The child poverty rate in New Brunswick fell to 9.9% in 2009. That represents 14,000 children – almost one in 10 – according to figures published in the 2011 Child Poverty Report Card, released by HDC in conjunction with the national report by Campaign 2000. The reports state that the province’s child poverty rate is the second lowest in the country. The national rate of child poverty is 14%, using Statistics Canada’s Low Income Cut Off – Before Tax rate.
It’s a welcome trend, according to Randy Hatfield, executive director of the HDC. “There are different ways of measuring poverty – some calculations are higher, some lower. What’s important is the trend, over time. Although the numbers reflect a decrease in child poverty, the rate remains unacceptably high. Nationally, the child poverty rate has only decreased by 20% in 20 years.”
The 2009 child poverty data is for the first full year following the 2008 recession and it’s possible that the current rate is higher. The report cites increased social assistance case loads and increased food bank use in recent months as evidence of growing economic hardship.
The report highlights bleak statistics on youth unemployment. The unemployment rate in the province for those 15-24, excluding students, is 18.3%, nearly double the overall rate. Young males have an unemployment rate 50% higher than their female counterparts, 22.0% compared to 14.4%. At the same time more than 6400 students dropped out of school between 2005/06 and 2009/10. Undergraduate tuition fees in New Brunswick are the second highest in the country.
The report urges the federal government to take action on unanimous resolutions in the House of Commons in 1989 and 2009 to eliminate poverty. It calls on the provincial government to provide sustained funding for its poverty reduction strategy and to increase the minimum wage without resorting to a two tier system.
The 2011 Child Poverty Report Card also contains data on income inequality, the impact of government transfers and provincial tax rates. Français
For more information, contact Randy Hatfield, Executive Director, HDC. Phone: 634-1673. E-mail: randy@sjhdc.ca
Photo credit: Bojan Furst