Year after year, Canadian cities are ranked as some of the best cities in the world to live in. We’re proud to state that we have well-funded public school systems, universal healthcare coverage for citizens and permanent residents, and supports that see children through from birth to adulthood. However, when it comes to child poverty, Canada places 24th out of 35 industrialized countries*. Countries that have lower child poverty rates than Canada include France, Australia, and the United Kingdom. The below infographic, published by UNICEF Canada, illustrates that too many Canadian children live in poverty.

There are many barriers and care gaps that children living in poverty face compared to children from a financially secure household. Children living in poverty are more likely to face barriers to education, have difficulty obtaining safe and healthy nutritious foods, and live in poor housing conditions. 

Access to education and educational supports are a critical component of any strategy that looks to address child poverty. Education is one of the primary means through which upward social mobility can be achieved, breaking the cycle of poverty that may exist in many families.  By providing, and investing in children today, we lay the groundwork for their success in adulthood. Few of the factors associated with child poverty can be targeted in isolation without considering other holes in our social safety net. Barriers in accessing nutritious food translate into poor mental health outcomes. Poor mental health outcomes in turn can hinder a child’s ability to be successful over the course of their academic career.

These gaps are also filled by many organizations, including: recreational centers, educational initiatives and food banks. Research shows that government programs, like investments in child benefits, have been effective in addressing child poverty. UNICEF reports that Canada’s child poverty rate drops from 26% to 14%*after taxes and transfers. This is not to suggest in anyway that there is enough being done, but instead to commend existing programs and encourage support for expanding and building on these programs.

Canada needs to invest more into preventing child poverty. Allowing children to grow up in poverty, and failing to assist them in their goals and dreams for the future results in increases in social costs for the country. These costs can include increased social assistance provisions, more funds to be spent on courts and social protection, as well a need for more health and hospital services in the long-term. In many ways, preventing child poverty can be viewed as a prevention-focused means to bypass negative health and living outcomes in adulthood. Children living in poverty have the same right to safety and security, access to healthy foods, and well-being as any of their counterparts. Today’s children are tomorrow’s future; let’s work towards ending child poverty. 

Poverty - the one line we want our kids to cross.
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*Updated numbers from the most recent UNICEF Report Card 12 find that Canada ranks 20th out of 41 nations on child poverty and child poverty rates fell from 23% in 2008 to 21% in 2011.