Civic Impact

Government issues call for proposals to increase economic opportunities for women

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

On Friday, the federal government announced a call for proposals in an effort to increase opportunities for women in non-traditional roles.

"As we all know, women have a key role to play in Canada’s economic success. We represent nearly half the Canadian workforce but are under represented in many occupations. This is especially true in the trades, science, engineering and technology," said Rona Ambrose, the Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for Status of Women, in her speech in Edmonton.

She drew on a 2005 Royal Bank of Canada study that suggested that if women received the same employment opportunities as men, "personal incomes in Canada would be $168 billion dollars higher, and an additional 1.6 million women would be employed."

The call for proposals is called Opening Doors: Economic Opportunities for Women. The government will be accepting proposals for new projects to advance women's role in STEM occupations until May 31. It is part of the more than $6 million that has been approved for projects that support women in non-traditional roles, Minister Ambrose said.

Proposed projects should engage women directly and give women and girls an opportunity "to develop their skills, further their education and advance their careers in all sectors of the economy."

In addition, proposals are also being accepted for projects that increase economic options for women and projects that improve prosperity for immigrant women.

The announcement follows a number of similar announcements made this past month by the government. The same day, Minister Ambrose announced support for the Peel Children and Youth Initiative's project designed to "promote economic security among young women in the City of Mississauga" via $200,000 in funding that will go towards working "with young women between 16 and 24 years of age living in Mississauga's Colonial Terrace neighbourhood."

The announcements are part of the government's Status of Women Canada initiative. For more information on the call for proposals, visit the Status of Women Canada website.

Writer: Sheena Lyonnais

Source: The offices of Rona Ambrose

Yonge Street a community leader at 2013 National BIA Conference

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

The 2013 National BIA Conference awarded eight communities for their forward-thinking approaches to building neighbourhoods and local economies, including the Albion Islington Square BIA and Downtown Yonge's BIA.

"They're active, progressive BIAs," says John Kiru, a keynote speaker and the executive director of the Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas. He named Yonge Street as a prime example, citing the BIA's "European" take on closing down streets and opening them up to the public as a key component. "It really was their vision and their wanting to attract more people that animated Yonge Street."

Kiru spoke at last week's Toronto-based conference alongside Gil Penalosa of 8-80 cities, Ian Troop of the 2015 PanAmerican Games, and Premier Kathleen Wynne to address and understand the "State of Main Street." Kiru says the idea of Main Street has expanded to a two-prong approach that includes a traditional storefront and online e-commerce, which BIA's and businesses need to consider for prosperity.

He also mentioned the shifting nature of neighbourhoods such as College Street, which have migrated away from boutiques to include more food and service centric businesses.

"The role of the BIA is a collective role to put people on the street and attract them, whether through beautification or festivals, then it's up to each and every body in the store to use their entrepreneurialism to bring people into their stores and close the sale." Kiru says. "The BIA can do everything else for you except close the sales. That’s when the business people themselves have to get creative."

Other BIAs that were awarded include the County of Bruce, Brussels Build Business Association, Port Perry BIA, Downtown London, and Galt on the Grand Downtown Cambridge. The Alex Ling Lifetime Achievement Award went to Maureen Luoma of Downtown Sudbury, who has worked with the Downtown Sudbury BIA since 1977 and is the longest running BIA staff person in the world.

The conference is held in partnership with the Ontario Association of BIAs and the Toronto Association of BIAs.

Writer: Sheena Lyonnais
Source: John Kiru, executive director of the Toronto Association of BIAs

International study on youth co-op housing reveals need to address transitional age problems

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

A study comissioned by Aviva Canada on youth housing co-ops in India, Italy and Canada revealed a greater need to address the transitional age problems that occur when one becomes too old for youth services, but does not yet have the skills to live independently.

YouthLink, a Scarborough-based non-profit that has four co-op houses (three with live-in mentors) in Toronto dedicated to helping vulnerable youth aged 16-21 pursue their goals and learn independence, supported the study. Youth spoke candidly and anonymous with a researcher outlining their struggles to gain confidence and overcome obstacles such as childhood trauma, family problems, education, addiction and mental health.

"It was encouraging to us because the youth were using and benefiting from our program and it gave us some feedback that was more reliable because it was obtained by a neutral third party," says Katina Watson, the director of counselling, community and residential programs at YouthLink.

Youth participating in the co-op housing program are required to pay monthly rent, a skill often obtained through the program itself. It generally takes about a year for an individual to become independent enough to support his or herself. But many worry what will happen when they're 18 or 21 (depending on the program) and no longer eligible to live in youth co-op housing.

"This is a very common issue in our field. We call it a transitional age problem," Watson says. "We work hard to engage them and to keep them so they can build strength in cooperative living, managing schools and routines, and their own self identity, but because we are a service we have to balance that with serving other needy youth. We don't encourage them to stay past the point where they're capable of true independent living."

The study wraps with five recommendations for policy makers and identifies that more resources are needed in helping youth transition out of these programs.

The full report can be read here.

Writer: Sheena Lyonnais

Source: Katina Watson, Director of Counselling, Community and Residential Programs, YouthLink

Fife House challenge prompts Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam to reconsider poverty in Ward 27 and beyond

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam of Ward 27 (Toronto Centre-Rosedale) felt the results of living on a restricted food budget immediately. As one of seven prominent Torontonians to participate in Fife House's one-week challenge to thrive on $6.65--the average daily amount leftover after basic housing allowance--she quickly realized the daily struggles of those living on social assistance and fixed income.

Ward 27 has an ample supply of "well-stocked high-end grocery stores" and restaurants, but Councillor Wong-Tam struggled to find affordable food and had to travel to Chinatown and Kensington Market instead.

"That was something I didn't think about," she says. "The limited budget we had to work with was only covering food and beverages, but for most people who are living under poverty, that $6.65 doesn't even cover transportation, their clothing allowance or basic toiletries. We had a modified challenge and I still found it difficult."

Councillor Wong-Tam has been vocal against the city's current administration and has been fighting for adequate housing and shelter. She says budget cuts to social services directly hurt the people who need them the most. "What we've done is we've made life harder for them and that's become very clear to me," she says.

"There's a saying in Chinese that I was reminded of as I was going through the experience. It translates quite literally to 'no money no courage.' But what it really means is you're alone. You're isolated. You're not able to have daily regular contact with people in a different way. The opportunities to thrive and succeed are reduced for those living in poverty."

Fife House provides housing and support services for Toronto residents living with HIV/AIDS. Many face poverty in addition to life-threatening illness. The challenge anticipates the organization's annual A Taste for Life fundraiser on April 24, a one-night event where more than 50 restaurants will donate 25 per cent of their dinner revenue to Fife House meal programs. Fife House hopes to raise $90,000.

The challenge hit Councillor Wong-Tam close to home.

"As a member of the LGBT community, I've lost friends to this disease--as I'm sure we all have--but within Toronto it's the gay community that was originally hit the hardest. I've had friends die and friends' lovers die. Whatever I can do as an elected official now in my new position to continue to raise awareness, to make sure the funding that is provided is adequate, it could be an actual game changer."

Councillor Wong-Tam will ride her bike from Toronto to Montreal this summer to raise money for the Toronto People with AIDS Foundation.

Writer: Sheena Lyonnais

Source: Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam, Ward 27 (Toronto Centre-Rosedale)

Toronto Public Space Initiative plays matchmaker

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

The Toronto Public Space Initiative (TPSI) has wrapped up their inaugural Internship Matching Toronto Program -- a new initiative that matches senior undergraduate students with Toronto community organizations working on public space initiatives.

The program was launched last December, when TPSI staff saw an opportunity to use their networks to play "matchmaker" for students and community groups.

"We saw that a lot of the residents' associations and community-based organizations, like us, didn't have a lot of resources or money. But at the same time they're involved in a lot of interesting city planning projects" says Jayme Turney, chief executive officer with the Toronto Public Space Initiative. "On the other hand, we've got all kinds of students who are getting trained in urban planning, but what they're doing is really academic and in the classroom. They're not doing practical activist stuff in their community, they're not getting that opportunity. So it seemed like a good idea just to connect the two groups."

Seeing the opportunity for a mutually beneficial relationship, TSPI set about connecting with urban planning and urban studies student groups they thought might be interested. After getting an enthusiastic response from senior undergraduates from Ryerson, York and the University of Toronto, TSPI used their listserve to solicit applications from community organizations with planning initiatives or community projects on-the-go.

The program officially launched in December 2012, placing 20 candidates across nine community organizations. The students worked on a range of projects, from a Dundas Street usage survey (for Cabbagetown South Residents Association) to a proposal for the beautification of the DVP Underpass (for Corktown Residents and Business Association) to assisting with the neighbourhood Janes Walk for the Midland Park Community Association.

While the TSPI is still in the process of soliciting formal responses from participants, Turney says the feedback so far has been very positive.

"I attended the student presentation at the Cork Town Residential Businesses Association. They were looking at how the highway divided the community and they created a plan to reconnect the community with a series of parks and pathways and elevation around the underpass. It was really interesting and innovative. It was high quality and everyone seemed really happy with it."

Based on the programs success so far, Turney anticipates that the TPSI will run another round of internship matching in the near future. And while TSPI would love to get funding for the program--currently all the administration work for the intership matching is done on a volunteer basis-- the interest from community groups and students, says Turney, is enough of an impetus keep the program going.

"It really helps everyone. The students get practical experience and they get to enjoy access to some of these people in the community that are well-connected, they're professionals. And the community groups can always use professional volunteers."

"I expect if we do this again we can get a lot more applications from residents groups after they see the positive feedback and the kind of work that's been done," says Turney.

Writer: Katia Snukal

Source: Jayme Turney, Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Public Space Initiative

Planned Parenthood Toronto works to fill gap in sex ed for queer and trans youth

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

"Queer and trans youth are at a particular disadvantage when it comes to accessing sexual education and sexual health services. The traditional services are just not geared towards them, and as a result they are more likely to engage in risky sexual behaviour," says Anna Penner, a program coordinator with Planned Parenthood Toronto (PPT).

Penner is explaining the impetus behind PPT's concentrated effort to build their capacity for providing sex education for Toronto's queer and trans youth.

Last week, PPT wrapped up their Queering Sex Ed Initiative, a six-month youth-led program aimed at creating and disseminating sexual health information for LGTBQ (Lesbian, Gay, Trans, Bisexual and Queer) youth. Funded by the Community One Foundation, the initiative brought together a group of youth between the ages of 18 and 28 to receive training on a variety of topics related to healthy sexuality and healthy relationships.

The training culminated last week with the release of a series of queer- and trans-focused resources on sex and sexual health. The resources, produced by the youth advisory committee, are available free to download in both PDF and video formats. The resources cover a variety of topics including body positivity, identity, language, sex acts, and consent.

"The project, I think, really did two things," says Penner, who oversaw the initiative. "It helped build skills and capacity among that youth advisory committee and Planned Parenthood Toronto, and these resources the group is now able to share with others."

And, while the Queering Sex Ed project has officially wrapped up, Penner emphasizes that it's just the beginning in terms of making PPT more receptive to the needs of LGBTQ youth.

"Not only do we have access to these resources now which is great. We have also been named as one of the recipients of this year's Pride and Remembrance Run, and that money is going into a new project expanding on the work of Queering Sex Ed to include workshops for LGBTQ youth."

The Queering Sex Ed project and the upcoming workshops supplements existing PPT programming which includes Teens Educating and Confronting Homophobia (T.E.A.C.H.), which is directed by Penner, programming for women who have sex with women, and LGBTQ-positive health services and community programming.

All Queering Sex Ed resources are available at the initaitve's website queeringsexed.com.

Writer: Katia Snukal

Source: Anna Penner, T.E.A.C.H. Program Coordinator, Planned Parenthood

Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council holds 7th annual Immigrant Success Awards

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

The City of Toronto's motto is "Diversity our Strength," but when it comes to integrating skilled immigrants into the workforce, it's not always put into practice. The Toronto Immigrant Employment Data Initiative has found that education achieved abroad is discounted in the Canadian labour market by a factor of 30 per cent and work experience by factor of 70 per cent.

In an effort to spread awareness of the benefits of hiring skilled immigrants, the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC) has been holding its annual Immigrant Success (IS) for the past seven years. The awards, offered in partnership with RBC and a handful of media sponsors, are presented annually to organizations in the Greater Toronto Region that have shown leadership in integrating skilled immigrants into their workforces.

This year's award ceremony was held at a gala event last Wednesday night. At the award ceremony, TRIEC not only honoured each recipient but also screened short films showcasing each winners' work.

"We really try to make the IS awards more than just your average award ceremony," says Jessica Hume, communication manager with TRIEC. "We also use it as a way to tell people's stories and really celebrate the work they do."

This years winners are:

André Goh, manager of the Diversity Management Unit with the Toronto Police Services. Goh was presented with the Canadian HR Reporter Individual Achievement Award for his activist work with Toronto's LGBTQ community as well as his more recent work promoting and implementing diversity within the Toronto Police force.

Trinity Tech Inc. was awarded the RBC Immigrant Advantage Award for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). Trintiy Tech Inc. is a Toronto engineering firm headed by Dunstan Peter, who came to Canada from India in 1993 when he was 17-years-old. Of Trinity Tech's approximate 120 Canadian employees, 60 per cent are newcomers.

The SMTC Corporation, a Markham-based electronics manufactures won the CBC Toronto Immigrant Advantage Award for its diverse workforce and for a senior management team that is one-third skilled immigrants.

The Regional Municipality of York won the Toronto Star Award for Excellence in Workplace Integration the launch of its 2101 Foreign Credential Evaluation Process Guide, a guide which helps newcomers navigate the complex process of getting foreign credentials recognized in Canada.

Check out videos of all the award winners here.

Writer: Katia Snukal

Source: Jessica Hume, Acting Communication Manager, TRIEC

Fife House challenges volunteers to eat for $6.65 a day

Wednesday, April 03, 2013

Fife House, a Toronto organization that provides housing and support services for Toronto residents living with HIV/Aids, has challenged seven privileged Torontonians to eat for a week on a restricted food budget.

Many Fife House clients live below the poverty line, meaning that in addition to the challenge of managing their condition, they often struggle to afford nourishing food. In order to demonstrate just how difficult it can be to maintain a healthy and sufficient diet while living on a fixed-income, Fife House recruited seven prominent Torontonians to participate in their week-long Trying to Thrive on $6.65 challenge.

As the name suggests, the initiative asks volunteers to spend one-week eating for $6.65 a day. The challenge officially kicked off this past Monday, and will end this Sunday, April 7th.

The volunteers--Toronto City Councilor Kristyn Wong-Tam (Toronto Centre-Rosedale), Fife House executive director Keith Hambly, Fife House board president Bruce Mayhew, Fife House board member and clinical practice specialist Colleen Kearney, Ryerson Sociology professor Doreen Fumia, and food blogger Cory Pagett--are also spending the week blogging on their experience.

Participants are allowed to spend $6.65 per day or $46.55 for the week -- meaning they can buy food for more than one day so long as they don't exceed the weekly budget. And, besides spices, participants are not allowed to use any of the food currently in their kitchen.

A reoccurring theme in the blog posts is that eating on a restricted budget means not only compromises in quality and quantity of food, but also requires a significant time-commitment.

"I'm reflective of the time investment it has taken to get to this point," writes board president Bruce Mayhew after buying his week's worth of groceries, "over an hour last night to hunt through the flyers....what store has my desired grocery at the cheapest price. The time (and gas), it has taken to visit four stores. All this to ensure I don’t overspend and to make sure I make the best overall decisions possible."

As Mayhew points out, though the challenge is difficult, the volunteers are still only experiencing a slice of how difficult eating on a restricted budget can be.

The time commitment, the use of a car, and access to technology (internet and excel) are just some examples of the privileges that Mayhew has access to that may not be as accessible to those living below the poverty line. Moreover, Fife House clients are also dealing with the ongoing stress and side effects of living with HIV/AIDS.

Fife House is hoping that the Trying to Thrive challenge, and the reflections which emerge from it, will bring attention to the importance of the food and meal programming they provide to their clients.

At the end this month, Month Fife House will host their annual Taste for Life fundraiser. The one-night only event has participating Toronto restaurants donating 25 per cent of their dinner revenue on the evening of April 24th to the Fife House Meal programs. So far, 50 restaurants are on board, and Fife House expects to raise $90,000 from this year's event.

Follow the progress of the ‘Trying to Thrive on $6.65’ volunteers here.

Writer: Katia Snukal

Source: Fife House

Toronto Public Library releases new resource to get toddlers reading

Wednesday, April 03, 2013

The Toronto Public Library is helping Ontario toddlers take their first steps towards becoming life-long readers.

Last week the Library announced the release of Let's Get Ready for Reading, a new literacy guide that combines activities for kids with practical tips for educators and care givers. Touted as unique research-based resource, Let’s Get Ready For Reading brings together the expertise of Toronto's librarians with that of other literacy experts.

And thanks to a number of funding partners--the Toronto Public Library Foundation, the J.P. Bickell Foundation, the Rotary Club of Toronto as well as an anonymous donor--the Library is able to distribute tens-of-thousands of free copies of resource all across the province.

Already available to browse or borrow at all Toronto public library locations, the guide will soon be distributed to the province’s kindergarten classrooms, Ontario Early Year Centers, city-funded literacy centers, licensed daycares, as well as every library branch across the province.

And, thanks to a partnership with Toronto Public Health, the Library will also be giving copies to families with young children via programming for new parents.

"Toronto Public Library is proud of this one-of-a-kind resource, and we are thrilled to be able to put it into the hands of so many parents, caregivers, educators and librarians across the city and province," said city librarian Jane Pyper at the March 26th press conference at the Cedarbrae branch in Scarborough.

The booklet is the latest addition to the Library's Ready for Reading Series aimed at getting kids under 5-years-old excited about reading. The series includes story time programs at Toronto Library branches as well as online activities, book lists, and tips for caregivers.

Writer: Katia Snukal

Source: Toronto Public Library

Action for Seniors forum brainstorms strategies for affordable housing options

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

By 2031, seniors (aged 55+) will make up one third of Toronto’s population. And finding affordable housing in central Toronto, already a challenge for Toronto’s low-income seniors, will likely become even more difficult.

In 2012, there were over 22,398 seniors on Toronto’s social housing waiting list, a list with an average wait time of 61.3 months.

An even more stark statistic: the maximum monthly income from Old Age Security (OAS) and Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) is $1,286.51. The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Toronto is $1,010.

In an effort to face the current, and future, dearth of affordable senior housing head-on, the City’s Affordable Housing Office recently teamed up with Toronto’s Performing Art Lodge (PAL) to a hold a one-day forum brainstorming possible strategies.

PAL, a nonprofit that provides affordable housing to the city’s arts community, organized the day-long event after coordinating with their local councilor, Pam McConnell, and the City of Toronto Affordable Housing Office.

"PAL reached out to Councilor Pam McConnell who in turn came to the [Affordable Housing Office] to see if we could help them as they look for better services for seniors in their building," says Gil Hardy, affordable housing officer with the City of Toronto.

The conversation between PAL and the city resulted in the creation of the "Action for Seniors Charette" -- a series of workshops and brainstorming sessions held at the Lodge last Thursday. The Lodge is located at 110 the Esplanade.

After introductory remarks by former Toronto Mayor David Crombie and Councilor Pam McConnell, the attendants--a mix of PAL residents and staff, government officials, and members of other nonprofits--divided into breakout groups to discuss different housing issues facing Toronto’s seniors.

The topics included visioning a user-friendly access system to services, alternate level of care options, and community partnerships and capacity building.

Each workshop, and the ideas generated from it, were recorded by the attendees. The Affordable Housing Office is currently working on consolidating the day’s findings into a report to be circulated to relevant agencies and governments departments.

But, says Hardy, he hopes the impact of the Action for Seniors Charette won’t end there.

"We see this as sort of a pilot initiative," says Hardy. "We hope to repeat it because the issues, though similar, might be slightly different if you’re a senior living in Scarborough or living in North York. So we want to bring this all around the city."

"We have to find ways to accommodate seniors in our city," adds Hardy. "Not just to be humanitarian--though that’s important. But also for economic reasons."

The average per diem cost for a long-term care bed in Toronto is $125 a day. But, Hardy points out, many seniors in long-term care would be perfectly capable of living on their own with a little external support. The cost of that external support would be closer to $42 a day.

"If we can invest and provide appropriate affordable housing and combine that with a support system--for example someone coming in to help with cleaning or with buying groceries--we can significantly improve someone’s quality of life while opening up long-term care beds for those who really need them" says Hardy.

Last week’s Charette, Hardy hopes, will be the first of many of these events dedicated to community brainstorming about how we might do that.

Writer: Katia Snukal

Source: Gil Hardy, Affordable Housing Officer, City of Toronto.

Scadding Court Community Centre receives federal funding for new economic prosperity program

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Toronto’s Scadding Court Community Centre (SCCC) has received $127,203 in funding from the Government of Canada.

In June of 2012, the office of the Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for the Status of Women announced that a pool of money was being put aside to support projects that 'Set the Stage for Girls and Young Women to Succeed.'

Earlier this month, Scadding Court heard their proposal had been accepted.

The grant will be used to fund a two-year Scadding Court initiative that will support 12 young women from the Alexandra Park community as they investigate, and ultimately effect, the changes occurring in their neighbourhood.

Located at 707 Dundas West just east of Bathurst, Scadding Court has been active in the Alexandra Park community for over 30 years.

It’s a community, says Nikki Toten, manager of development and community engagement at the SCCC, "that has long existed in a kind of dead zone."

"We’re in the middle of very vibrant Chinatown and up-and-coming Dundas West. But, importantly, this is an area that’s very much in transition. There’s a lot redevelopment happening."

Not only are new condos are going up, but the Atkinson Co-op (formerly known as Alexandra Park Housing) is currently undergoing "revitalization". The City of Toronto is working to transform the Co-op, and indeed the neighbourhood, from a traditionally low-income community into a mixed income one. And housing prices are already on the rise.

"Given the changes that are coming to the community its really important that residents take advantage of the changes as opposed to being left out," says Toten.

That sentiment--the idea that current Alexandra Court residents should have the opportunity to benefit from any economic changes coming to their neighbourhood--is the guiding principal behind the new program.

The two-year project, tentatively called 'Economic Empowerment for Young Women', will challenge 12 young women from the community to research economic changes in their neighbourhood, and work together to implement a new community program based on their findings.

"First they’re going to be conducting a needs assessment," says Toten."They’re going to be discovering for themselves the barriers to economic prosperity for women in the Downtown West area, and specifically in the Alexandra Park neighbourhood."

After extensive research the women will work together to come up with a community project.

"It could be something like an advocacy group if they see something in the neighbourhood that really needs to change, or it could be a mentorship project for other young women. It all depends on what they find out," says Tonten.

The first year will be the planning and researching stage. In the second year the participants will implement their project.

Throughout the process they will be encouraged to create connections with other other women in Toronto who might be supportive of their initiative.

The 12 young women have been selected and will soon begin their research projects.

"Everything about this project is youth led," adds Toten. "We’re going to help them build the support network but we’re not going to make those connections for them. They’re really going to learn to build this themselves."

Writer: Katia Snukal

Source: Nikki Toten, Manager of Development and Community Engagement, Scadding Court Community Center

Toronto's first Halal food festival to be held in June

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Toronto is getting a Halal Food Festival.

The internet buzz began in early December when the organizers announced, over twitter and facebook, their intention to hold Toronto’s first-ever halal food festival by the summertime.

Three months later, Halal Food Fest TO has confirmed the festival dates, the venue, and some preliminary details about the entertainment, and of course the food, that will be on offer.

The Halal Food Festival will be held on June 1 and 2, 2013 and will be hosted at International Centre, located on airport road in Mississauga.

Organizers spent months choosing the "best" halal food the city has to offer. Though the final list of participants is still forthcoming, festival organizers have confirmed that there will be a wide-variety of food types on offer -- from restaurant food, to confections to raw ingredients -- and a diverse range of ethnicities represented.

In addition to the sampling tables, there will also be live cooking demonstrations, performances, and panel discussions.

While exact guidelines can vary by sect, ethnicity, or school of thought, Halal foods are those foods that are allowed under Islamic dietary guidelines.

"As a Torontonian and Muslim, it's a great feeling to be able to celebrate being both through a universally loved platform - food!" says Faizal Kagdi, president of Halal Food Fest TO. "With 250,000 Muslims living in the GTA, Halal Food Fest TO is really the voice of the community, a united one, and it's long overdue."

Writer: Katia Snukal

Source: Halal Food Festival Toronto

Toronto Community Care Access Centre releases video on senior care

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Canada’s senior population is growing. And it’s growing fast.

According to a recent report released by Ontario’s Ministry of Longterm Care, Living Longer, Living Well, Ontarians aged 65 years and older represented 14.6 per cent of the province’s population in 2011. And the number of Ontarians in that age bracket is expected to double over the next two decades.

These facts invariably beg the question, given our already stressed health care system, how do we ensure that older Ontarians are getting the best possible care? And how do we do that without bankrupting the system?

According to the Living Longer report, one essential strategy is to take advantage (and to bolster) existing community healthcare networks.

In response to the Ontario report, the Toronto Central CCAC (Community Care Access Centre) has released a short video demonstrating the advantages of these community networks. The five-minute animated short focuses on 80-year old 'Miranda' and her daughter, her primary caregiver. We follow Miranda as she gets help navigating Ontario’s complex health care system with the help of a CCAC "care coordinator." Thanks to the care coordinator, who communicates with Miranda’s multiple healthcare providers and consolidates all her health information into one easily transferable document, Miranda is able to get the most efficient care and can continue living in her own home.

According to Stacey Daub, chief executive officer for the Toronto Central CCAC, the video demonstrates the power of what is called the Integrated Client Care Program (ICCP) . ICCP, a patient-focused model that coordinates care providers, helps seniors stay in their homes longer and have autonomy over the care they receive.

"We are an ardent supporter of the recommendations made in Dr. Sinha's report [Dr. Shina is the lead writer of the Living Well, Living Longer report] and have worked tirelessly to transform the care experience of the elderly while supporting family members and caregivers," says Daub. "Early evidence shows our programs help seniors avoid unnecessary hospital admissions and stay at home longer; our Integrated Client Care Program is one example of how we connect seniors suffering from complex conditions with health care professionals and services at home and in their communities."

The Toronto Central CCAC is part of an Ontario-wide non profit network that connects Ontarians with in-home and community-based health care.

Writer: Katia Snukal

Source: Stacey Daub, Toronto Central CCAC

Native Women's Resource Centre of Toronto launches awards honouring aboriginal youth and women

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

The Native Women’s Resource Centre of Toronto (NWRTC) is celebrating the city’s aboriginal women.

The NWRTC recently announced the launch of the city’s first ever Minaake awards (pronounced min-nah-kay), an award night that honours aboriginal women and youth making positive contributions to their community. Minaake is an Ojibwe meaning ‘people who are on the good path.’

The inaugural award ceremony is scheduled for April 10th, and will be held from 6-8 p.m. at the TD Bank Tower (66 Wellington Street West, 54th floor).

Awards will be presented in six categories--Leadership, Advocacy and Human Rights, The Good Path, LGBT/Two-Spirited, Challenger (Youth), and Culture Keeper.

According to Crystal Melin, executive director at NWRTC, the motivation behind the event was two-fold: to raise core funding for the center as well honouring women whose achievements are not often given the attention they deserve.

"Because we work with the most vulnerable women we wanted to make sure there was an achievement awards that recognize the women we work with everyday and the huge achievements they made in their lives, "says Melin.

"We wanted to make sure that or seniors or elders in the community there could be an award for them. Women who never finished grade 9 but have huge cultural knowledge could be nominated. We also wanted to recognize that LGBT/two-sprited women form a very important part of our programming and our community. We wanted to make sure that across the board all aboriginal women could be eligible."

NWRTC received almost 30 nominations for each of the 6 categories, and the winners were chosen by a diverse group of aboriginal women, men and youth active in the community.

In addition to honouring the girls and women who have made contributions to their communities, the event will also include traditional Aboriginal hors d'oeuvres, musical performances and a silent auction consisting of native arts and crafts.

"We didn't want it to be a stuffy awards that would be intimating," says Melin. "It's going to a fun event and a way for us to showcase our community."

The event will be hosted by Sandra Larond, founder of contemporary indigenous performance company Red Sky, and director of Indigenous Arts at the Banff Centre. Laronde will be joined onstage by a number of other accomplished aboriginal women. The scheduled presenters include Lee Maracle, the prolific first-nations writer and scholar, and Jessica Danforth, founder of the Native Youth Sexual Health Network.

Located at 191 Gerrard Street East, NWRCT is registered charity that offers a meeting space for aboriginal women in the GTA while also supporting a wide-range of programming to support and celebrate aboriginal women and their children.

Tickets are $75 and can be purchased online. All proceeds of the ticket sales support the NWRCT and its programs.

Writer: Katia Snukal

Source: NWRC

TVO announces 5 finalists of Doc Studio Contest

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

On November 28th, 2012 TVO presented a challenge to Ontario's documentary filmmakers: make a movie that troubles commonly held perceptions of poverty.

This was the second year that TVO held their now annual Doc Studio Contest. The theme for 2013 -- Poverty in Five. So-called because filmmakers were given only five minutes to convey their message.

Now, just over three months and hundreds of submissions later, the TVO jury has narrowed the entrants down to five finalists. It's up to the public to vote for their favorite submission.

The entries were judged by a jury of Ontario documentary filmmakers, led by producer/director Shelley Saywell. Saywell is also TVO's filmmaker-in-residence.

Though each doc focuses on poverty, the five finalists manage to cover a breadth of topics and experiences--from an absurdist and satirical look at the super wealthy, to a documentary that feature short "rants" from elementary school students.

And, particularly relevant to Yonge Street readers, two Toronto-based films made it into the top five. Poor Ink by Vince Vaitiekunas is shot inside a Queen and Sherbourne tattoo parlour and weaves together the stories of three Torontonians and the impact that poverty has had on their lives. Food for Thought, by Luis Cornejo, looks at meal preparation in two economically contrasting households. In the first household, food is abundant. In the second, food is much more scarce and the family meal is made up of food bank donations.

"The jury and I were really looking for a different approach to the issue of poverty, and in watching the films we saw that participants understood that," says Saywell."TVO's Doc Studio Contest has given people a valuable platform in which to have their say on an issue that affects so many of us, and has also made the art of filmmaking very democratic."

The public can vote for their favourite video on the Doc Studio website until March 18 and the winning film will be announced on Monday March 25. The winner will see his or her documentary aired on TVO, receive a pass to the Hot Docs Film Festival, and a day-long mentorship session with Shelley Saywell.

Writer: Katia Snukal

Source: TVO, Shelley Saywell