B R I T I S H

1. BR ITI SH COLUMBIA

2. This year’s BC Child Poverty Report Card is dedicated with love and gratitude to the memory of Steve Kerstetter (1943–2013). Steve worked for years on producing First Call’s annual child poverty report cards and many other research pieces as part of his deep commitment to eliminating poverty and making life better for British Columbia’s children.

3. CONTENTS • INTRODUCTION:ActiononChildandFamilyPovertyLongOverdue........................4 • FactSheet#1BC’sPoverty RatestheWorst—Again..................................................7 • FactSheet#2ChildPovertyOvertheYears................................................................10 • FactSheet#3BCChildPoverty RatesbyFamilyType................................................12 • FactSheet#4DepthofFamilyPoverty.......................................................................14 • FactSheet #5ChildPovertyandWorkingParents......................................................16 • FactSheet#6FamiliesWithChildrenonWelfare.......................................................19 • FactSheet#7IncomesofFamiliesWithChildren—GrowingInequality ..................22 • FactSheet#8ImportanceofGovernmentHelp........................................................ 25 • RECOMMENDATIONS:WhatNeedstoHappen...........................................................27 • Appendix 1MeasuresofPoverty.............................................................................29

4. BC, again, hasthe worstrate of child povertyinCanada. Almost19%of BCchildrenlive inpoverty—compared to13%in the restof the country.

5. The latest figures from Statistics Canada (2011) once again show that BC is the worst province in Canada when it comes to major measures of child poverty: • BC had a child poverty rate of 18.6 per cent — the worst rate of any province in Canada, using the before-tax low income cut-offs of Statistics Canada as the measure of poverty. • BC had the worst poverty rate of any province for children living in single mother families — 49.8 per cent. • BC also had the worst poverty rate of any province for children living in two-parent families — 14 per cent. • BC’s poverty rate for children under 6 years at 20.7 per cent is 8 percentage points higher than the Canadian average. • British Columbia also had the most unequal distribution of income among rich and poor families with children. The ratio of the average incomes of the richest 10 per cent compared to the poorest 10 per cent was 12.6 — the worst of any province.

6. Calls for Change • 80% of British Columbians concerned about the widening income gap (2011 public opinion poll) • 87% of BC respondents thought the prime minister and premier should set concrete targets and timelines for reducing poverty (2009 public opinion poll) • Calls for a provincial poverty reduction plan: • Municipalities, teachers, school districts, health officers, business groups, the BC Poverty Reduction Coalition • BC’s Representative for Children and Youth • Most recent - BC Legislature’s Finance Committee

7. FACTSHEET#1BC’SPOVERTYRATESTHEWORST—AGAIN FACT SHEET #1 13.6 13.3 13.0 10.5 BC MB ON NS PQ NL SK NB PEI AB Canada Source:StatisticsCanada,Income ofCanadians,2011,Table202-0802,Personsinlowincomefamilies,annual.

8. FACTSHEET#1CHILD POVERTY OVER THE YEARS FACT SHEET #2 • BC’s child poverty rate has been above the national average since 1999 • 18.6% in BC compared to 13.3% nationally • Children under 6 in BC had a poverty rate of 20.7% representing 52,600 children or more than one –third of BC’s poor children

9. FACTSHEET#1BC CHILD POVERTY RATES BY FAMILY TYPE FACT SHEET #3 • Significant increase in the incidence of poverty among BC’s female-led single parent families • 49.8% of all children living in single mother families in BC in 2011 were living in poverty • Represents approximately 55,000 children or 36% of all children living in poverty • 92,000 poor children were living in 2-parent families

10. FACTSHEET#1DEPTH OF POVERTY FACT SHEET #4 • Poor 2-parent families in BC lived an average of $14,000 below the poverty line • Poor female-led single parent family households lived an average of $9,000 below the poverty line • The poverty line for a single parent with one child was $29,004 • The average single parent family living in poverty would have approximately $20,000

11. FACTSHEET#1CHILD POVERTY AND WORKING PARENTS FACT SHEET #5 • 31.8% of poor children in BC - 44,500 children - lived in families with at least one adult working full-year, full-time • This measure showed an improvement compared to the previous year • Alberta and Ontario had an even higher incidence of children living in working poor families

12. FACTSHEET#1THE NEED FOR A LIVING WAGE FACT SHEET #5 • For most families, earning only minimum wage would still leave them below the poverty line • Families need a living wage, access to education and opportunities, affordable housing, affordable child care • For Metro Vancouver, the Living Wage is calculated to be $19.62 per hour

13. FACTSHEET#1FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN ON WELFARE FACT SHEET #6 • Income assistance rates in BC have not increased since 2007 • A family of four – 2 parents, 2 children - receives $22,005 ($21,287 below the poverty line) • A single parent with 1 child receives $17,402 ($11,602 below the poverty line) • There were an estimated 37,577 children in families relying on income assistance in 2011

14. FACTSHEET#1FEDERAL/PROVINCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS FACT SHEET #6 • The purchasing power of income assistance rates in BC have dropped between 1989 and 2011 • Federal contributions to welfare incomes have increased over time but Provincial contributions have decreased • Two significant enhancements have been the Canada Child Tax Benefit and the Universal Child Care Benefit (children under 6) • Provinces are allowed to “claw back” payments

15. FACTSHEET#1GROWING INCOME INEQUALITY FACT SHEET #7 • 24% of the total income for BC families with children goes to the top 10% of families while the poorest 50% of families share 25% • Average income among those in the poorest 10% was $18,070 compared to $227,164 for those in the richest 10% • Represents a difference of 12.6 times • BC’s average income in the lowest 10% was also below the national average of $23,024

16. FACTSHEET#1GROWING INCOME INEQUALITY FACT SHEET #7 11.8 12.0 BC AB ON SK PQ NS NB MB Canada

17. FACTSHEET#1IMPORTANCE OF GOVERNMENT HELP FACT SHEET #8 • Government transfers helped to reduce the number of BC children living in poverty from 223,000 children to 153,000 children -70,000 children • However, BC stands out as having done the least to reduce child poverty when compared to the other provinces

18. FACTSHEET#1IMPORTANCE OF GOVERNMENT HELP FACT SHEET #8 48% PQ NL AB SK NB NS ON MB BC Canada

19. FACTSHEET#1THE INCOME THRESHOLDS –LICO BEFORE TAX POVERTY MEASURES STATISTICSCANADA’SLOWINCOME CUT-OFFSFOR2011(BEFORETAX)

20. FACTSHEET#1THE INCOME THRESHOLDS –LICO AFTER TAX POVERTY MEASURES STATISTICSCANADA’SLOWINCOME CUT-OFFSFOR2011(AFTERTAX)

21. FACTSHEET#1WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN RECOMMENDATIONS • Establish a goal to reduce BC’s child poverty rate to 7% or lower by 2020 • 16 recommendations –comprehensive approach that includes strengthening the social safety net, improving access to opportunities, addressing inequalities, supporting a living wage and responding to the specific needs of vulnerable families and individuals