Government of Canada concludes first case study visit for Tackling Poverty Together project in Saint John, New Brunswick
News Release
Research in Winnipeg, Manitoba is next
March 14, 2017 Saint John, New Brunswick Employment and Social Development Canada
Today, Wayne Long, Member of Parliament for Saint John–Rothesay, on behalf of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, thanked the City of Saint John, the Government of New Brunswick, and all participants in the Tackling Poverty Together (TPT) project in Saint John. The Government of Canada is committed to tackling poverty and inequality to achieve real results.
TPT is intended to inform the development of the Canadian Poverty Reduction Strategy and allow the Government of Canada to hear directly from Canadians living in poverty and learn from organizations that deliver poverty reduction programs at the community level. The community visit included speaking with people in Saint John and listening to their stories to assess the impact of government programs on their everyday life.
During the Saint John community visit, 136 people with a lived experience of poverty were consulted through focus groups and in-person surveys. As well, a roundtable session was conducted with 15 community stakeholders, including non-governmental organizations involved in poverty reduction initiatives and federal, provincial and municipal government representatives. At the completion of the quantitative aspect of the research, 1,000 people in Saint John will have been surveyed. The input and feedback collected through these surveys, meetings and discussions will provide valuable information which will help shape the development of the Canadian Poverty Reduction Strategy.
Next stops for the TPT project will include Winnipeg, Manitoba; Tisdale, Saskatchewan; Trois-Rivières, Québec; and Yellowknife, Northwest Territories.
The TPT project will release its findings in late summer 2017. All Canadians are encouraged to learn more about what is happening under the Poverty Reduction Strategy by visiting the webpage or joining the online conversation to #ReducePoverty in Canada @SocDevSoc.
Quotes
“Poverty is a complex issue that affects more than 3 million Canadians. It has many faces—children and families, seniors, Indigenous people, people with disabilities and immigrants. We need to work together with our partners, and with all Canadians, to find solutions. Every Canadian should have the chance to build a good life for themselves and their families. That is why we need to hear from you about how we can make it happen.”
– The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development
“I would like to thank the community of Saint John, New Brunswick, for being open and willing to participate in the Tackling Poverty Together initiative. I am grateful for our community members who have shared their struggles and barriers in their daily lives. I am confident that by working with our partners, we will build a poverty reduction strategy that will have real meaning and impact for Canadians.”
– Wayne Long, Member of Parliament for Saint John–Rothesay
Quick Facts
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In 2014, 3 million Canadians (8.8 percent of the population) lived in poverty. This included more than half a million children.
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Unattached people aged 45 to 64, single parents, recent immigrants, Indigenous people and people with disabilities are more likely to experience poverty.
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In 2014, about 746,000 Canadians lived in families that worked but were poor.
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In 2014, Canada’s low-income rate for seniors was 3.9 percent.
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In 2011, Over 655,000 Canadian households spent at least 50 percent of their income before taxes on housing. About 90 percent of these households were low-income.
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Contacts
Émilie Gauduchon-Campbell
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Families, Children and Social Development
819-654-5546
Media Relations Office
Employment and Social Development Canada
819-994-5559
media@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca
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