Child poverty stalled: no improvement in 19 years

A report released today by Campaign 2000 shows Canada’s child poverty rate is at almost the same level as when Parliament unanimously resolved to end child poverty by the year 2000.

The 2008 Report Card on Child and Family Poverty in Canada reveals that child poverty is virtually unchanged from 1989 levels.

CPJ joined coalition spokespersons on Parliament Hill for the release of the report card. MPs Justin Trudeau (Lib.), Nicole Demers (BQ) and Olivia Chow (NDP) were also present to comment on Canada’s record.

“These stubborn poverty rates reveal that even with 15 years of economic growth, we’ve been unable to solve this crisis,” said Joe Gunn, executive director of Citizens for Public Justice. “As we face this economic downturn, the government would be well-advised to ensure these levels don’t increase – the need for a federal poverty reduction strategy is clear.”

During the last recession, child poverty increased from one in nine children to one in five living in poverty. “With recent cuts to social assistance, we’re concerned that people living in poverty are in a worse position than before,” Karri Munn-Venn, socio-economic policy analyst with CPJ, commented. “We need the government to commit to protecting the most vulnerable citizens.”

Joe added, “This report card, using 2006 data from Statistics Canada, covers the first year of Stephen Harper’s government. There can be no more excuses, no more passing blame to past governments. The time to act is now.”

The report card’s key findings include:

• Canada’s after-tax child poverty rate appears stalled at 11.3 per cent;
• Nearly one out every nine Canadian children lives in poverty;
• A startling 40 per cent of low-income children live in families where at least one of their parents works full-time year round – they’re the working poor; and
• Children in racialized, new Canadian and Aboriginal families as well as children with disabilities are at greater risk of living in poverty.

Visit www.campaign2000.ca for the full report.

Citizens for Public Justice, a Campaign 2000 coalition member, is a national organization that promotes public justice in Canada by shaping key policy debates through research and analysis, publishing and public dialogue. CPJ encourages citizens, leaders in society and governments to support policies and practices that reflect God’s call for love, justice and stewardship. www.cpj.ca

For more information, contact:
Joe Gunn, Executive Director
1-800-667-8046 x224

Karri Munn-Venn, Socio-economic Policy Analyst
1-800-667-8046 x222