In 2024, VCC unveiled its new strategy for community engagement—a broader approach to engaging voices of lived experiences and fostering connections in the community. Using the teachings of our Elders to guide us, we focus on circles not siloes.    

In our community, in Calgary and nationwide, social isolation and feelings of loneliness are prevalent and increasing. Statistics Canada research found that in the first quarter of 2024, “more than 1 in 10 people aged 15 or older reported that they always or often felt lonely.” 

Feeling lonely has adverse consequences, and those consequences only increase when living on a low income. According to a Community Food Centres Canada report, those who live below the Low Income Cut-Off (LICO) are 2.31 times more likely to report feeling disconnected from their community. LICO is an income threshold below which a family will likely devote a larger share of its income to basic needs (like food, shelter, and clothing) than the average family.  

Why?  

An inadequate income limits a person’s ability to access transportation, housing, and food while reducing their ability to engage with their local economy. Time is also limited, as it may be spent commuting to and from multiple jobs and working multiple jobs simply to make ends meet.  

Individuals who are new to living in poverty due to rising costs of living may experience isolation, stemming from stigma, fear, or a lack of connection to resources they previously didn’t need.

Additionally, loneliness and isolation can lead to adverse health outcomes, including a 29% increased risk of heart disease and a 32% risk of stroke. 

So, what can be done? 

Continued investment in transit programs. Transit acts as a connector, allowing people to find adequate work, engage in the economy, and participate in their communities. Public transit programs, such as the Low-Income Transit Pass, provide vital access to economic and other opportunities for people living on a low income.  In addition, examining city planning from a transit-oriented perspective allows those who do not have access to a car easier access around the city.  

Affordable housing developments across the city need to continue. Calgary’s subsidized housing stock sits at 2.9%, significantly below the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) average of 7%. There have been positive strides with a record number of building starts in 2024; however, continuing to build affordable housing is critical to ensuring all Calgarians have a stable place to live. It is also vital to ensure that this housing stock is accessible through transit and connected to the community by building strategically within the current infrastructure and not relegating new affordable housing to deep suburbs.  

Providing living wages and adequate income support. Adequate incomes that meet basic needs allow communities to prosper and be connected. The living wage in Calgary for 2024 is $24.45, which is almost $10 an hour above the minimum wage. In Alberta, a single person on social assistance receives a monthly allowance 50% below Calgary’s poverty line. Participating in local economies not only supports a thriving economy, it alleviates feelings of loneliness and isolation.  

The cycle of isolation, while a psychological phenomenon, has consequences not only on an individual's mental health but also on their physical health, the cohesion of communities, and the economic function of a city. It is imperative we pull on all policy angles to ensure our communities feel connected and supported.   

To learn more about these and intersecting issues, check out some of our other resources: