July 5, 2018 - Cathy Williams, Board Chair for Vibrant Communities Calgary (VCC) and Franco Savoia, Executive Director of VCC are pleased to announce that the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) that guides the implementation of Enough for All, Calgary’s poverty reduction strategy, has been extended by one year.

The City of Calgary, the United Way of Calgary and Area, Momentum and Vibrant Communities Calgary entered into a four-year agreement memorandum on January 1, 2015. The MOA partners have been working together and with community partners over the past 3.5 years towards the full implementation of the strategy. In June 2018, the four partners agreed to extend the MOA to December 31, 2019.

Much has been learned in the initial 3.5 years of implementing Enough for All. However, the economic downturn has had a dramatic impact on the city. Unemployment rates reached levels not seen in a generation or more. New policies such as the Alberta Child Benefit have been introduced. All MOA partners concluded that a refresh of the Enough for All strategy is needed and warranted. The extension provides the time and an opportunity to review, update and refresh of the Enough for All strategy.

Vibrant Communities Calgary with the active support of its MOA partners is leading and resourcing the review and updating of Enough for All. The VCC Board of Directors has struck a community representative 10-person steering committee that will guide the process leading to the completion of a refreshed Enough for All strategy by February 2019.

The process will build on the learnings of the initial years of implementing Enough for All, captured in the 2015, 2016 and 2017 evaluation reports. As well as learning from other poverty reduction strategies in Canada, we will seek the engagement of the hundreds of Calgarians and organizations that are involved in implementing Enough for All. Their wisdom and learning will ensure that the refreshed Enough for All adapts to the changed environment in our city and province.