The number of children falling below the poverty line in Canada is increasing more than it ever has, according to the latest report card from Campaign 2000: End Child and Family Poverty.
The non-partisan coalition says another 360,000 children fell into poverty from 2020 to 2022, bringing the total to 1.4 million.
The group says that is a five per cent increase in the child poverty rate in Canada, the largest jump it has ever seen.
“The numbers in this report card are shocking, even to those of us who track this issue,” said Leila Sarangi, National Director of Campaign 2000 and lead author of the report.
“Every province, territory, and the City of Toronto have seen their largest annual increase in rates of child poverty within the last two years. Certain groups who face systemic marginalization in our communities are disproportionately affected.
“It’s been thirty-five years since the federal government signed on to uphold all children’s rights and eradicate child poverty but clearly, the federal poverty reduction strategy is failing. We are heading quickly in the wrong direction and failing our children, again.”
The group calls the increase an alarm bell and a call to action for the federal government.
“It has been five years since the federal government legislated their poverty reduction strategy, but families are living in deeper poverty than they were in 2015, the year from which the government measures progress. In 2022, Canada saw a return to child poverty rates higher than in 2019 when the government’s Poverty Reduction Strategy came into effect,” said Campaign 2000.
Locally, the Greater Vancouver Food Bank is also seeing increasing numbers when it comes to youth and seniors.
Its 2024 impact report shows a 9.9 per cent increase and child and youth clients this year and a 10.7 per cent increase in seniors supported.
The report also shows the food bank is supporting what it calls a record number of partner community agencies, but a 26.3 per cent decrease in new clients signing up directly, now supporting over 150 agency partners and 15,000 clients monthly.