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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, October 14, 2016 | 8 Vital Solutions will check progress after Vital Signs by Julia Le Oakville Beaver Staff Oakville may be an affluent community, but it has deep pockets of poverty, says longtime Oakville resident Mary De Sousa. The Oakville Community Foundation's (OCF) Vital Signs report, released last fall, highlighted challenges, but De Sousa admitted she didn't realize the sheer "magnitude" of barriers facing some residents until she delved into it. "The shocking thing was the problem was bigger than I expected it to be," said De Sousa, an executive vice-president of member experience and marketing at FirstOntario Credit Union's new Dundas Street location. "I didn't think any of those things did not exist, but they were perhaps a little more prominent than expected." Backed by statistics, the report said Oakville is a community of contrasts -- home to Halton's highest and lowest incomes; well established but experiencing significant growth in population and diversity. Not everyone can afford to live here and although the crime rate is low, in 2014, 302 calls were made to the SAVIS Halton (Sexual Assault & Violence Intervention Services of Halton) 24hour support/crisis line. Vital Signs highlighted four prominent issues affecting quality of life in Oakville -- the equity gap, housing, mental health and inclusion. It also tallied Oakville's assets and the hope the community would collectively build long-term solutions. De Sousa noted it listed tangible ways for everyone to learn, give and do more to create a place where all feel like they belong. "It's really focused on getting to the root cause of issues," she said. "In working with Sheridan (College), the one thing that impressed me was how deep into the issues the Oakville Community Foundation is going." For that reason, the Credit Union has worked with the OCF in the last year to see what role it can play in tackling the issues. Its staff has loaned expertise and time on committees addressing the key issues. It is title sponsor of the 2016 Creating Vital Solutions report, to be released Tuesday (Oct. 18) at Film. Ca Cinemas, highlighting progress since Vital Signs was released. De Sousa said the Credit Union's support stems from its belief that action is taking place. "It's not just a discussion on what could be done, there's active participation," she said, noting the business and staff are involved. That team approach is key, said Alex Sarchuk, Halton Region's commissioner of Social and Community Services. The Region works with community groups on poverty issues and Sarchuk said the OCF's work is appreciated. "We take their research and their findings about the Halton community, specifically Oakville, very seriously," he said, noting as Vital Signs is published every few years, it provides a view of trends. He said the Region responds to the findings in numerous ways. The Halton Region Community Investment Fund (HRCIF) funds gaps in services issues. The $1.4-million fund's annual budget targets community agencies providing health and social services, especially those developing innovative processes or expanding into under-serviced neighbourhoods. With housing a key issue identified, Sarchuk said Halton Region takes its obligation to provide a range of housing seriously. That includes: access to affordable market housing, subsidized housing (rent-geared-toincome), housing with supports, an emergency shelter program, and one-time financial assistance for low-income earners in difficulty. "We're a significant landlord through our housing corporation of 29 properties and many thousands of units," said Sarchuk. The Region maintains its own housing stock in good repair and has been "extremely active" adding to that stock, including buying into the private condominium market. "We think it's a novel and important way we are meeting the demand for social housing," he said. Halton Region purchased a 28-unit seniors' building in Oakville offering affordable rent for low-income residents and upgrading. Over the last year, Halton has turned provincial and federal funding into places to live in Halton, said Sarchuk. On the equity gap, it offers food vouchers, subsidized bus passes and child-care subsidies for low-income earners. It invests in mental health services, which Sarchuk says are "very much necessary," in the areas of prevention, at-risk youths and older adults, and early intervention. Tuesday's (Oct. 18) 9:15 a.m. launch of the 2016 Creating Vital Solutions Report is open to the public. For more information, visit theocf. org. Authorized Dealer of Fall Spa Clearout! th to 29th th october 24th lazboyspas.com 00 ! 9 $ 4,99 @ MADE IN CANADA as Sp arting St LEISURE CENTRE 5430 Harvester RD, Burlington · 905-631-0837 · foxpoolandspalc.ca Financing Available