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Poverty simulation happening Wednesday at Festival Hall

Oct 15, 2018 | 1:23 PM

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to live in poverty, a unique experience is happening this Wednesday.

Hosted by the Central Alberta Poverty Reduction Alliance, the Welcoming and Inclusive Communities Network, and United Way Central Alberta, the latest poverty simulation will aim to make participants empathetic to the plight of someone living paycheque to paycheque.

“You’re going to take away from it an understanding of the experience of an individual who lives with low income, who has challenges in making ends meet, having to make decisions about what they are going to buy today, what bills they’re going to pay or what they’re going to be able to sign their kids up for,” says Monica Morrison, executive director at the Golden Circle and member of CAPRA and WIC. “You’ll be dealing with banks and social workers; it’s a full real life simulation.”

The simulation comes at an interesting time in Alberta as the minimum wage just increased to $15/hour on October 1.

“It’s going to help, but prices have jumped in grocery stores and restaurants for certain things, so sometimes you’re damned if you do and you’re damned if you don’t,” Morrison says. “The jury is out on that. I hear a lot of positive and negative.”

Morrison adds that the increase would likely be more helpful to a family with two breadwinners who both have low income because that household could then be getting double the increase.

“People really have no idea what it’s like living paycheque to paycheque and some of the challemges people have to go through. It is a real eye-opening experience,” she continues. “There are a lot of us who have no clue what it’s like to figure out what the heck we’re going to put on the table for supper because the fridge is bare.”

It’s estimated that there are more than 11,500 Red Deerians who live in poverty – 2,300 of them chidren.

Registration for the simulation is required and there are limited spots available. Register by calling Monica Morrison at 403-343-6074. The event runs Wednesday at Festival Hall from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.