canadian Price Index.

Those of us who are earning more, may too easily underestimate the extent to which low wages limit what people are able to do and how well they can take care of their material needs for even basic shelter, food, clothing and health. If we agree that someone working full time full year should not be living in poverty, then we need to agree we either pay adequate wages or we invest our tax dollars to reduce the impact of low wage employment.

VisitAble Housing Initiative In Kitchener-Waterloo

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Jan 30 2014

Visitability Project - Collaborative Knowledge Building and Action for Visitable Housing In Canadian Cities has come to Kitchener-Waterloo. Social Planning Council of Kitchener-Waterloo is the local coordinator of the KW Visitability Task Force and will be contributing its longstanding experience and mobilization of knowledge to support the initiative in collaboration with the Canadian Centre for Disability Studies. The first planning meeting of the Task Force is held on January 30th and launches a process that will unfold until September 2015.

What Community Means - 1000 Conversations

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Jan 29 2014

After 45 conversations hosted in Waterloo Region, come together with others to hear the wisdom of over 800 of your neighbours who spoke about the present and the future of community. Hear about the things we have learned individually and collectively at the summit What community Means- February 8th, 10 am - 1 pm at Mary's Place Community Room at 84 Frederick street in Kitchener.

Open Government Consultations Still Open

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Jan 28 2014

The Open Government Engagement Team was in Kitchener on January 17th collecting ideas and suggestions from the people in Waterloo Region. "It starts with a government that freely shares information, unlocks the power of data in a digital age and partners with people to spark a new generation of ideas through easier access to informatiom". Many reasonable suggestions are to be found in the highlights from the Kitchener discussion. Social Planning Council of Kitchener-Waterloo joins the discussion and puts the Local Framework on Successful Poverty Reduction Outcomes into practice in its submission to the Engagement Team.

Changing The Way We Think About Taxes

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Jan 24 2014

Tax Is Not A Four Letter Word Boook LaunchTax Is Not A Four Letter Word. Tax is Brussels sprouts! Kaylie Tiessen from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Ontario says they are not always palatable but they are good for you. An interesting twits. Alex Himelfarb made another one: high taxes are good for business! Strong infrastructure, skilled workforce and good healthcare system are highly valued by businesses and they are all build with tax dollars. Carl Zehr, the Mayor of Kitchener, first asks what the services are that the citizens need and says that balance, sustainability and future legacy are the most important questions when thinking about municipal taxation.

Lists of Warming Centres in the Region

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Jan 21 2014

A list of warming centres across the region will be posted on Public Health’s website whenever an extreme cold media advisory is issued. The expectation is that warming centres will provide a heated space for residents to warm-up in. You can find the list of the warming centres in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge and in rural Waterloo Region. Find more information at the Public Health Web Page.

Access Waterloo Region Information Night - February 4, 2014

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Jan 20 2014

Access Waterloo Region 2014 is an information night for persons with disabilities, their families, caregivers and professionals within Waterloo Region. It will feature information about education, advocacy and support, financial assistance, personal care and in-house supports and more!

The Social Planning Council of K-W and Community Information Centre of Waterloo Region will be there with information on our projects, resources, groups and initiatives related to community, advocacy and disability. Hope to see you there!