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Intro:
IT'S TIME for a federal poverty reduction strategy that ensures everyone is free of poverty.
Why It Matters:
- Research has shown that an increase of $1000 in annual income to the poorest 20% of Canadians would lead to 10,000 fewer chronic conditions, and 6,600 fewer disability days every two weeks. These social and health costs are coupled with losses in workforce productivity and economic output.
- Income insecurity and poverty are among the single greatest predictors of illness for Canadians. Poverty costs us dearly: roughly $25 billion each year alone in preventable healthcare, social service and judicial system costs across Canada.
We Believe That:
To come
But the Reality Is Troubling:
- Over 4.5 million Canadians now live in poverty and, an average of 1 in 10 children lives in poverty.
- In First Nations communities, one in four children lives in poverty.
- Over 840,000 Canadians now rely on food banks each month to meet their basic needs. This dependence on food banks increased by 25% from 2008 to 2014.
- In Ottawa, 15.2% of residents live on low income while 1 in 5 children in Ottawa live in poverty.
- There is no strategy in place at the national level to address the needs of 1 in 7 people across Canada who lives in poverty.
Questions to Ask:
- Comptez-vous appuyer une stratégie nationale en matière de réduction de la pauvreté pour garantir à tous un revenu décent, de bons emplois, des soins de santé, de quoi manger, ainsi que des services de garde et des logements abordables?