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New game plan needed to fight poverty -- HPRT forum by Bob Mitchell Special to the Beaver 11 | Friday, October 16, 2015 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com A new game plan is needed to attack poverty, according to Colette Murphy, executive director of the Atkinson Foundation. Instead of looking for ways to fight poverty, businesses, institutions and community leaders must find ways to make their community wealthier, Murphy told those attending the Halton Poverty Roundtable (HPRT) forum recently in Oakville. The Atkinson Foundation was established in 1942 by Toronto Star Publisher Joseph E Atkinson. More than $68 million has been invested in Ontario over seven decades to advance his vision of an equitable society. "Companies and institutions need to use their economic power more deliberately," Murphy told stakeholders, business and community leaders in a jam-packed room at the Queen Elizabeth Park and Cultural Centre (QEPCCC). The event and speaker, dubbed a Commitment to Decent Work: a Practical Poverty Reduction Strategy, was the first in a series of events planned by the organization. Despite most of Ontario's more than 13 million people enjoying an enviable standard of living, poverty still affects many people. In Halton, currently one in 10, or more than 11,000 residents, are affected by poverty, opportunities and challenges," Murphy said. "My hope is communities such as Milton, Halton Hills, Burlington and Oakville will become known as truly wealthy communities by future generations in a truly prosperous Ontario." Under the new strategy of "community wealth building," community anchors, such as hospitals, institutions, manufacturers and developers, will find ways to provide skill and apprenticeship training for lower-income residents so they can earn a decent living with a prosperous future. These groups will also use local trades and businesses in their ongoing enterprises, Murphy explained. see Fighting p.14 Colette Murphy according to the latest statistics provided by the Canadian Council on Social Development. Of this number, 21 per cent are single, 19.5 per cent are single-parent families, 5.6 per cent are couples with families and 5.6 per cent are seniors. "Halton is the fastest-growing economic area in the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area (GTHA). It is well-positioned for the kind of population growth that comes with great Maya, Grade 8. Current HSC theatre luminary, future star on the world stage. Hillfield Strathallan College is an independent day school for Montessori Toddler and Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12. Join us for our Open House on Wednesday, November 4. Call 905-389-1367, or visit www.hsc.on.ca, for details.