New report outlines positive impact of ending poverty

According to a new report released by the Health Promotion Clearinghouse, ending poverty is not only possible, it is necessary. "The report outlines the positive impact that ending poverty would have for everybody," says Caroline Ploem, Executive Director of the Health Promotion Clearinghouse. "Our conference in October of 2010 was the largest poverty conference ever held in Nova Scotia. We brought people together from all over Nova Scotia, heard from impressive speakers, and engaged in stimulating conversation."

Ploem says there are many lessons from the report but the most important may very well be that ending poverty is within our reach. "The first step is awareness regarding the total cost of poverty and the realization that we cannot afford to ignore poverty. Anyone interested in the report can locate it on our website." 

Among the 260 participants and speakers were the Honourable Ed Broadbent, Honorary Director of Canada without Poverty, Senator Art Eggleton, co-author of the Canadian Senate Committee's report In From the Margins: A Call for Action on Poverty, Housing and Homelessness, and Dr. Christine Saulnier, co-author of The Cost of Poverty in Nova Scotia, which estimates that poverty costs our province at least over $1 billion a year in terms of higher health care costs, high school drop-out rates, crime, and lost productivity. Also among the experts were 60 people with direct experience of living in poverty.

Nova Scotia, as with the rest of Canada, has witnessed an increase in the depth of poverty and inequality over the past decade. According to the Honourable Ed Broadbent, there is a growing gap between the rich and the poor, and most Canadians are worse off now than they were at the end of the 1990s. Reducing poverty, he says, results in, among other benefits, healthier citizens, longer lives, a better economy, and less crime.

While most people understand the moral arguments for ending poverty, said Senator Art Eggleton, they don't realize how poverty is costing each and every one of us. It depresses the economy, increases health care costs, and leads to alienation and crime. Ending poverty is doable, he explains, noting that we do not need to spend more money, but that we need to spend smarter, more efficiently and effectively. Eliminating poverty would mean improving our common fiscal situation.

Another common theme among speakers and participants was that collaboration was key and that the way forward was for all of us to understand and take action on the changes we are best suited to make. The report, Building Wellbeing and Prosperity Together: Taking Action on Poverty in Nova Scotia references collaboration in terms of individuals, governments, businesses and the non-profit sector. It also provides tangible activities that are occurring in various parts of the Atlantic region.