Income inequality hurts the health of all

As healthcare providers we see daily examples of how income affects health and we believe that municipalities have a role in addressing income inequality.

International public health research demonstrates that income inequality leads to worse health for all members of society – not just the poor. This is an issue of community health and well-being for everyone. It is about all of our families, neighbours, schools, and public spaces.

Poverty is a reality in our community. In Peterborough, more than 1 in 5 children under age five live in poverty, and almost 30 per cent of households with children struggle to put food on the table. Poverty has many causes, including temporary, part-time work with inadequate benefits, the high costs of rentals and of home ownership, and difficulty accessing childcare. Poverty predictably leads to poor health: people cannot afford much-needed medications, people choose between rent and food, and families and seniors risk losing their homes.

Municipal governments have the opportunity to be nimble and to respond to pressing matters like housing, transportation, and child care, that soften the impact of income inequality. In their report Ending Poverty Starts Locally the Canadian Federation of Municipalities calls upon municipalities to take bold action to reduce poverty. It highlights inspiring examples: Calgary’s slidingscale transit fare, Edmonton’s free annual memberships to city recreation facilities for people with low incomes and newcomers, and the decisions of over 60 municipalities to pay their employees and to require their contractors and subcontractors to pay their employees a living wage.

We urge Peterborough voters in all wards to ask their candidates how they will promote the health of us all by addressing income inequality. Read about your councillors’ positions on important issues such as poverty, housing and inclusivity at V4SP.ca, and find resources to help think through important social issues on the Municipal Elections page of PeterboroughPublicHealth.ca.

We urge councilors-to-be to learn about how municipal policies can make an impact on poverty and to take bold action to create a more equitable, healthy Peterborough.

Peterborough Healthcare Providers Against Poverty is a voluntary organization of healthcare providers who work to eliminate poverty and to increase equitable access to housing, food security, adequate income, and healthcare. Michele Fraser, MD, on behalf of Peterborough Healthcare Providers Against Poverty