A Strategy Design Analysis of the Toronto Poverty Reduction Strategy

Poverty reduction strategies have become a popular policy instrument for addressing poverty across various levels of government. In 2015, the City of Toronto launched phase one of its own municipal poverty reduction strategy, which ran from 2015 to 2018. The following commentary uses strategy design principles to examine the strengths and weaknesses of phase one of the Toronto Poverty Reduction Strategy (TPRS) based on interviews conducted with four key stakeholders involved in the strategy’s design and implementation. Joined-up governance and public participation were both identified as design strengths of the TPRS, while a lack of prioritization and funding were identified as challenges to effective implementation. As governments across Canada and the world search for feasible, acceptable, and effective ways to reduce and alleviate poverty and other health-related issues. strategy design principles provide a valuable framework for analyzing the complex processes which contribute to a strategy’s success or failure.