N.S. child poverty rates dropped sharply in 2020, ‘almost entirely’ due to pandemic relief – Halifax | 24CA News
A brand new report signifies little one poverty charges in Nova Scotia declined by 24.3 per cent in 2020, largely as a result of short-term COVID-19 aid packages which have since ended.
The report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, launched Thursday, mentioned 2020 noticed essentially the most important single-year discount in little one poverty on document.
But it mentioned the discount was “almost entirely due to federal pandemic relief support and top-ups” — and warned the problem of kid poverty will worsen with out extra everlasting measures.
“We should celebrate the reduction in child poverty in 2020. However, by all accounts, poverty is worse today,” mentioned the report.
“The pandemic benefits that made the difference were temporary. In addition, since 2021, people have had to deal with the steep increase in prices for essentials, including housing, food, and heating.”
According to the report, there have been 31,370 youngsters residing in low-income households in Nova Scotia in 2020, representing 18.4 per cent, or multiple in six youngsters.
2020 was the primary yr since 2000 that the kid poverty charge in Nova Scotia dropped under 24 per cent.
The report famous that simply over 569,000 Nova Scotians — greater than two-thirds of these over the age of 15 — obtained COVID-19-related help that yr, amounting to greater than $2 billion.
Just 0.3 per cent of the help got here from the provincial authorities, and 99 per cent got here from the federal authorities.
The report, authored by Lesley Frank and Christine Saulnier, estimated that with out these short-term pandemic advantages, a further 14,500 youngsters in Nova Scotia can be residing in poverty, which might have raised the kid poverty charge to 27 per cent for the yr.
‘Bold move’ wanted
Frank, a CCPA researcher and a Tier II Canada analysis chair in meals, well being and social justice at Acadia University, mentioned in a launch that small, incremental adjustments from authorities over time “did little or nothing to change our child poverty rate.”
“This report card shows that poverty can be reduced, and it can be done swiftly. Pandemic benefits — a bold action — lifted 14,500 children out of poverty in a single year,” Frank mentioned.
“Sadly, the bold move was only temporary. Nova Scotia continues to perform poorly at reducing poverty. Generations of kids have paid the price of our government’s slow, incremental action.”
Despite the lower in little one poverty in 2020, Nova Scotia had the fourth-highest little one poverty charge within the nation that yr, and the best charge in Atlantic Canada.
The report famous that poverty charges for racialized, immigrant and Indigenous youngsters had been “much higher” — the poverty charge for racialized youngsters was 29.5 per cent, nearly double the speed for non-racialized youngsters.
The poverty charge for Indigenous youngsters residing on-reserve was 43.5 per cent, in comparison with 16.5 per cent of non-Indigenous youngsters, whereas the speed for Indigenous youngsters residing off-reserve was 22.4 per cent.
As nicely, the poverty charge for immigrant youngsters was 32.6 per cent, greater than double that of non-immigrant youngsters.
“This rate is significantly higher than the national average (18.8%), meaning they are more likely to live in poverty if they immigrate to Nova Scotia,” the report mentioned.
There was additionally a gendered part, as households with single moms had been extra prone to be low-income than households with single fathers or two mother and father.
In phrases of Statistics Canada’s census divisions, the Digby, Annapolis and Cape Breton areas had the best charges of kid poverty — 27.3 per cent, 25.7 per cent, and 24.8 per cent, respectively — whereas the bottom charges had been in Antigonish (15.2 per cent) and Halifax (15.9 per cent.)
‘Kids can’t wait’
The report made numerous suggestions to the provincial authorities for decreasing little one poverty — and poverty generally.
“Ending child poverty will require tackling all forms of poverty because children live in families who live in poverty,” it mentioned.
The suggestions embody:
- Developing a strong and complete poverty elimination program;
- “Substantially” growing earnings help and little one profit packages;
- Increasing the minimal wage to $20 and amending the Labour Standards Code to higher defend staff;
- Improving social packages and infrastructure just like the child-care system, schooling, well being care, and entry to meals;
- Addressing the province’s ongoing housing disaster;
- Developing proactive methods with communities which have exceptionally excessive poverty charges;
- Committing to reconciliation and supporting Indigenous self-determination.
The report concluded by saying investments in ending little one poverty are “the best investments we can make as a society.”
“We reap the benefits for generations because breaking the cycle of poverty early supports more people to reach their full potential and contributes to making Nova Scotia a place where everyone can thrive and not just survive,” it mentioned.
“It is time our government takes responsibility for the poverty in our province. Kids can’t wait.”
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