Poverty

What is it?
Poverty does not just mean financial insecurity, but rather it refers to a chronic lack of the resources, capabilities, choices, security and power necessary for the enjoyment of an adequate standard of living.
Causes of/Factors that Contribute to Poverty
- Lack of affordable housing
- Lack of jobs
- Lack of access to health services
- Discrimination when applying for jobs and accessing services
- Lack of adequate support for the elderly and people with disabilities (people who cannot work)
- Weakening of the social safety net
- Increasing income inequality between the rich and poor
A few quick statistics about poverty in Canada
(From Canada Without Poverty)
- 1 in 7 (or 4.9 million) people in Canada live in poverty
- 1 in 5 children in Canada live in Poverty
- Poverty costs Canada as a whole between $72 billion and $84 billion annually
- Precarious employment has increased by nearly 50% over the past two decades
- 1 in 8 Canadian households struggle to put food on the table. And in 2014, over 60% of food insecure households relied on income from employment.
Marginalized Communities
People who are already marginalized are more likely to experience poverty, including those who are:
The Impact of Poverty
Because of the lack of access to funds and opportunities, people living in poverty are at risk of experiencing numerous other challenges, including:
- food insecurity, or not being able to access enough (or nutritious) food
- poor health outcomes, due to less nutritious diet, lower standard of living conditions, and lack of access to important medication or medical treatments
- homelessness or precarious housing
- lack of access to education & training, impacting employment prospects and future income
Living in poverty is also highly stigmatized, so many people will also experience impacts to their mental health, self-esteem and social networks which increases their risk of addiction, abuse and discrimination
Learn More
- Collection of Infographics (Canadian Council on Social Development)
- Canada Without Poverty
- Research: Poverty in Canada (Citizens for Public Justice)