Overview

The Government of Canada’s Opportunity For All – Canada’s First Poverty Reduction Strategy:

• set an official poverty measure (Canada’s Official Poverty Line)
• defined poverty reduction targets
• created the National Advisory Council on Poverty (Advisory Council)

Current members of the Advisory Council started their terms in 2019. Some current members will have their terms expire in 2023. Other current members will have their terms expire in 2024.

Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) is opening a call for applications for the Advisory Council.

Advisory Council members are Governor in Council appointees. The call for applications follows a Governor in Council selection process.

There are up to 10 member positions. Current members may be reappointed at the end of their terms. This would affect the number of available positions. 

About the Advisory Council

The Advisory Council:

• advises the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development (the Minister) on programs, funding and activities that help lower poverty levels in Canada
• consults with various groups, including academics and other experts, Indigenous people and persons living in poverty or with lived experience of poverty
• writes an annual report for the Minister that describes the progress made in meeting the poverty reduction targets and other measures tracked under the Strategy
• undertakes any activity specified by the Minister

The Advisory Council is representative of Canada’s diversity, including gender, Indigenous people, visible minorities, regions and official languages. 

The Advisory Council has 8 to 10 members:

• 1 full-time chairperson
• 1 full-time member with particular responsibilities for children’s issues
• 6 to 8 general members, including members living in poverty or with lived experience of poverty, who may be appointed on either a full-time or part-time basis

Advisory Council members serve terms of up to 3 years. Members must be available and willing to participate over the entire period of their appointments. Part-time members should be available for about 15 to 20 days of remunerated work per year.

The chairperson and the member with particular responsibilities for children’s issues will be paid a full-time salary. Part-time members will be paid per diem in connection with their work. The appointment opportunity poster on the Governor in Council appointments website lists the rates of pay.

The Department of Employment and Social Development gives policy, administrative, and logistical support to the Advisory Council to achieve its mandate.