There IS Enough for All

Is there enough for all? The Calgary Poverty Reduction Initiative (CPRI) asserts that there is. In a prosperous and growing city like Calgary, we believe that together we have the resources to build a resilient community. Our resources are not only financial, but also come in the form of infrastructure, relationships, values and skills—all things we’ve already invested in.

Yet, despite the abundance we share, many Calgarians also suffer from significant personal and financial distress. Rapid economic and population growth has brought stressors. For many, costs have risen faster than incomes, while our infrastructure strains under the demands of growth. Meanwhile, the shared values and sense of community that have sustained us in the past has been challenged in recent years.

As we confront the paradox of opportunity and scarcity, we struggle. Some people find themselves in extreme financial poverty, while many others stay out of it at the expense of their health, relationships and community, working long hours, amassing debt, and commuting too far. Time for family and community erodes, along with our trust in each other. This contributes to our collective vulnerability, which affects every one of us.  Is it time to rethink the idea of “scarcity”? Where does this scarcity come from and can we use our assets and resources in new ways to overcome our vulnerability and build a resilient and trusting city? This is the task of the CPRI. Launched in January of 2012, the CPRI is working collaboratively with Calgarians to develop a strategy to build an abundant, resilient, trusting community. This strategy will be presented to City Council and the United Way in May 2013.