Cote-des-Neiges/NDG tables anti-poverty plan

It is called Plan 45,000. The goal is to help 45,000 people in Cote-des-Neiges/NDG in five years.

That is the number of people in the diverse borough estimated to be living near the poverty line.

The strategy tackles housing, transportation, income and food security.

Developers will have to provide land for 15 per cent of the units to be used for social and community housing.

Also, 15 per cent of units in private projects must be affordable.

WATCH: Questions raised about poverty reduction strategy

1:58 Questions raised about poverty reduction strategy

On transportation, the plan suggests free transit for children under age 12, a 40 per cent discount for low-income earners — and the launch of a pilot project that would make certain bus routes free in the borough during certain hours.

“It is one less thing to worry about, and can make a difference for a family trying to provide and get to work,” said James Hughes, president of the Cote-des-Neiges/NDG Roundtable on Poverty Reduction.

Food security is at the core of the plan.

“Food becomes the gateway — there’s a lot of other problems that people have, that they may hope to ignore, but food is urgent. And it is a means of communication about other issues,” said Reverend Joel Coppieters from the Cote des Neiges Presbyterian Church.

“By the time we are handing out food baskets, we can ask how their apartment is, are there any legal issues, is there mold?” said Coppieters.

All activities associated with children in the borough, like day camps or sports extracurriculars, will have some sort of healthy food on site.

“There are tens of thousands of children that have access to borough events — why not have granola bars and fruits and other healthy snacks available where they are?” said Coppieters.

To ensure that the recommendations are carried out, someone from the borough will be hired to deal specifically with the issue of poverty.

The plan comes into effect as of April 2019.