Introduction
For nearly 30 years, Campaign 2000 has documented the failure of good intentions to end poverty. In the lead up to Canada’s first federal Poverty Reduction Strategy, Campaign 2000 reveals a disturbing picture of the magnitude of child poverty in every federal riding. The latest data paint a stark portrait of inequality in Canada with high- and low-income families living in close proximity while divided by wide social and economic gaps that leave too many children hungry, sick and stressed beyond their years.
Troublingly, this report shows that the federal ridings with the highest levels of child and family poverty are home to a higher proportion of Indigenous, racialized and immigrant communities and lone-parent led families. This correlation signals the persistence of discrimination and systemic inequalities that translates to higher unemployment, lower labour market participation rates and higher proportions of renters and people spending more than 30% of their income on housing.
The presence of child and family poverty in every riding in Canada demands strong and decisive federal action through the Canadian Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS). Clearly, every community, every Member of Parliament and all political parties have a stake in the eradication of poverty.
Canadians expect a strong strategy that will effectively number poverty’s days, so we can stop counting the number of children in poverty. Child and family poverty is a big problem in Canada and it demands a big response.
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Universal and High Quality Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC)
• An Early Child Education and Care (ECEC) program for Canada led by the federal government and developed collaboratively with provinces/ territories and Indigenous communities, which includes a well-developed policy framework based on the principles of universality, high quality and comprehensiveness, and is guided by targets and timelines and supported by long term, sustained
funding.
• A clear commitment to substantial sustained earmarked public funding, with the international benchmark of at least 1% of GDP for ECEC for children 0-5 years as a long-term goal.
• An increase of the maternity and parental leave benefit level to 70% of employment income and a reduction of qualifying hours to 300 over the best 12 weeks of the last 12 months of work. All new parents (adoptive, student, trainee, self-employed parents, part-time and casual workers) should be
included.