June, 2010

In many ways, Quebec was spared the worst of the recession’s impact. The province had a comparatively small increase in unemployment, higher than average Employment Insurance coverage, and a relatively low increase in social assistance cases. But despite these general trends, Quebec families still found themselves confronted with greater economic insecurity thanks to the impact of the recession. Cost of living rose sharply, forcing families to stretch their incomes farther, and bankruptcies and food bank use increased. Read more »

Last week I participated in a tele-learning seminar hosted by Tamarack on the Ontario Poverty Reduction Strategy, Breaking the Cycle. This is the fourth in a nation-wide series on provincial poverty reduction strategies.

Ontario’s strategy is unique in the sense that its specific goals and targets are focused on one particular area- to reduce child poverty by 25% in 5 years. As a result much of the plan’s focus is on child-tax benefits, child care, early childhood education, and training for children and youth. Education and support for children is seen as a key element to breaking the cycle of poverty. Read more »

In many ways, Ontario bore the brunt of the recession. Over half of all jobs lost in Canada during the recession were lost in Ontario. Nonetheless, Ontario had the lowest Employment Insurance coverage in the country. Not surprisingly then, Ontario Works caseloads skyrocketed. Rising cost of living contributed to the rise in poverty, as low income families had to stretch their dollars farther in 2009. The result was an increase in bankruptcies and food bank use. Read more »

While Atlantic Canada was spared the worst of the recession, it couldn’t escape the recession’s impact entirely. Poverty and economic insecurity increased in Nova Scotia as unemployment climbed. Despite high coverage of Employment Insurance, many Nova Scotian families had to turn to social assistance to get by. Cost of living rose sharply in 2009, driving up food bank use and resulting in an increase in bankruptcies in the province. Read more »

In 2007, Newfoundland and Labrador had the third lowest poverty and child poverty rate in the country, due largely to the efforts of its poverty reduction strategy. Unfortunately, despite this huge success, the 2008-2009 recession has increased poverty and economic insecurity for Newfoundland and Labrador families.

Newfoundland and Labrador suffered the second largest increase in unemployment in the country during the recession. Employment Insurance prevented many of these families from turning to social assistance, but Income Support caseloads still increased. The effects of the recession were visible in rising food bank use and an increase in bankruptcies, as the province also had to contend with a significant increase in the cost of living. Read more »

Last week the Canadian Truth and Reconciliation Commission for the Indian Residential Schools was officially launched in Winnipeg. Those present included Murray Sinclair and the other commissioners, government officials such as the Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs, Chuck Strahl, Aboriginal, Métis and Inuit people from across the country, representatives from the four national churches who ran the schools, and the general public.

This was the first opportunity for many residential school survivors to share their stories with the Canadian public. Emotions were running high for those testifying, as well as those listening. The truth stirred up memories among survivors, and regret among the others. Read more »

Manitoba had one of the smallest increases in unemployment during the recession. But the recession nonetheless had a significant impact, increasing poverty and economic insecurity for Manitoba families. While job loss was low, Employment Insurance coverage was also low, leading to a surprisingly large increase in social assistance cases. Food bank use and bankruptcies also rose during the recession, as the cost of living increased sharply in 2009. Read more »

The 2008-2009 recession hit Alberta very hard, creating poverty and economic insecurity for Alberta’s families. Proportionally, Alberta lost the more jobs than any other province as unemployment shot up. Employment Insurance coverage was very low, forcing many Albertans to turn to social assistance. Low income Albertans had to stretch their dollars further as food costs increased far more than core inflation. The effects of the recession on Alberta can be seen in the skyrocketing number of bankruptcies and the largest increase in food bank use of all Canadian provinces.

Standard measures of poverty are published with a two year lag time. But while we need to wait until 2011 to see the recession’s effect on those measures, new research by Citizens for Public Justice, with funding from World Vision Canada, already reveals the impact of the recession on key economic indicators and poverty trends. Read more »

This week, ACORN Ottawa (the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) launched their 2010 Platform for the upcoming municipal election. I joined ACORN members and supporters as they gathered at the Dorothy O’Connell Monument to Anti-poverty Activism at Ottawa City Hall and announced their policy priorities for the election. With the election coming up on October 25, 2010 supporters hope to get the message out to candidates across the city – poverty matters. Read more »