Guaranteed Opportunities? Toward an anti-colonial approach to policy analysis for poverty reduction

Our project is a framework that merges multi-criteria analysis, principles of anti-colonialism, and race equity forward approaches to alleviating deep poverty. The need for our project came from City staff who require a framework for analyzing actions included in the City of Vancouver first Poverty Reduction Strategy. Recognizing that the City of Vancouver is located on unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh peoples and that the impact of poverty is experienced differentially by Indigenous and racialized peoples, the City of Vancouver prioritizes an intersectional, decolonial, and race equity forward lens in all phases of development and implementation. 

Our team developed a framework for analyzing poverty reduction actions that seeks to make structures of power visible and provides insight into areas of intervention that will be strengthened by implementing policies and actions together to create a Guaranteed Opportunities Program approach to addressing deep poverty. This project intends to provide the City of Vancouver with critical insight into a strategy that moves Vancouver closer to being a city where all residents can thrive and flourish.

As settler scholars, we acknowledge the limitations of our world view and find that Indigenous leadership and co-development with Indigenous communities is key. We gratefully acknowledge the work of Indigenous communities, teachers and scholars who have shared teachings about Indigenous decision making, reciprocity and respect.