Engagement Toolkit For Fair Calgary Community Voices Forums

Fair Calgary Community Voices is a group of individuals and organizations working together to ensure city fees, fares and subsidies for Calgarians living on low incomes are affordable and accessible.
The City of Calgary is reviewing the criteria for their low-income subsidy programs. We are asking for your stories about: why low-income subsidies matter; about how not being eligible for a subsidy impacts you; about what being able to access subsidies means to individuals and families. This input will be presented to the Citys Community and Protective Services Standing Policy Committee on September 5, 2012. Please feel free to invite your clients and staff to join us at that meeting. We have put together an Engagement Toolkit for agencies and groups to use in order to gather community input into the Fair Calgary recommendations. Your stories will give a face to the following Fair Calgary recommendations:

That there be more than one location to apply for the Citys low-income subsidy programs and one application form for all subsidy programs. That once you have been approved for residency and income for one City low-income subsidy program you will not have to repeat the process of proving residency and income for all other City of Calgary subsidy programs. Annual renewals will continue. That all of the Citys low-income subsidy programs use the same income cut-off definitions for determining eligibility. That other members in a family could be eligible for the Citys low-income subsidy programs regardless of who applies in the family. That the percentage discounts will be common between all of the Citys low-income subsidy programs based on a sliding scale.

The recommendations would apply to the following City of Calgary low-income subsidy programs: The Low Income monthly transit pass No Cost Spay/Neuter Program for Adults (18-64) Property tax assistance for homeowners The age-based transit passes Waste and recycling Fee assistance program (recreational City Links for seniors subsidies)

GATHERING COMMUNITY INPUT ON INCREASING ACCESS TO THE CITY OF CALGARYS LOW INCOME SUBSIDY PROGRAMS
Some Individuals and groups you work with are affected by the City of Calgary low-income subsidy programs. By collecting their feedback on the Fair Calgary recommendations being proposed, you can help convince City Council to adopt them. The feedback you collect will remain anonymous.

Materials:
This package contains background information and materials that will help you conduct your discussions, including: Suggested questions for discussion groups An explanation of Fair Calgarys recommendations Links to the application forms for some of the Citys low-income subsidy programs Fair Calgarys resources and information

Gathering Input:
We recommend one facilitator per 10-person discussion. You may decide to flipchart points from your discussion or have a note-taker document the discussion. We suggest setting aside 1.5 - 2 hours for the discussion. Please record all comments even if they dont relate directly to the questions. Feel free to invite the City Alderman who represents the ward you are holding your forum in. If you would like assistance with a forum or have any questions, please email faircalgaryvoice@gmail.com

Submitting Input:
Please submit responses including notes, stories or images related to the questions below to faircalgaryvoice@gmail.com by June 15th, 2012. Include the name of the contact person for the forum, their phone number and the total number of people included in your discussion.

Sign up Sheet:

Please create a sign up sheet so participants can sign up if they would like to share their stories with City Councils Standing Policy Committee or speak with their alderman directly. Submit the sign up sheet along with your forum information. We can assist with presentations if needed.

Ways to Use the Engagement Toolkit:

Organizations and community groups can: Hold community forums with members of your organization or community members Make a presentation to the Community and Protective Services Standing Policy Committee on September 5th. The presentation can include a video or power point presentation and must be no longer than 5 minutes in length. Tell your story online by visiting the Calgary United Way Social Voice Complete the Fair Calgary Community Voices survey online at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NYBKSQN Download the Engagement Toolkit onto your organizations website Email the Engagement Toolkit to your contacts

QUESTIONS FOR COMMUNITY FORUMS:

The following questions tied to each recommendation may be used in your discussions. You might choose to focus on a specific recommendation affecting this group, or you may discuss each area! 1. Single-Entry If approved, the single-entry recommendation would mean there would be more than one location to apply for the Citys low-income subsidy programs and only one application form for all subsidies. Once you have been approved for residency and income for one subsidy program, you will not have to repeat the process of proving residency and income for all other City of Calgary low-income subsidy programs. Annual renewals will continue. How does the current process of applying separately for each of the Citys low-income subsidy program affect you? How would it impact your life if there were more locations where you could apply for a subsidy? 2. Common Income Cut-Off If approved, this would mean that all of the Citys low-income subsidy programs would use the same income cut-off definitions for determining eligibility. Does your income make you eligible for one of the Citys low-income subsidy programs but disqualify you from another? How does this impact your life? How would it impact your life if you were eligible for all of the Citys low-income subsidy programs? 3. Family Pass If approved, this would mean that other members in a family could be eligible for the Citys lowincome subsidy programs regardless of who applied in the family. Are you eligible for a subsidy but someone else in your household is not? How does this impact their life? How would it impact your life if everyone in your household were eligible for the Citys lowincome subsidy programs? 4. Common Percentage Discounts If approved, this would mean that the percentage of discount would be the same across all City of Calgary low-income subsidy programs. For example, if you received a 50% discount on a Transit Pass, you would receive a 50% discount on a Recreation Pass. This could also mean that all age groups receive the same percentage discount. For example, if an eligible youth receives a 50% discount, eligible seniors would receive a 50% discount. Does one of the Citys low-income subsidy programs provide you with a better discount than another? How would it impact your life if you received the same percentage discount for all City lowincome subsidy programs? 5. Sliding Fee Scales If approved, the percentage discounts will be common between all of the Citys low-income subsidy programs based on a sliding scale. The ability of individuals to afford services is different from person to person based on their income. Do you believe a sliding fee scale would make the Citys low-income subsidy programs fairer? 6. Other ideas or comments you would like to share?

Links for the City of Calgary Low-Income Subsidy Programs

To learn about the Fair Calgary Policy: http://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/CNS/Pages/Social-research-policy-and-resources/Fair-CalgaryPolicy.aspx Adult Monthly Low-Income Transit Pass: The Adult Monthly Low-Income transit pass is for a single person age 18-64 living below $16,977.75 (75% of 2010 LICO) and AISH recipients. When you apply you will need last year's income tax assessment and picture identification. You can also use your AISH card if you have one. City Council has recently approved the use of other proofs of income and these new proofs will be accepted in the near future. Transit Application: Low-Income http://www.calgarytransit.com/html/low_monthly_income_pass.html Seniors Annual transit Pass http://www.calgarytransit.com/html/senior_yearly_passes.html Picture ID: Phone Katie Wolfe at 403-410-1939 or email her at id@calgaryunitedway.org for help in getting your picture ID. Income Tax Assessment: Call Revenue Canada at 1800.959.8281 if you have lost your last years tax assessment. If you have reduced mobility Revenue Canada may be able to send out a volunteer to help you complete your taxes. For free income tax preparation visit: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/ndvdls/vlntr/clncs/calgary-ab-eng.html Call 211 for your local resource centre if you need help with forms. Property Tax Assistance: http://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/CNS/Pages/Seniors/Property-Tax-Assistance-Program.aspx No Cost Spay/Neuter Program: The City of Calgary Animal & Bylaw Services accepts applications for the No Cost Spay/Neuter Program, which provides free spay and neuter surgery for cats and dogs of eligible low-income Calgarians. http://calgary.ca/CSPS/ABS/Pages/Animal-Services/No-cost-spay-neuter-program.aspx Recreational Fee Assistance Program: http://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/Recreation/Pages/Fee-assistance/Home.aspx