Building a Strong, Accessible Calgary

Albertans will soon cast their vote on a referendum that could have significant impacts on the province. On October 19, Albertans must decide whether the province should remain in Canada or begin the legal process to hold a future legally binding vote on independence.   The referendum raises questions that go far beyond separation, including how political and economic uncertainty could affect jobs, public services, immigration, and people living on low incomes.  In this episode of Let's Talk Poverty, Michelle James, Director, Policy at Vibrant Communities Calgary, sits down with Ruhee Ismail-Teja of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce and Alexa Briggs of the Nonprofit Chamber to explore what Alberta's referendum could mean for the economy, social services, and the well-being of Calgarians and Albertans.    Three key takeaways  Uncertainty around the vote has real and immediate consequences for Alberta. Polls show that business leaders in Alberta are already reconsidering expansion plans and considering relocation. Additionally, changes to immigration and Alberta's workforce could negatively impact the economy.  Good economic policy is good social policy. The purpose of a strong economy is to create a vibrant city and province, where no one is left behind. Nonprofits play a major role in Alberta's economy and provide critical services to people experiencing hardship. Changes to government revenues, funding, or the cost of delivering services could have significant impacts.  The other nine questions. Five questions address immigration and four address the Constitution. It is important to understand which questions are binding and what kind of action a 'yes' or 'no' vote would prompt from the government before voting.     About Alexa Briggs  Alexa Briggs is an executive leader and strategist with more than 15 years of experience at the intersection of public policy, organizational strategy and community impact. As Executive Vice President, Policy, Insight & Engagement at the Nonprofit Chamber, she leads policy, government relations, sector intelligence and stakeholder engagement. Her work spans workforce strategy, civic participation, poverty reduction, sector resilience, and economic and social policy.    About Ruhee Ismail-Teja  Ruhee Ismail-Teja is an executive leader in public affairs, currently serving as Vice President, Policy and External Affairs at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, overseeing public policy, media and communications, and government and external relations. Ruhee's community contributions include serving on the boards of the Werklund Centre (formerly Arts Commons), McGill University's Max Bell School of Public Policy, YMCA Canada, ParticipACTION and others. She holds a Master of Public Policy from McGill University, a Bachelor of Science (Honours) from Queen's University and a Governance Essentials Certificate from the Institute of Corporate Directors. 

What remains hidden cannot be addressed. It is time to address the hidden issue of women's homelessness in Calgary. In this episode of Let's Talk Poverty, Michelle James sits down with Lana Bentley, CEO of the Women's Centre of Calgary and Heather Morley, Executive Director at Inn from the Cold. Hidden homelessness puts women, children, and gender diverse people at risk of illness, violence, and isolation. When their experiences go unrecognized and unsupported, these hardships often repeat across generations, deepening cycles of poverty and trauma. In order to break these cycles, Calgary needs local solutions that build inclusive housing and lasting stability for everyone. Three key takeaways ·      Gender-responsive services that account for women's health, safety, and childcare responsibilities are essential to addressing homelessness ·      Discrimination based on income source, family status, race, Indigenous identity and other factors can create additional barriers to housing. ·      Better data, stronger advocacy and collaboration across sectors are essential to creating more effective solutions to homelessness. About Unaddressed Unaddressed represents the first comprehensive, community-based study of its kind in the City of Calgary to examine the lived realities of homelessness and housing insecurity among women and gender-diverse people. Built on the recognition that their experiences are distinct in both their pathways and outcomes, particularly amidst Alberta's rapidly evolving housing policy landscape, the report presents critical opportunities to better reflect and respond to these realities. About Heather Morley Heather Morley is the Chief Executive Officer of Inn from the Cold, leading Alberta's only shelter and housing organization dedicated exclusively to serving families experiencing homelessness. Since joining The INN in 2019, Heather has welcomed opportunities and championed change, expanding innovative services and programs for families, and advancing trauma-informed care. With a career spanning more than 30 years across Canada and the United States, Heather has always worked at the intersection of homelessness, housing, abuse, and poverty. She is known for transforming organizations, strengthening community connections, and fostering spaces where collaboration thrives; she believes the most complex challenges require collective solutions. About Lana Bentley Lana Bentley is Executive Director of the Women's Centre of Calgary. She has spent her career championing women and girls. A family therapist by training, Lana is also an award-wining instructor at Mount Royal University. A strong believer in investing in your community and celebrating diversity, Lana sits on several boards including Youth Central Calgary, the Alberta College of Opticians, and the Black Heritage Committee at Heritage Park. When she's not working or volunteering, you can find Lana on the ski hill, cheering on the Toronto Raptors, or adding to her ever growing sneaker collection. Subscribe to Let's Talk Poverty on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Have an idea for us to explore or a question for us? Send us a message!

What makes housing truly accessible? Where do people turn when they can't find it? In this episode of Let's Talk Poverty, Krista Davidson Flint takes Michelle James on a tour of Inclusio by AccessibleHousing. Inclusio is a fully accessible, supportive living home for adults with limited mobility who require some assistance with activities of daily living but also value autonomy and independence. Krista talks about the need for more accessible housing options, addresses misconceptions, and shares what makes housing truly accessible.

Michelle James sits down with Dr. Andrew McGee, associate professor at the University of Alberta and Courtney Mo, Director of Community Impact at Momentum, to discuss the findings of new research on Alberta's Gig Economy. Led by the Calgary Social Policy Collaborative, this new report exposes the pressures facing Alberta's gig workers and the policy tools that could better support them. 

Jaclyn Silbernagel sits down with Jean Boulton, complexity scientist, author of The Dao of Complexity and Embracing Complexity, and thought leader on systems change. Together, they explore what it means to rethink how the world works, seeing systems as dynamic and relational. They talk about embracing uncertainty, using narrative and shared sense-making to co-create the future, and shifting from quick fixes to deeper systems change in addressing the root causes of challenges like poverty. 

Jaclyn Silbernagel sits down with members of the Enough for All Lived Experience Network — a group of individuals who have personally experienced poverty in different ways. Together they discuss the need for a compassionate society, the lasting impacts of intergenerational experiences, and how listening to people's lived experiences can change how we see poverty and one another. Their diverse voices and perspectives deepen our understanding of poverty.   At Vibrant Communities Calgary, centring these voices is essential to advancing the work of poverty reduction. These stories and insights are lived expertise, informing how we address the systems that keep poverty in place. 

Jaclyn Silbernagel sits down with Vinod Rajasekaran, CEO and Editor-in-Chief of Future of Good, to explore systems change and what it takes to unlock lasting impact. An award-winning innovator, Vinod leads Canada's leading digital publication dedicated to making sense of the social-impact world through stories, news, analysis, and commentary. Together, they explore how we move beyond band-aid solutions toward systems breakthroughs—how shifting systems, not just symptoms, can reduce poverty. They look at where the biggest opportunities lie for systems change in the future, and the role of possibility and reimagination.

Jaclyn Silbernagel sits down with four executive directors of legal guidance organizations across Alberta to discuss access to justice, the need to provide free or low-cost legal advice and representation, and why we need to influence broader systemic change. Many thanks to our guests, Executive Director of Calgary Legal Guidance Lisa Stebbins, Executive Director of Edmonton Community Legal Centre Debbie Klein, Executive Director of Central Alberta Community Legal Clinic Kathy Parsons, and Executive Director of Lethbridge Legal Guidance Society Carrie Larson. 

In this episode of Let's Talk Poverty, Jaclyn Silbernagel connects with Larry Mathieson, President and CEO of Unison at Kerby Centre to talk about the myths and misconceptions around older adults and poverty, how local non-profits are supporting Calgary's older adult community, and where the gaps exist in supports. 

In this episode of Let's Talk Poverty, Jaclyn Silbernagel connects with Buddie Dixon and Shawna Morning Bull, the co-chairs of the Indigenous Gathering Place. They discuss the need for a purpose-built and culturally rich gathering space dedicated to ceremony and the sharing of Indigenous knowledge.