Working Together to Prevent and End Poverty and Increase Well-Being in Niagara

In March 2024, Niagara Region Council endorsed the Niagara Poverty Reduction Strategy. Recognizing that the Regional Municipality of Niagara and many local providers already deliver services to lift people out of poverty, this Strategy identifies best practice, uncovers gaps and leverages local knowledge to inform future action. Diverse perspectives and experiences shaped this community-owned Strategy. Over 1000 residents informed the Strategy including people living in poverty and over 200 Indigenous people.

During this session, the presenters will review the collective impact approach used to engage community and collaborate with many sectors to create the Strategy. They will outline the Strategy’s areas of focus, recommendations and actions. The presenters will describe the evaluation plan designed to measure success and reflect on highlights from the first year of implementation, including how the Strategy informed a regional grant funding program.

This presentation will be of interest for municipalities working to end poverty. Whether you’re thinking of creating a poverty reduction strategy or looking for ways to enhance existing efforts, you’ll leave with insights and inspiration to engage community, monitor success and build collaborations that can work together to end poverty.

Moderator: Lori Watson, Director, Social Assistance & Employment Opportunities, Niagara Region

Lisa Gallant
Poverty Reduction Strategy Advisor
Niagara Region Community Services

Lisa Gallant is the Poverty Reduction Strategy Advisor at Niagara Region Community Services. In this role, she helped develop Niagara’s first official poverty reduction strategy and is working with interested and affected parties to implement actions identified in the strategy. Lisa brings skills in community engagement, program planning, evaluation and policy development. She values the importance of strengthening community capacity to advance efforts aimed at ending poverty.

Marc Todd
Manager, Social Assistance and Employment Opportunities
Niagara Region Community Services

Marc Todd is a dedicated manager within the Niagara Region Community Services department, Social Assistance and Employment Opportunities (SAEO). Since 2008, he has played a pivotal role in overseeing the Niagara Prosperity Initiative (NPI), a grant program designed to enhance prosperity for residents of Niagara who are living in poverty. His commitment to addressing socio-economic challenges is reflected in his ongoing efforts to implement and advance the goals outlined in the Niagara Region Poverty Reduction Strategy.