Letter from the President 2010-2011

Board President Brian Hill

The year of 2010-2011 was an exciting year that saw the Community Social Planning Council continue its 75-year tradition of supporting positive and sustainable change in BC’s Capital Region. It is also fair to say that we emerged from a challenging period ready to play a stronger collaborative leadership role in our region’s development. In the past year, the Council consolidated its programmatic focus into four priority areas:

• poverty reduction and prevention
• housing affordability
• community economic development, and
• enhancing the socio-economic and environmental sustainability of our communities.

Exciting work is underway in each of these areas, and more details are available in the Executive Director’s report and on the Council’s website.

In the area of poverty reduction and prevention, the Quality of Life CHALLENGE came to an end in 2011 and a new coalition, Doing it Better Together, was born. I would like to thank the many individuals, organizations and businesses that worked together through the CHALLENGE to reduce poverty and increased quality of life in our region. The Council will work with a new coalition for poverty prevention and reduction to further develop legacies of the CHALLENGE, such as the Living Wage and Affordability Index, and to create new initiatives to respond to pressing concerns of poverty.

In 2009 and 2010, the Council went through a difficult period of shrinking resources, staff reductions and an Executive Director on extended leave. The staff of the Council, led by Christina Peacock as Interim Executive Director, went well above and beyond during this period to keep the Council working. The board rose to the challenge led by the remarkable commitment of our Past President, Trish Stovel, and our out-going Treasurer, Penny Pattison, to support staff and chart a course to a new chapter for the Council.

In 2010, a board transition team was struck to recruit and support a new Executive Director, and Rupert Downing was hired last August. Rupert has worked with Council staff, the board, existing partners and his own extensive networks to focus the Council’s work and achieve a much stronger financial position through diversified grants and fees for service.

On November 3, we will gather to celebrate 75 years of the Council’s contributions to our Region. Please join us if you are able. And, more importantly, please join us in making the Council relevant and effective in meeting the needs our communities. As you will learn at our 75th celebration, the Council has achieved much through its history. It’s up to us now to write the next chapter, and we need your help.

Brian Hill, President,
Community Social Planning Council Board of Directors
September 2011