08) B.C. AGAIN HAS HIGHEST CHILD POVERTY

 

            How many years will BC continue to have the highest child poverty rate in the country? That is the question raised by the "2013 Child Poverty Report Card" released by the First Call: BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition. 

 

           According to the latest Statistics Canada figures, 18.6% of BC children were poor in 2011, up from 14.3% in 2010. This is more than 5 percent higher than the Canadian average.

 

            The number of poor children in BC was 153,000 (up from 119,000 in 2010) - enough children to fill Rogers Arena eight times. This represents about one of every five BC children.

 

            Children living in single mother families had a shocking 50 per cent poverty rate in 2011, a dramatic increase from 21.5 per cent in 2010.

 

            "BC stands out as having done the least among all provinces to bring down child and family poverty through government supports and programs," said Adrienne Montani, First Call's Provincial Coordinator. "Concerted government action in the form of a comprehensive poverty reduction plan for the province is long overdue."

 

            Other key findings in the report include:

* BC also had the worst poverty rate of any province for children living in two‑parent families: 14%.

* BC's poverty rate for young children (under 6) was 21%, eight percent higher than the Canadian average.

* Nearly one third of BC's poor children lived in families with at least one parent working full time all year.

* British Columbia has the most unequal distribution of income among rich and poor families with children, primarily due to the very low incomes for the poorest families.

 

            "Seeing the children's poverty rate climb higher than the overall poverty rate again is particularly worrisome," said Lorraine Copas, Executive Director of SPARC BC. "We know the experience of poverty and social exclusion undermines children's physical and emotional well‑being, and this is a breach of their right to optimal care and protection. BC is not a poor province and we can do better."

 

            The Report Card makes 16 policy recommendations to help reduce the child poverty rate to seven percent or less by 2020. These include adopting the $10 a Day Child Care Plan; increasing and indexing the minimum wage, welfare rates and federal child tax benefits; paying living wages; enhancing Employment Insurance benefits and eligibility; increasing affordable housing options for families; and improving the affordability of post‑secondary education.

 

(The above article is from the December 1-31, 2013, issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading socialist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $30/year, or $15 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $45 US per year; other overseas readers - $45 US or $50 CDN per year. Send to People's Voice, c/o PV Business Manager, 706 Clark Drive, Vancouver, BC, V5L 3J1.)