Poverty has impacts on many aspects of community and individual well-being, such as food, housing, education, health and employment. Poverty affects not just the individuals living in poverty, but also the community as a whole. The City of New Westminster is working with the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) and local organizations to reduce poverty in New Westminster through the Community Poverty Reduction Initiative.
On December 5, 2016, New Westminster's City Council endorsed New Westminster's Community Poverty Reduction Strategy. The New Westminster Community Poverty Reduction Strategy is the culmination of several years of dedicated work on behalf of the Community Poverty Reduction Committee. The strategy provides a vision for moving forward and specific actions to enhance the quality of life of families, while providing a supportive environment and opportunities to help families move out of poverty. The strategy, which incorporates a five-year action plan, is based on extensive research and a comprehensive community consultation process, including with those with lived experiences of poverty.
On Monday, December 15, 2025, Council endorsed the new Food Security and Systems Plan. The Plan, which will replace the 2018 Food Security Action Plan, was developed in response to a Council motion directing to staff to work with organizations operating food security programs in New Westminster to better understand their needs and gaps, and to explore opportunities for collaboration, including by engaging in the development of a new Food Security Action Plan.
The Plan was developed with the guidance of a working group made up of community partners and people with lived and living experience. It includes 43 actions organized under six interconnected themes: Collaboration; Food Access and Affordability; Sustainability (Financial, Environmental, and Climatic Dimensions); Food Economy; Health, Culture and Food; and Systems Change.
These actions reflect the voices of more than 167 participants who took part in engagement activities and shared their experiences around food resilience, including accessing, growing, and distributing food. To support implementation over the next five years, a cross-sectoral Food Table will be established.
- Food Security and Systems Plan
- Food Security Action Plan
- Fraser Health Low Cost Food Directory
- Everybody Needs to Eat: Food Security Mythbusters
- Everybody Needs to Eat: No Money, No Food
- Everybody Needs to Eat: Food and Income Glossary
- So You Want to Start a Food Program
- Food Sense: Healthy Cooking on a Budget
The Community Poverty Reduction Committee has produced reports on topics related to poverty reduction:
- Poverty Mythbusters
- New Westminster Education Savings Implementation Group Progress Report
- New Westminster Poverty Profile (January 2024)
- Tax Filing Evaluation Report
- BC Local Poverty Reduction Strategies Promising Practices and Actions 2021-2023
Below are links to resources that may be useful for social service agencies and local residents: