Make Child & Family Poverty History
May 11, 2020
Ontario Campaign 2000 released its most recent report on child poverty today, designed to provide the Ontario government with policy recommendations for the next iteration of Ontario’s Poverty Reduction Strategy. The most striking finding in the report shows that Ontario children face higher rates of poverty now than they did 30 years ago, when the federal all-party resolution to end child poverty by the year 2000 was signed.
The report entitled “Make Child and Family Poverty History: A Vision for Ontario’s Next Poverty Reduction Strategy” finds that 1 in 5 (18.7 per cent) of children under 18 live in poverty, and 1 in 5 children (20.2%) of children under 6 live in poverty in the province, with higher rates experienced by children who are Indigenous, racialized, recent immigrants, and in female-led lone parent families. Read our full press release here.
Ontario Campaign 2000 urges the government to focus on much needed policy changes and targeted investments designed to eradicate child and family poverty while developing the next Poverty Reduction Strategy. These include addressing inequities faced by marginalized groups; supporting vulnerable workers through increased worker protections and minimum wage; ensuring provision of public, high quality child care; and increasing the rates for social assistance and the Ontario Child Benefit.
Read the report in English or French.