Inequality isn’t unique to COVID-19 — the pandemic just exposed and amplified existing issues in our society. For example, racialized communities, Indigenous people, women, people with disabilities, and lower-income households had different pandemic experiences than others.
The members of these communities had a higher chance of exposure to the virus, and an increased risk of death. They were more likely to experience social isolation, lack of access to services and education, and worse health outcomes overall. They also suffered the most because of inflation, the housing crisis, and food security issues.
While stock markets and housing prices soared in value, the gap between rich and poor widened. Global billionaire wealth increased by $3.9 trillion while workers’ labour income fell by $3.7 trillion during the pandemic. The cost of living increased dramatically without a similar increase in people’s income or social assistance. This left many vulnerable people struggling to make ends meet and having to choose between paying rent and buying food.
As we look to recover from the pandemic and work to address inequalities in our community, everyone has a part to play. We can stay educated and aware of these issues. We can participate in the Federal Election on September 20th by voting for the candidate we believe in. We can advocate for equality with our local politicians.
The Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough recently announced that using an equity lens, we will intentionally focus Vital Community Grants on organizations serving people who are most likely to be disadvantaged by the current system. At the Community Foundation, our purpose is to build a vital community for everyone and we embed an understanding of equity in our work. Equity is about fairness and justice; it’s a concept that helps us recognize how biases in our culture put barriers between people and their ability to live a healthy, happy life. Equity is about removing barriers as well as addressing the underlying systems of oppression so that everyone in our community can thrive.
Help us combat inequalities in our community by donating to the Community Foundation.
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