ABSTRACT
The east side of Calgary is an area of high ethnic diversity, high density, and low socioeconomic status. Single-parent-headed families are in the majority; the remainder are primarily two-parent working families. A large number of first-or second-generation immigrant families live in this area. At the time of the Centre’s inception in 1990, this area was identified as both in high need and under serviced. There was a shortage of schools, health centers, and mental health services. Seventy percent of the city’s child protection referrals came from this quadrant of the city. Compounding these factors, governments in Canada were in a phase of cutbacks to medical, educational, and social services. Citizens were concerned about the inaccessibility of services, long waiting lists, and fees. New approaches to service delivery were needed. A set of consumer-oriented principles was developed to guide the responses to these consumer issues.
