Poverty Progress Profiles

Poverty has been a persistent issue in Canada that has been on the rise in recent years as Canadians faced an economic recession coupled with rising costs of living and stagnant wages.  Despite repeated calls for action and two unanimous federal government motions to address poverty (the first in 1989 focused on eliminating child poverty, and the second in 2009 stated an intention to develop a poverty strategy), a comprehensive federal poverty plan and official poverty measurement tools do not exist.

As a complex issue, poverty requires leadership from all levels of government and engagement from community, civil society, government agencies, business and persons with a lived poverty experience.  Strategies to tackle poverty head-on may be different in implementation due to local needs and resources, but each should encompass critical ingredients such as established targets and timelines, identifiable measurement tools, a community engagement process, mechanisms for accountability and reporting, adequate investment, and be set within a human rights framework or piece of legislation.

In the absence of federal leadership on poverty issues, many provincial governments have created regional poverty plans.  Currently all provinces and territories, with the exception of British Columbia and Saskatchewan, have poverty strategies in place, or are in the process of developing them.  To get a better sense of  how each region is doing Canada Without Poverty has compiled Poverty Progress Profiles  for 2012 which look at the current status of poverty, plan development and implementation or organizational appeals for a plan, and details on specific thematic areas related to poverty (such as housing, welfare, employment support, and early childhood education and care).   A coordinated plan marks the first step towards poverty elimination, but without committed action and implementation that goal cannot be achieved.

Provinces/Territories with Plans in Place
(in order of the year they were established)

Quebec Poverty Progress Profile
Newfoundland and Labrador Poverty Progress Profile
Ontario Poverty Progress Profile
Nova Scotia Poverty Progress Profile
New Brunswick Poverty Progress Profile
Manitoba Poverty Progress Profile
Nunavut Poverty Progress Profile
Prince Edward Island Poverty Progress Profile

Provinces/Territories with Plans in Development

Northwest Territories Poverty Progress Profile
Yukon Poverty Progress Profile
Alberta Poverty Progress Profile

Provinces/Territories without a Poverty Plan

Saskatchewan Poverty Progress Profile
British Columbia Poverty Progress Profile

Feedback on the profiles is welcome.  Please send any input to: info[at]cwp-csp.ca

*Please note the profiles are only available in English at this time.