New Report Card on Child Poverty in Canada

http://www.campaign2000.ca/rc/index.html

Campaign 2000 have released a new report card based mainly on some number crunching by the Canadian Council on Social Development.  Among the more interesting findings:

The child poverty rate has been essentially unchanged over the past three years (2001- 2004), (and indeed gradually rising by the most commonly used post tax LICO measure). It remains well above the 1989 level.  In short, economic growth is failing to benefit those at the bottom.

Child poverty rates vary by province more on the basis of social policy than raw economic differences. BC and Alberta are doing relatively badly, while Quebec is doing relatively well. The child poverty rate in Quebec (15.6%) is well below that in BC  (23.5%) and only slightly higher than in Alberta (14.5%) (pre tax LICO measure)

Income inequality among families with children is increasing at an extremely rapid rate. Average real incomes for families with children have been almost stagnant for a decade at about $75,000, but are up by almost 50% for the top 10% (who now have an average pre tax income of $225,000, or three times the average.)

In summary, yet more depressing evidence that almost all of the gains from GDP growth are going to the very top of the incoem distribution, and that a rising tide does NOT lift all boats.

2 comments

  • Great work. There’s no substitute for hammering away at this issue. It is gaining some hearing too – the local paper put yesterday’s CCPA study on its front page.

  • from the article:
    52% of low income children in canada live in female lone parent families
    49% recent immigrants and
    40% off reserve children live in poverty

    Target groups are single Moms, new Immigrants and Natives.
    These groups likely over lap with each other.
    Dead beat Dads likely a factor too.
    Language & education barriers to good income.

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