fair calgary community voices_community engagement summary-1

7/31/2019 Fair Calgary Community Voices_Community Engagement Summary-1

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FairCalgaryCommunityVoicesSummaryofCommunityEngagementon

TheCityofCalgarysFairCalgaryRecommendations

September2012

Submissionto:

TerryWilson

ProjectLead,FairCalgaryProject

TheCityofCalgary


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TableofContents

I. AboutFairCalgaryCommunityVoices...........................................................................3

II. SummaryofEngagement....................................................................................................4

III.SummaryofForumFeedbackSingleentry.......................................................................................................................4

Commonincomecutoff................................................................................................5

Familypass........................................................................................................................6

Commonpercentagediscounts..................................................................................6

Slidingfeescale...............................................................................................................7

IV.FairFaresOnlineSurveyResponses...............................................................................8

V. QuestionnaireResponses....................................................................................................15

AppendixIDetailedsummariesofforumsheldbyFairCalgaryCommunityVoicesmembers

AppendixIIFairCalgaryCommunityVoicesEngagementToolkit


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I. AboutFairCalgaryCommunityVoicesFairCalgaryCommunityVoicesFairCalgaryCommunity

Voices


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II. SummaryofEngagement

FairCalgaryCommunityVoices

Forums

Date Forum

Numberof

Participants

WrittenResponsestoQuestionnaires,Surveys,etc.

TotalEngaged

III.SummaryofForumFeedbackThefollowingisasummaryofallfeedbackgatheredduringthe9forums,organizedaccordingtoeachareaofrecommendation.SingleEntry

AsingleentrysystemwouldrequireapplicantstocompleteonlyoneapplicationformforallreduceduserfeesprovidedbyTheCity,andwouldprovidevariousoptionsforsubmittingtheapplications,includingmultiplelocationsacrossTheCity.

Allparticipantsprovidingfeedbackonasingleentrysystemwereinfavouroffillingout

onlyoneapplicationformforallreduceduserfeesataccessiblelocations.

Wewanttospendlesstimeinlineupsandmoretimeasactivecitizens.


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Itwouldbegoodtogetallprogramsmailingthediscountstopeoplewithdisabilities.Thenyouwouldnthavetowaitinalonglineeverymonth,ifIwasworkingIwouldlosemyjobtryingtobuymypass.

Itisreallyhardandtimeconsumingtogoapplyforalowincomebuspass,especiallyifyouhave

kids.

Theprogramswouldbemoreaccessibleiftheformswouldnotbesoscaryhardtofillout.

Iwouldreallyliketoseemultiplelocationsandoneapplicationform.EveryoneelsecanbuytheirpassesatanyMacsor7Eleven,butrightnowthereareonlytwolocationsintheCitytopickupyourlow

income

bus

pass.

Clientswhohaveliteracyorlanguageissuesfindthisverystressful.Theyhavetoconstantlylookfor

aninterpreterforeveryappointmenttheyhaveandsometimes,becauseoflackofinterpreter,they

missanopportunitybenefitingfromasubsidizedprogram.

ItissohumiliatingtobeaskedsimilarquestionsforeverysubsidyIhavetoapply.Itmakesmefeel

likeIamabeggar,disabledandinvasionofmyprivacy.Whycantthegovernmenthaveonesystem

insteadofduplicating?

The

process

is

too

complicated.

I

would

prefer

not

to

apply,

as

I

have

to

collect

all

the

information

and

alltheforms.Somepeoplemaythinktheycantaketimetocollectalltheinformationtoapply,but

therearealotofpeoplewouldrathernottoapplybecauseofthecomplicatedprocess.

CommonIncomeCutOff

AcommonincomecutoffwouldmeanthateligibilityforallofTheCitysreduceduserfeeswouldbedeterminedusingthesameincomecutoff.

Allindividualsthatprovidedfeedbackonthecommonincomecutoffwereinfavourofthis

recommendation,asitwouldmaketheseprogramsmorefair,equitableandlessconfusing.


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Iwouldqualifyforalloftheprograms.JustbecauseImpoordoesntmeanIcantgoenjoysomeofthethingsinthisworld.Likethesciencecentre.IfIcouldgetonabusIcouldgolookattheCity.AndmaybeifIhadmybuspassmaybeIcouldhavehadajob10monthsago.

Theprocessisverycomplicated.Tobuythetransitpass,Ihavetoapply;togoswimming,Ihaveto

applyagain.AndeverytimeIgothroughtheapplicationprocess,Ihavetofindotherpeopletohelp.It

isveryhardforus(seniors)toalwaysaskotherpeopleforhelp.Wedontknowthelanguage,wedont

havethecomputerskills,andwedontevenknowwheretogettheapplicationforms.

FamilyPass

Ifeligible,familymemberswouldbeabletouseonepassatadiscountedrate.

Feedbackfromtheforumsshowedstrongsupportforafamilypass.

Whyshouldyouthpaymorethantheirparents?

"Familypasswouldallowalargerfamilytotraveltogetheracrossthecity"

...Iamasinglemompayingalmost$100[forbuspasses]IamonAISH.Itistoomuchformetopay.I

havetopay54.25formysonand$40formyself.WhenmydaughterturnssixIwillhavetopay

another$54.25andIcantaffordallthreebuspasses.Icantaffordtogetthebuspassesasitisnow.

ThatiswhyIthinkafamilypasswouldbegood.

CommonPercentageDiscount

Acommonpercentagediscountwouldmeanreduceduserfeesandagebaseddifferentialfeeswould

besetatthesamepercentagediscountacrossallbusinessunits.

Themajorityofforumparticipantswereinfavourofacommonpercentagediscount,asit

wouldmake

The

Citys

subsidies

fair,

straightforward,

and,

for

many,

more

affordable.


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Thiswouldmaketheprocessaloteasiertounderstand

Itwould

make

sense

to

get

the

same

discount

on

all

programs

SlidingFeeScale

Forthoselivingonalowincome,aslidingscalewouldprovideincreasinglygreaterdiscountsthe

lowertheincomecategoryanapplicantfallsinto.

Mostforumparticipantsstronglysupportedaslidingfeescaleasitrecognizesthereisa

widerangeinpeoplesabilitytopayforfees,andhelpsensureCityservicesaremore

affordableforpeoplelivingonlowincomes.

Even

thoughthefareisreduced,butIstillcannotafforditfor2people.

IamsingleladyonAlbertaWorksandmyincomeis$677amonth.Myrentis$400andIneedtobuy

foodandpayformyphone.Idohavealowbuspass,butIhavenotenoughmoneyattheendofthe

monthtopayforthelowbuspasstransit.

Useaslidingscalebecausesomepeoplehavelessincomethanothersdo.

Causewhenpeopleareonafixedincome,themoneyisgoneinaday,notincludingthecostof

transit

Paywhatyoucan:Useaslidingscalebecausesomepeoplehavelessincomeandmorechildrenthan

othersdo.


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IV.FairFaresOnlineSurveyResponses

1.WhichoftheCityofCalgarysubsidyprogramshaveyou:

Heard

About

Applied

for

Received Response

Count

Animalspay/neuterprogram

CityLinksforSeniors

PropertyTaxAssistance

RecreationalFeeAssistance

TransitLowincomemonth

pass

Transitseniorsannualpass

reducedrate

2.Haveyouorsomeoneyouknowtriedtoaccessanyofthesubsidiesbutfacedbarriers?If

so,pleasetelluswhathappened?


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3.Whichoftheapplicationmethodsdoyouuse?

Most Least ResponseCount

Mail

Online

Fax

Phone

Inperson

Other

4.Whattypeofproofofincomewouldyouisabletouse?


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5.Whatdoyoulikeanddislikeaboutthecurrenteligibilityrequirements?


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6.Doyouhaveanyfurthercommentsabouttheapplicationandrenewalprocessandwhya

subsidyisimportantforyou?Wouldyoubewillingtoshareyourexperiences?Ifso,please

provideyourcontactinformation.


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V. QuestionnaireResponses

Haveyoutriedtoaccessanyofthesediscountsforyourselforsomeoneinyourfamily,but

facedbarriers(eg.didntqualify,tooexpensive,etc.)?Describethebarriersyoufacedand

howthisimpactedyourlife.

Iworkwithhighriskandlowincomeyouthandwehaveahugenumberofyouththatcannotafford

evenalowincomebuspass.Theirincomeisneverenoughtocoverrent,foodandnecessities.

ForrightnowImunder18sothereforemysocialworkerpaysformybuspasses,butinafewmonthsI

willbe18andbecutoff.

Imake26,000ayearanddontqualifyfortheLowIncomeTransitPassandcannotdrivebecauseofa

disability.Ineedtotaketransit.Icanmakeitwork,butwhatifIhadchildren?

Asacommunityworkerittakesalotoftimetofilloutformsforclientsandwaitinlinewiththem.All

formsforCitysubsidiesshouldhavethesameinformationandshouldonlyrequireoneform.

TheLowIncomeTransitPassisstilltooexpensive.IbuyticketsbecausethepasscoststoomuchandI

cantpay$40.00allatoncewhenyouneedgroceries.

Howwoulditimpactyourlifeifyoucouldreceiveabetterdiscountfortheseservices?

IcouldgettomoreplacesifIcouldbetteraffordtransit.

Whyshouldpeoplewhoarehomelesshavetopayfortransittheyneedtogettoservicesthatcanget

themout

of

homelessness!

Idbeabletogettomyappointmentsandplacesformychildmucheasier.Idbebetterabletopayfor

itwithoutbeingtoohard.

Moneywouldgotohelpmychildandthingswouldbemucheasier.Alsotransfershouldbealittle

longerthan1.5hrs.

Itwouldbewayeasiertoattendappointmentsandattendsocialfunctions.Wouldalsomakeiteasier

to

budget

and

afford

necessities.

Youthwouldbemoreabletobudgetandaffordthenecessities.Theywouldntgetasmanytransit

ticketsandwouldbemoreabletoaffordtocareforthemselvesandtheirchildren.

Icouldprovidemoreneedsformychild.


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IsTransitforYouthtooexpensive?Howdoesthisaffectyouandyourfamilyslife?Ifyouare

ayouthworker,howdoesitaffecttheyouthyouworkwith?

Imanadultwhoispregnantandhavea2yearoldonsubsidythebuspassis$40whichisthepriceof

twocansofformulaformychild,or2or3bagsofdiapers.ThesearenecessitiesIneedformychildren

thatmake

it

hard

to

afford

abus

pass.

Ontopofthatabusticketonlylasts90minutesandittakeanhourtogettosomeappointments,so

Imspending$5.50for1triptothedoctors.

Yes,youthpassistooexpensive.Whenwehadtroubleswithmoneyitwasveryhard.Moneyistight.

ThepriceofticketsimpactstheyouthIworkwithgreatly.Itisveryimportantforclientstomake

appointmentstogethousing,food,healthcare,etc.andiftheycantaffordthetransitpricetheymiss

thoseappointmentswhichdelaysthemreceivingthehelpthattheyneed.

Transitpassesforyoutharemuchtooexpensiveandthismakesithardforyouthtogetaroundthe

city,attendappointments,etc.Youthoftenmissmeetingsandappointmentsduetonothavingbus

fare.Iftheybuyabuspassitmightmeantheycantafforddiapersfortheirbabyorfood.Manyyouth

thenjumpthetrainsandgetticketsthattheycantaffordtopay.

Theseniorspassshouldbemoreequitable.

Whyshouldyouthpaymorethantheirparents?

Transitisexpensive.Itcostsalottomaintainthewholesystem,butitshouldatleastbemore

reasonableforcitizenstoaffordit.

Yes,itistooexpensive.Handicappedchildrenshouldnothvetopayfortransitiftheyareunder18and

goingtoprograms.

Theantiyouthpoliciesofmanylevelsmunicipal,federalreflectthisfactthatunder25yearsolds

tendnottovote.Theresalackofpoliticalactivismandalienationamongyouth.

WhatwoulditmeanforyouandyourfamilyifTransitforYouthwaslessexpensive?Ifyou

areayouthworker,whatwoulditmeanfortheyouthyouworkwith?

Itwouldmakeitmucheasierformyfamilytogetaround,toactuallygettoappointmentsand

programsformychildren.

Moneywouldgofurtherandlastlonger.Itwouldgotowardsneedslikefood,etc.


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FortheyouthIworkwith,cheaper,moreaffordabletransitwouldimprovetheirqualityoflifebecause

theywouldmakemoreoftheirappointmentsandreceivemorehelp.Theywouldhaventtopickand

choosebyprioritywhatappointmentstheycanaffordatomake.Theycanusethemoneythatis

normallyspendontransitonfood,rent,utilities,etc.

Icould

afford

more

things

for

my

family.


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BelowaredetailedsummariesofforumsheldbyFairCalgaryCommunityVoicesmembers.

Forum:Woodridge

Youth

Forum

(Aspen

Family

Services)

Itimpactsourfutureifyoutharemissingschool,doctorsappointments,work,recreation,

church,community.[Itimpacts]societyasawhole.

Everyone[fromtheforum]feelsthesamewayaboutthecostoftransitforyouth.Youcant

getanywhereyouneedtobeifyoucantaffordtransit.Thishasanegativeimpactonpeoples

lives.

o

o


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o

o

o

o

- Theprogramswouldbemoreaccessibleiftheformswouldnotbesoscaryhardtofill

out

All[lowincomeprograms]shouldstartat100%ofLICO

- Afamilypasswouldimprovequalityoflifeformanypeopleandfamiliescouldenjoy

goingplacestogether

Thiswouldmaketheprocessaloteasiertounderstand.

- Definitely!Somepeoplecantaffordtopaythefullfarebecausetheydontmakealotof

moneyandmayhavealotofkidsthatallhavetobuyabuspass.Itwouldbebetterifit

wasbasedonincome.

Sometimesyouthhavetoasktheschoolforbusticketsortheycannotcome.Thisis

embarrassingandsomestudentsdontask

Itisembarrassingwhenyoucantaffordthefareandeffectsselfesteem.


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Forum:WomensCentreForum


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ImmigrantSectorCouncilofCalgarysForumwithSettlement

CounselorsfromCalgaryCatholicImmigrationSociety,CalgaryImmigrantWomens

Association,andtheEthnoculturalCouncilofCalgary

AffordabletransportationisabsolutelynecessaryforlowincomefamiliesandindividualsandCalgary

transitisgreattothisend.However,therecontinuetobehurdlesforsomeindividuals.

Clientswhohaveliteracyor

languageissuesfindthisverystressful.


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ItissohumiliatingtobeaskedsimilarquestionsforeverysubsidyIhavetoapply.Itmakesmefeel

likeIamabeggar,disabledandinvasionofmyprivacy.Whycantthegovernmenthaveonesystem

insteadofduplicating?

Thecounselorhelpedmetofilltheapplicationsforlowbuspassandthefeeassistanceprogram.Iam

nothappy,

it

took

me

alot

of

time

to

apply

for

the

low

bus

pass,

Ihave

to

be

on

the

line

for

about

1.5

hoursatthetransitofficeindowntown,andatthesametimeIneededtogoanddropmyapplication

forthefeeassistanceprogramstoafitnesscentre.

Even

thoughthefareisreduced,butIstillcannotafforditfor2people.

IamsingleladyonAlbertaWorksandmyincomeis$677amonth.Myrentis$400andIneedtobuy

foodandpayformyphone.Idohavealowbuspass,butIhavenoenoughmoneyattheendofthe

monthtopayforthelowbuspasstransit.

It


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doesntmakesensethatIwasdeniedbecauseIlivewithrelativeswhohavehighincome,myrelatives

dontgivemoneytobuymybuspass

Forum:YoungMomsCouncil(UnitedWayofCalgaryandArea)


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Asayouthworkerhavingtofilloutamilliondifferentformsforoneyouthtogetthemdifferent

thingsisfrustrating

Youhavechildcaretopayfor,formulaandkidsgrowoutoftheirclothesquick

Wereborderlineatthelow

incomecutoff,anditsstressfulbecausewerenotsureifwecountaslowincomeornot.

Iwasstuckathomefor3weeksbecauseIdidnthavetransitfare.

TherewerealotoftimesIcouldntmakeittoschool[becauseIdidnthavetransitfare].

:Ihaveposttraumaticstressdisorder,soIneedmycounseling,itsahugedealforme...

Thecostoftransitmakesitalmostimpossibletogettoit.

-

-

-


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Forum:DisabilityActionHallForums(2forums)


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CustomerServiceandaccessibilityonTransit:

RecreationalCentres

Improvementstothespayandneuterprogram:


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Forum:CalgaryChineseElderlyCitizensAssociationForums(3forums)


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SeeattachedEngagementToolkit,distributedtoserviceagenciesacrossthecitytoprovideinformationontheFairCalgaryrecommendationsunderconsideration,andusedasafacilitatorsguidetogatheringfeedbackfromcommunitymembers,clients,andotherstakeholders.

fair calgary community voices_community engagement summary-1

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