October 1, 2009
12 to 1pm
Social Sciences room 217
One year later, the economic meltdown still impacts Calgarians' lives, says new report
The University of Calgary's Alberta Global Forum and its partner organizations say the recession has impacted Calgarians much more deeply than is portrayed by the media and government leaders. Their findings from focus groups with over 100 Calgarians are outlined in a report released September 15.
"Dashed Dreams, New Realities: Calgarians Talk Frankly about the Impact of the Economic Downturn" draws on the findings from ten focus groups organized by the Alberta Global Forum, Calgary Counselling Centre, Calgary Foundation, Canada West Foundation and the Sheldon Chumir Foundation for Ethics in Leadership.
Over one hundred people representing a cross section of ages, incomes, occupations and ethnicity contributed observations on how the recession has impacted Calgarians.
"This report is about giving a voice to the voiceless," says David Taras, Director of the Alberta Global Forum, "The most significant findings are that no one seems to have escaped the impact of the economic meltdown."
Five key themes emerged from the focus groups and are reflected in the report:
- Reduced employment and/or reduced income is a major concern for many Calgarians, especially middle and low income earners. In particular, the downturn has created an older cohort of people in a double bind that includes loss of investments and potential income security prior to retirement-age.
- The safety net designed for times of need was shredded before the downturn and has left many Calgarians with few resources available to them and little idea of how to navigate a patchwork of fragmented social services provided by governments and non-profit agencies. The disconnection between public demand for low taxes and a higher standard of services may prove especially problematic if budget cuts lead to corresponding service cuts.
- The lack of affordable housing in Calgary is a serious concern, even to those not personally at risk of losing their housing. An increase in homelessness has resulted from the sustained economic downturn.
- The economic meltdown has had some upsides, including a better labour market for social service agencies to attract and retain staff, a rise in entrepreneurship amongst Calgarians looking for ways to make ends meet, and more gratitude for what people already have in their lives.
- Participants noted several shifts in societal values and two views of Calgary emerged. Those least affected by the downturn view their city as a generous place and, by contrast, those most affected by the downturn see Calgary as an uncaring, harsh place to live. Additionally, the slide from boom to bust has given Calgarians a chance to reflect on what is really important to them. Participants expressed a desire for more community, more connection with their neighbours and more kindness.
Based on the impact of the economic meltdown, many focus group participants suggested that public policy consultations are required to look for long-term solutions focused on: greater community development, reconnecting taxation policies to service needs, and developing realistic plans for well-paced economic development that supports a large and prosperous middle class.
The full report is available at http://www.ucalgary.ca/agf/ The Alberta Global Forum plans to organize a series of public forums to address these issues in Fall 2009.