The Cost of Poverty in BC
This study by Iglika Ivanova of the Canadian Centre of Policy Alternatives published in July 2011 details the huge costs of dealing with the negative consequences of poverty in higher healthcare and justice costs, as well as lost productivity. Not doing anything about poverty is costing us all.
The Time is Now: A Poverty Reduction Plan for BC
This campaign grew out of this comprehensive plan to dramatically reduce poverty and homelessness published in December 2008 by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. Read the CCPA’s news release and download a summary of the study.
The Cost of Eating in BC 2011
Dietitians of Canada, BC Region publish this report to bring attention to the fact that many British Columbians don’t have enough money to buy healthy food. And, it’s not getting any better. Shelter and food costs have risen significantly over the past decade. However, income assistance rates (commonly called ‘welfare’) have remained virtually unchanged. And even when earning more than the new minimum wage, families have barely anything left for other necessities after paying for both shelter and healthy food. Find out more here.
2011 Metro Vancouver Homeless Count Report
While the number of homeless people has not increased since 2008, there are some worrying trends revealed in this report from the Greater Vancouver Regional Steering Committee on Homelessness. 1 in 5 homeless are unaccompanied youth under the age of 24, a 5% increase since 2008. The number of homeless families also increased and, shockingly, some include babies below the age of 1. And Aboriginal people make up 2% of the general population of Metro Vancouver but 27% of the homeless population.. Find out more here.
Mind the Gap: Income Inequality Growing
BC has the highest rate of inequality in Canada, according to this report from BC Stats published in January 2012, which states that BC had the largest income gap of all the provinces between the top 20% and the bottom 20% of earners. The report notes that the lowest group of earners spend half of their money on basic necessities like food, shelter and clothing, while the highest earners spend only 30% of their income on the same items. Access the report and other BC Stats updates here.
Are We Doing Enough? A status report on Canadian public policy and child and youth health
This 4th edition of this report from the Canadian Paediatric Society released in January 2012 identifies child poverty as a key concern in relation to child health, and concludes that Canada’s provincial and territorial governments could do more to address this issue and promote child and youth health. Access the report and other resources here.
2011 BC Child Poverty Report Card
For the eighth year in a row, BC has the highest child poverty rate in Canada at 12%, which means 100,000 children in our province live in poverty. Download the report released in November 2011 by BC Campaign 2000 and First Call: Child & Youth Advocacy Coalition, with the collaboration of SPARC BC and AMSSA.
The Dollars and Sense of Solving Poverty
The latest report in the growing body of evidence that concludes that we all pay for poverty. And that investing to reduce poverty benefits everyone. Download the report released in Autumn 2011 by the National Council of Welfare.
Summary of The Spirit Level – Why Equality is Better for Everyone
The Canadian Unitarians of Social Justice published this accessible summary of the very significant book on inequality by Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett in Autumn 2011.
Hunger Count 2011
The latest report from Food Banks Canada detailing the use of food banks in 2011. There are still almost 100,000 people visiting food banks every month in BC, and more than one third of them are children.
The Equality Trust
This organization from the UK uses research from, in particular, Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett to show the negative effects that inequality has on multiple social issues, including life expectancy, child development, math and literacy levels, infant mortality, murder rates, obesity, homophobia, racism, voter turnout, and trust.
Immigrants and Low-Paid Work: Persistent Problems, Enduring Consequences
This report by Jennifer Jihye Chun and Amanda Cheong from the Department of Sociology at the University of British Columbia published in December 2011 highlights the fact that immigrants experience chronic low pay and are more likely to be unemployed and live in poverty than non-immigrants.
Canada’s Colour Coded Labour Market: The gap for racialized workers
Despite an increasingly diverse population, this report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and the Wellesley Institute in March 2011 on Canada’s racialized income gap shows that racialized Canadians are more likely to be unemployed or get stuck in dead-end minimum wage jobs.
Income Support for Persons with Disabilities
This research report by Ronald Kneebone and Oksana Grynishak from The School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary in September 2011 compares social assistance programs for people with disabilities (PWD) in BC, Alberta and Ontario, and finds that the PWD rate in BC is below the poverty line whatever measure you use. They recommend raising the PWD rate to match the level of income support provided to poor seniors and linking it to inflation as seniors’ supports are.
Unpacking the Housing Numbers: How Much New Social Housing is BC Building
From the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, this 2010 report reveals that, while BC used to build 1000-1500 new social housing units every year, the government has only built a total of 280 in the last 5 years.
Investing in Prevention: Improving Health and Creating Sustainability
From BC’s Provincial Health Officer in September 2010, this report documents health inequities between rich and poor, and recommends a poverty reduction plan for BC.
The Cost of Eating in BC 2009
Imagine being $127 ‘in debt’ after your monthly rent is paid and you’ve bought groceries for you and your family, leaving no money for other necessities such as clothing, transportation and school supplies. According to the latest Cost of Eating report from the Dietitians of Canada, BC Region and the Community Nutritionists Council of BC, this is the situation for a family of four living on income assistance in this province. The 2011 report will be released shortly.
The Chief Public Health Officer’s Report on the State of Public Health in Canada 2009: Growing Up Well-Priorities for a Healthy Future
Children living in families with low socio-economic status are less likely to have their basic needs met (sufficient family income, adequate food and shelter) and are more likely to experience ill health. View the full report here.
Canada’s Quiet Bargain: The Benefits of Public Spending
75% of Canadians would be better off if their provincial governments invested in public services instead of broad-based income tax cuts. View the full report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives published in April 2009.
BC’s Growing Gap: Family Income Inequality, 1976-2006
This study from March 2009 reveals that BC’s poor and middle class families are in worse financial shape than their parents’ generation. The study finds that fully 60% of families with children are earning less than their counterparts in the late 1970s, while incomes for the wealthiest 10% have increased dramatically. The result is a widening gap between the rich and the rest of the population. Download the report.
Homelessness: Clear Focus Needed
This report from the Auditor General of BC in March 2009 concludes that, despite many good practices, a lead agency and comprehensive plan are needed to reduce homelessness in BC.
Poverty Reduction Policies and Programs
This set of reports from the Canadian Council on Social Development in 2009 identifies current federal, provincial, and territorial approaches to poverty reduction, alleviation and eradication, profiles the ideas, interests and institutions that have shaped the evolution of that work, and identifies critical issues for each jurisdiction moving forward.
Precarious & Vulnerable: Lone Mothers on Income Assistance
A Social Planning and Research Council of BC report, December 2008. This report explores the impact income assistance changes made by the BC government in 2002 have had on lone mothers with young children. Download the report.
Health Inequities in British Columbia
In general, “people from more advantaged socioeconomic groups enjoy longer life expectancy and better health than people from less advantaged groups.” Download this report from November 2008 by the Health Officers Council of BC.
Healthy Futures for BC Families
The BC Healthy Living Alliance presents this discussion from October 2008 of the policy responses necessary to address those social issues that can impede or enhance the health of a society, including access to: affordable housing, early childhood development and care, income and food security, and supportive environments. View report.
Housing and Support for Adults with Severe Addictions and/or Mental Illness in British Columbia
This SFU study from 2008 found there are 11,750 ‘absolutely homeless’ in BC with severe addictions and/or mental illnesses, costing $644 million per year — or $55,000 per person — in health care, correctional, and social services. Download the study here.
Still Left Behind 2008
A Social Planning and Research Council of BC report, February 2008, to follow-up on the 2005 report, Left Behind: A Comparison of Living Costs and Employment Assistance Rates in BC, showing that people are still not able to cover basic monthly costs of living. Download the report.