Canada's First Poverty Reduction Strategy

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Reducing poverty rate from 12% in 2015 to 10% in 2020 and 6% in 2030.

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Dignity: Lift Canadians out of poverty by ensuring basic needs are met

• Food insecurity
• Unmet health needs
• Unmet housing needs and chronic homelessness
• Deep income poverty

Opportunity and inclusion: Help Canadians join the middle class by promoting full participation in society and equality of opportunity

• Literacy and numeracy
• Youth engagement
• Relative low income
• Bottom 40% income share

Resilience and security: Support the middle class by protecting Canadians from falling into poverty and by supporting income security and resilience

• Median hourly wage
• Poverty entry and exit rates
• Average poverty gap
• Asset resilience

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For the 2016–17 benefit year, single mothers earning less than $60,000 a year received about $9,000 in benefit payments on average, making it easier for them to afford the things that give children a good quality of life, such as a safe place to live, healthy food and winter clothing. In addition, 9 out of 10 families are receiving more in child benefits than under the previous system of child benefits.

Extra support at this crucial stage of life helps children and families meet their basic needs. It also helps low- and modest-income families join the middle class, and helps keep middle-class families out of poverty should they face a setback.

It is equally important for Canada's seniors to be able to rely on a strong support system in their retirement after many years of hard work. The introduction of the Old Age Security pension and the Guaranteed Income Supplement in 1967 significantly reduced poverty amongst seniors, and the Government has continued to strengthen it. Restoring the age of eligibility from 67 to 65 for the Old Age Security pension and the Guaranteed Income Supplement has helped 100,000 seniors aged 65 and 66 avoid plunging into severe poverty each year. To help seniors who are living in poverty or are most at risk of living in poverty, most of whom are women, the Government also increased the Guaranteed Income Supplement for the lowest-income single seniors. This increase of up to $947 annually is helping improve the financial security of 900,000 seniors, and is lifting 57,000 seniors out of poverty. This measure represents an investment of over $670 million per year.

The Government also continues to make improvements in the delivery of Old Age Security and the Guaranteed Income Supplement so that more seniors get the benefits to which they are entitled. This includes automatically enrolling many new beneficiaries, simplifying the application form and actively reaching out to ensure that qualified seniors receive their benefits. These and other actions have resulted in more than 95,000 additional seniors receiving or about to receive the Guaranteed Income Supplement. This is an added boost for low-income seniors who need the support the most.

Beyond benefits for Canada's seniors, the Government is also working to ensure that Canadians, and particularly those in lower income, are able to access the benefits to which they are entitled. Through the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program, community organizations host free tax preparation clinics to help individuals access the benefits and credits to which they are entitled, including the Canada Child Benefit. In Budget 2018, the Government doubled the size of the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program to a total annual ongoing investment of $13 million, beginning in 2018–19. This investment will also complement the work the Government is undertaking to increase take-up of the Canada Child Benefit among Indigenous peoples.

Note:

In general, these poverty reduction impacts do not include populations in Canada’s territories and First Nations people living on reserve. One exception, however, is the LICO (Low Income Cut-offs) estimate of poverty reduction impacts of the Canada Child Benefit. Because of statistical modeling limitations, the Government has been using LICO to measure poverty reduction impacts. More recently, the Government has used Canada’s Official Poverty Line to measure poverty reduction impacts, such as the impact of the new Canada Workers Benefit. Going forward, the Government intends to use Canada’s Official Poverty Line, consistent with the overall plan in Opportunity for All, to measure poverty reduction impacts.

*The Guaranteed Income Supplement is for seniors, and the increase to the benefit’s top-up was targeted to single seniors.

** LICO impacts of the Canada Workers Benefit would not take into account the increase to Canada Pension Plan contributions that would take place concurrently to the increase to the Canada Workers Benefit. This is due to the fact that payroll taxes are not subtracted from total income to calculate after-tax income (the income concept used for LICO). Therefore, the poverty reduction impacts calculated using the LICO would not be representative of the true effects of the Canada Workers Benefit on individual incomes.

The Government is also making historic, long-term investment in Canada's first-ever National Housing Strategy, because every Canadian should have a place to call home. With investments of $40 billion over 10 years in housing, the Strategy will help provide Canadians with accessible, affordable housing that meets their needs. Over the next decade, these historic investments in housing aim to reduce or eliminate more than 530,000 families from housing need, protect 385,000 community homes and create another 50,000 units through the expansion of community housing in Canada. The Strategy aims to meet the needs of diverse Canadians, including seniors, Indigenous peoples, survivors of family violence, people with disabilities, refugees, veterans and those grappling with homelessness. The Strategy also commits to ensuring that at least 33% of funds go to projects for women, girls and their families, recognizing the unique vulnerabilities women face in housing. In addition, the Government will support the successful implementation of housing strategies for First Nations, Inuit and Métis.

"While poverty is not always about homelessness, homelessness is always about poverty."

As part of the National Housing Strategy, the Government announced a total investment of $2.1 billion over 10 years to tackle homelessness through an expanded federal homelessness program. A redesigned federal homelessness program, Reaching Home: Canada's Homelessness Strategy, will officially launch on April 1, 2019. The program will bolster community efforts to tackle homelessness, including adopting an outcomes-based approach and enabling communities to gather more comprehensive data on local homeless populations. Together with other National Housing Strategy initiatives, this modernized federal homelessness program aims to reduce chronic homelessness by 50% over the next ten years.

Public infrastructure is crucial in helping Canadians both meet their basic needs and have the opportunity to succeed. That is why the Government has invested in infrastructure that will not just benefit Canadians for years to come, but will also create quality jobs to help Canadians support their families and join the middle class. Investments in public transit will help lower-income Canadians more efficiently and safely navigate busy lives, from getting to work, to bringing a family member to a doctor's appointment, to getting kids to school on time. These investments go beyond just helping Canadians make ends meet; they are helping families spend less time travelling to jobs and school, and more time succeeding in work and education, and being with family members and friends.

The Government's infrastructure investments also support community and cultural spaces. Public spaces like community centres, parks, and libraries can be a valued resource in the lives of lower-income Canadians. Community centres and parks are meeting places where children can play and build friendships that last a lifetime. Libraries offer a breadth of resources to help parents find books to read to their children, apply for jobs and attend information sessions on a variety of topics such as training and nutrition.

Opportunity and inclusion

Tackling poverty means more than providing the bare necessities. It also means promoting opportunity and removing discriminatory barriers based on gender, race, ability, sexual orientation or gender identity and expression that prevent people from getting ahead. The second pillar of Opportunity for All is about helping more Canadians join the middle class by giving every Canadian a real and fair chance to succeed.

For far too long, Indigenous peoples have been held back from reaching their full potential. Generations of Indigenous peoples have suffered from the neglect and failed policies of the federal government. First Nations, Inuit and Métis do not enjoy the same opportunities as other Canadians. It is for these reasons that one of the Government's priorities is to renew the relationship with Indigenous peoples by making real progress on the issues most important to them.

The Government of Canada is committed to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and to a renewed relationship based on the recognition of rights, respect, cooperation and partnership. No relationship is more important to the Government of Canada than its relationship with Indigenous peoples. As part of its commitment to reconciliation, the Government is working to improve the socio-economic conditions of Indigenous peoples and their communities and bring about transformational change. Since 2015, the Government has invested billions of dollars in health, education, infrastructure, training and other programs that will directly contribute to a better quality of life for Indigenous peoples and a stronger Canada.

As one example, the Government is working with Indigenous partners to design an Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework— one that reflects the unique cultures and needs of First Nations, Inuit and Métis children.

Accessible, inclusive, high quality early learning and child care is critical to giving children the best start in life. The Government has made historical investments of $7.5 billion over 11 years to provide quality, affordable child care across the country. By 2020, up to approximately 40,000 children may benefit from quality new subsidized child care spaces across Canada. This will support parents in the hard work they do for their families by giving them peace of mind with the knowledge that their children are getting the care they need and deserve.

Early years support helps set children on a path to accomplishments in primary and secondary school. And while Canadians know that quality education gives them the tools they need to succeed, many Canadians face multiple challenges that make it difficult to get ahead. Adults may need to re-train for a better job, but post-secondary education may be unaffordable and out of reach. Youth may struggle to complete high school for a variety of reasons, such as having to balance school with a part-time job, or not having a home environment that helps them focus on their studies.

These barriers to post-secondary education hold Canadians back from joining the middle class. To help make college and university more affordable, the Government has increased Canada Student Grants from $2,000 to $3,000 per year for students from lower-income families, from $800 to $1,200 per year for students from middle-income families, and from $1,200 to $1,800 per year for part-time students from lower-income families. This increase is putting more money in the pockets of more than 360,000 full-time and part-time students each year.

The Government has also simplified the Canada Student Loans Program application process and increased the loan repayment threshold by approximately 23%, so that students do not have to repay their loans until they are earning at least $25,000 per year. This increased threshold helps to ease students' transition into the workforce.

In addition, through the new Skills Boost pilot initiative, beginning in fall 2018, adults returning to school on a full-time basis after several years in the workforce will be eligible to receive an additional $1,600 in grant funding per school year, on top of the other grants and loans available to students. Skills Boost will also allow unemployed Canadians to continue receiving Employment Insurance benefits when taking self-funded training.

Educational supports for youth and adults help open the gateway into the workplace. As the job market increasingly places a premium on a diverse skill set, Canadians may need to upgrade their skills throughout their careers. On top of the nearly $3 billion per year in current transfers to provinces and territories in support of skills training and employment programs, the Government is ramping up funding to an additional 21% by 2021-22. Transfers have also been made simpler, more flexible and more responsive to the needs of employers and workers, including those currently under-represented in the workforce. Taken together, this funding is helping individuals across all age groups and backgrounds—from youth to more experienced workers, newcomers to Canada, and persons with disabilities and others—so that all Canadians have the opportunity to find and keep quality jobs.

While women's participation in the workplace has increased over the past few decades, there are still less women employed (58%) than men (65%). Women who do work are typically paid less than men for similar work. To address the gender wage gap, the Government will be introducing historic pay equity legislation to ensure that women receive equal pay for work of equal value in federally regulated industries. In addition, the Government will implement pay transparency to make existing wage gaps more evident in federally regulated industries. This will help to highlight employers who lead in equitable pay practices, while holding employers accountable for wage gaps that affect women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities and individuals from racialized communities.

The Government is also taking steps to increase representation of women in male-dominated sectors of the economy, so they too can benefit from good, well-paying jobs. For example, the Government is investing in an Apprenticeship Incentive Grant for Women to encourage women to pursue careers in male-dominated—and better paid—trades, and to ensure that women are increasingly able to model leadership to other aspiring female tradespeople. The Government is also investing in research and data collection to fill important gaps in knowledge as to how to achieve greater diversity and inclusion within the high-paying jobs of tomorrow. One of the first projects the Government will support is an analysis of the unique challenges visible minority and newcomer women face in finding employment in science, technology, engineering and mathematics occupations.

These measures are just a sample of the steps that the Government is taking to reduce gender gaps in education, skills training and employment so all Canadians can have equal opportunity to succeed.

Indigenous peoples are less likely to be employed than non-Indigenous Canadians, and for those who do work, they typically earn less. The Aboriginal Skills and Employment Training Strategy has existed for many years, but funding levels have not kept up with population growth and needs. The Government recognized that more needs to be done to help close the employment and earnings gap between Indigenous peoples and non-Indigenous Canadians. The new Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Program increases funding by 34% compared to the previous program, which will help more Indigenous people gain skills and find jobs to support themselves and their families. The new Program also recognizes the unique needs of First Nations, Inuit and Métis by establishing distinct programmatic and funding streams.

In addition, to ensure that Indigenous students have the same opportunities for success as other Canadian students, in 2017 the Government increased the funding for the Post-Secondary Student Support Program by $90 million over two years. This funding increase will support the post-secondary education and financial needs of more than 4,600 First Nations and Inuit students enrolled in qualifying post-secondary programs.

Newcomers to Canada also face unique barriers to participating fully in their new country, including their ability to enter the workforce. When newcomers are unemployed, or in jobs below their skill level, they can struggle financially and socially, and our economy loses out. To help remove these barriers, the Government is working with provinces and territories to support newcomers' employability, assist Canadian employers to fully benefit from the contribution of newcomers, and streamline and improve foreign qualification recognition.

“I’m from Syria. My husband can’t find work. He is a mechanic; he worked as a mechanic for 12 years in Syria. It is more of a hands-on job, but when he applies he is told that he needs a Canadian certificate. I worked for 13 years repairing eyeglasses, and I wish I could do that job here.”

In addition, in 2017, the Government launched the Targeted Employment Strategy for Newcomers to help newcomers find jobs that suit their skills and experience. This includes the Foreign Credential Recognition Loans Program, which provides newcomers with loans to help cover credential recognition costs, such as licensing exams. A new three-year Visible Minority Newcomer Women Pilot is beginning in 2018 to 2019 to support programming for newcomer women who are also members of racialized communities.

The Government's plan for reducing poverty must also address systemic barriers such as racism and discrimination that hold some Canadians back. It is unacceptable that any Canadian should face these barriers, and the Government strongly believes that all Canadians should be treated equally and with respect.

In November 2016, the Government appointed a special advisor on LGBTQ2 issues. This advisor is working with LGBTQ2 organizations from across the country to protect the rights of their members, and address discrimination against them—both historic and current. This builds on historic legislation (Bill C-16 passed into law in June 2017) which recognized and reduced the vulnerability of transgender and other gender-diverse persons to discrimination, hate propaganda and hate crimes, and to affirm their equal status in Canadian society.

To help address systemic barriers of racism, the Government will launch cross-country consultations on a new national anti-racism approach. The plan will bring together experts, community organizations, citizens, and interfaith leaders to find new ways to collaborate and combat discrimination, and will increase funds to address racism and discrimination targeted against Indigenous peoples, as well as Indigenous and racialized women and girls.

In particular, as a first step toward recognizing the significant and unique challenges faced by Black Canadians, the Government will also fund local community supports for at-risk youth, and develop research in support of more culturally-focused mental health programs in the Black Canadian community.

The Government is also focused on removing barriers to inclusion for persons with disabilities. Canadians living with disabilities deserve a better chance to succeed in their local communities and workplaces. In June 2018, the Government introduced the Accessible Canada Act in Parliament with the objective to promote equality of opportunity by helping remove barriers and prevent new barriers from being created for persons with disabilities in the federal jurisdiction.

Every Canadian should have a real and fair chance to succeed. Whether a teenager is moving from high school to post-secondary education, or an adult is looking to improve their skills for the next job, or a parent is re-entering the workforce after caregiving leave, or an individual faces discrimination because of their sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or the colour of their skin, these measures are helping remove barriers and level the playing field so that all Canadians can reach their full potential.

Resilience and security

The third pillar of Opportunity for All is about enhancing income security supports to promote Canadians' capacity to handle life's risks and challenges and develop confidence in the future, while preventing them from falling into poverty by helping them through difficult times.

Canadians who face setbacks or are taking time to care for their families can get the help they need from temporary income support through Employment Insurance (EI). The Government has made a series of EI changes to make the system more flexible, so that people receive their benefits sooner, eligible caregivers can receive a new EI benefit when temporarily taking time away from work to care for critically ill or injured family members, youth and newcomers to Canada have better access to EI benefits, and people who accept some work while receiving EI can keep some of their benefits.

In situations where certain regions or industries are facing hard times—for example, during the downturn of the oil industry in 2015 or the softwood lumber tariffs in 2017—the Government has expanded the flexibility of EI benefits to prevent Canadians from falling into poverty. The Government has also extended support to seasonal workers who exhaust their EI benefits, and has announced that it will increase the maximum EI benefit payment duration from four weeks to seven weeks for workers who are owed wages, vacation, severance, or termination pay when their employer files for bankruptcy or enters receivership.

Canada is a country where everyone has a real and fair chance at success. This means that parents should have the supports they need to balance family and work responsibilities, and be resilient through life changes. That is why the Government proposed a new EI Parental Sharing benefit to promote more equal distribution of family responsibilities between spouses.

Some Canadians struggle more than others, even with a job. There are over 1 million Canadians who are working hard but are still living in poverty. Thanks to the Canada Workers Benefit, beginning in 2019, these lower-income Canadians will get an added financial boost to the money they take home from work. The Government will also make it easier to get the Canada Workers Benefit by ensuring that every worker who qualifies is automatically enrolled in the benefit without having to apply—a major step in fulfilling the Government's commitment of making sure that all Canadians receive the tax benefits and credits to which they are entitled. In addition, the Government is also working to improve the delivery of the Canada Workers Benefit to provide better support to lower-income Canadians throughout the year, rather than through an annual refund when they file their taxes.

The Canada Workers Benefit will help Canadians who work but still struggle

Because of the Canada Workers Benefit, a lower-income worker earning $15,000 a year could receive up to nearly $500 more from the program in 2019 than they received in 2018. That is as much as $1,100 to handle unexpected costs and help plan for the future. Overall, the introduction of the Canada Workers Benefit will lift approximately 70,000 Canadians out of poverty.

Getting a job is important, but working conditions for employees are equally important. The Government is demonstrating leadership through the Canada Labour Code to give workers in federally-regulated private sectors improved work-life balance, such as the right to request flexible work arrangements from their employer. This added flexibility will help workers better manage work, family and personal responsibilities, which can always be a challenge in the busy lives of Canadians. A broader review of Part III (Federal Labour Standards) of the Canada Labour Code will ensure that Canadians can continue to benefit from a robust set of federal labour standards that respond to the realities of today's workplaces and set the stage for good-quality jobs. As a part of this review, between May 2017 and March 2018, the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour held consultations with Canadians, unions and labour organizations, employers and employer organizations, academics, other experts and advocacy groups to get their perspectives on what a robust and modern set of federal labour standards should look like.

The Government has also taken steps to help Canadians be more resilient in retirement. Specifically, the Government reached a historic agreement with provinces to enhance the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) to help Canadians achieve safe, secure and dignified retirements. The CPP enhancement will increase the maximum CPP retirement benefit by 50% over time (from over $13,000 per year to nearly $21,000 per year if it was in place today). The increase is based on higher CPP replacement earnings in retirement and increasing the range of earnings covered by the CPP. The CPP enhancement will also include an increase to the maximum disability benefit. The enhanced CPP will continue to be indexed annually to keep up with the cost of living, and will be fully portable across jobs and provinces. It will provide financial stability so Canadians can worry less about outliving their savings in retirement.

Nothing is more important to us than our health. An unexpected illness or the onset of a disability or chronic health condition—even an accident—can devastate a family who may have been doing well until then. Illness can result in individuals no longer being able to work through no fault of their own. To aggravate the matter, there may be high costs for prescription drugs or other treatments, as well as transportation costs for getting to appointments.

Canadians can be rightfully proud of having a universal health care system that helps guard against these risks and impacts. The Government has taken leadership in engaging with provinces and territories to address key health care priorities and keep our health care system strong. In particular, this includes investments of $11 billion over 10 years to provinces and territories specifically targeted to improve home care and mental health services. The Government has also allocated $544 million over five years to federal and pan-Canadian health organizations to support health innovation and pharmaceutical initiatives.

Beyond these measures, the Government is taking action to address the serious impacts that the opioid crisis is having on communities across Canada. This public health crisis affects people of all ages and backgrounds, in all regions of the country, from inner cities, to the suburbs, to rural and remote communities and Indigenous communities. Opioid-related overdoses and deaths are devastating communities. Investments of $231.4 million over five years beginning in 2018–19 will improve access to evidence-based treatment services for those in need.

Taken together, the Government has made these investments because it recognizes how crucial it is for Canadians to know that we have supports there when we need them so that we can all bounce back.

Investing in the social and economic fabric of Canada

All of these initiatives will reduce poverty—and they are just a sample of the many measures that the Government has taken to improve Canada's social infrastructure so that all Canadians have the social and economic supports needed to thrive as part of the middle class.

To learn more about these investments, please refer to Annex 2: Government Initiatives that Support Poverty Reduction at the end of this document. These measures are there for Canadians because we are all better off when no one is left behind, and all Canadians should be able share in our collective prosperity.

Chapter 3: Dignity

There are some things that no Canadian should go without, and some choices that should not have to be made. Everyone should have a nutritious and healthy diet, accessible and affordable housing, essential health care needs met, and enough money to avoid making hard choices between these and other things that are an essential part of life in their communities—between paying the rent and feeding the kids, between filling a prescription and keeping the heat on in the winter.

The first pillar of Opportunity for All gives priority to those most in need, and seeks to eliminate deprivation of basic necessities. Research and experience tell us that poverty as it relates to these basic necessities is not only about money but also about access to suitable housing, healthy and nutritious food, and health care, and it requires action from communities, local governments, and provincial and territorial authorities.

"There is just not enough money and my bills equal more than my income. It causes tough choices. You want to buy things for your kids but rent takes priority."

Measuring progress in helping Canadians meet their basic needs

In addition to measuring poverty using Canada's Official Poverty Line, Opportunity for All will track, as part of a dashboard of indicators, four elements that all Canadians need, regardless of where they live: food, housing and shelter, health care, and a basic level of income. Statistics Canada surveys and other sources will be used to guide and monitor progress in helping Canadians meet their basic needs.

Progress will be achieved if more Canadians are able to afford healthy and nutritious food, and live in housing that is in good condition and of suitable size for their families, and if the number of Canadians who are chronically homeless decreases. Progress will also mean that more Canadians are able to receive health care when they need it. Finally, progress will mean that the income of the poorest of the poor has also risen, so that more Canadians are closer to meeting their basic needs and the modest standard of living reflected in Canada's Official Poverty Line.

These indicators will allow all Canadians to monitor how well we are doing at working together to reduce poverty. These indicators will be detailed enough to track progress not just at the national level, but also at the provincial and territorial level, and for various groups of Canadians defined by gender, age, family composition, Indigenous identity, disability status, and other personal and social characteristics. For example, the indicators could be used to track progress for Black Canadians and other racialized communities, as well as for other groups.

"There is a perception of what you can't have if you are poor; that dehumanizes people."

Chapter 4: Opportunity and inclusion

Addressing poverty is about more than just providing the bare necessities of life. Many Canadians struggle to get ahead because of barriers beyond their control, such as discrimination or unacceptable prejudices. For example, Black Canadians and people from other racialized communities can face discrimination that prevents them from getting a good job despite being qualified, or from advancing in their career. Discrimination based on skin colour can also lead to social exclusion, whether in the workplace or in the community.

Indigenous peoples often face long-standing challenges rooted in Canada's colonial history, which has marginalized generations and led to poverty. Discrimination can also be based on other factors, such as a person's sexual orientation or gender identity and expression. As well, persons with disabilities do not have the same level of opportunity and inclusion as other Canadians when physical spaces are simply not accessible to them. Newcomers to Canada often face multiple challenges, such as learning a new language and finding work, as they try to advance. Challenges can be particularly severe when these attributes intersect: for example, for a Black Canadian woman with a disability.

Accordingly, a fundamental part of addressing poverty is to promote community and opportunity, and to remove discrimination based on gender, race, disabilities, sexual orientation or other grounds, and other roadblocks that prevent people from getting ahead.

The second pillar of Opportunity for All is aligned with the right to equality and non-discrimination under domestic law. This pillar is about fostering opportunity and movement out of poverty so that more Canadians can join the middle class and fully participate in their communities. It is about making it easier for Canadians to move up the income ladder, climb out of poverty and feel empowered through self-sufficiency.

Promoting opportunity means removing barriers and helping all Canadians excel through access to life-long education and skills development, which lead to quality jobs. These essential skills include literacy and numeracy among all Canadians, but particularly among young people, with their engagement in employment, education and training continually on the rise.

Initiatives undertaken by the Government mean Canadians will increasingly have enough income to afford not just the basic necessities, but also the other things they need to fully participate in their communities.

For many Canadians, particularly those working hard to join the middle class, this is a vision to promote engagement and social inclusion so we can thrive together, and have the support of our family, friends and everyone in our communities. Working together we can ensure that no one is left behind. This is a vision to promote full participation of all Canadians in our society.

"Once you're stuck below the poverty line, it is so hard to get above it."

"Poverty is not an equal opportunity disabler—gender, race, and other factors bear heavily and need to be acknowledged in designing responses."

Measuring progress in helping Canadians join the middle class

Canada's Official Poverty Line is sensitive to the reality of being able to afford the necessities of life, reflecting the costs of a healthy basket of food, appropriate shelter and home maintenance, clothing and transportation. But it is also sensitive to the reality of being able to afford other things that permit full engagement in the community, such as the extra-curricular activities that round out a child's life.

However, social inclusion and equality of opportunity cannot be measured simply in dollars, as there are some necessities we all require to reach our full potential. That is why the Opportunity Pillar includes four indicators to measure the skills and level of engagement that are required to increase the odds that Canadians will lead fulfilling lives.

In a world where technology is increasingly part of all aspects of our life, more than ever, all Canadians need to be able to read, write, and perform basic math to be able to participate in their communities. Young people should be actively engaged, whether in employment, education or training. Adults should be supported in pursuing life-long learning, gaining new skills and strengthening existing skills. Persons with disabilities should be able to participate in their communities.

The distance between Canadians in poverty and those in the middle class, as measured by relative low income, should be reduced so that more Canadians can see getting out of poverty as a realistic possibility. And finally, the share of total income earned by Canadians in the lower 40% of the income distribution should increase, which is consistent with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals of reducing inequalities within countries.

Progress on these measures will be achieved if the number of Canadians equipped with literacy and numeracy skills rises, as these basic skills are critical for having quality jobs and participating in many aspects of life. Progress will mean there are more young people in jobs, education or training, so they can share in our collective prosperity. Finally, progress will mean that the number of Canadians with less than half the income of the typical Canadian decreases while the share of income earned by Canadians in the lower 40% of the income distribution increases, with more Canadians joining the middle class. These results would be distributed evenly, reflecting equitable opportunities and ensuring that all Canadians are able to benefit, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, sexual identity and expression, or ability.

Chapter 5: Resilience and security

Canadians should have the income security and social supports they need to be able to rebound from life's setbacks. Canadians have told us about their stresses when dealing with life's uncertainties. These stresses include falling ill and being unable to work; losing a good job after many years of loyal service; leaving work to care for a child with a disability or a sick parent; experiencing divorce, separation, or widowhood which have a disproportionately negative economic impact on women; or funding a secure and dignified retirement.

We all experience setbacks in life. During these difficult times, many of us can seek help from family and friends. Parents can sometimes ask their neighbours to look after their kids for the afternoon while they visit a sick relative in hospital. A brother or sister can often offer help with finding a new job. Unfortunately, not all Canadians have access to these supports when they need them. Together, we can all help each other through challenging times.

The third pillar of Opportunity for All is about promoting the capacity to handle life's risks and challenges, and developing confidence in the future. It is about preventing people from falling into poverty wherever they are on the income ladder, particularly those who have experienced poverty in the past and have worked hard to move up, but also those who have long been in the middle class. At its core, the best protection against poverty is having a job. However, when Canadians struggle with finding employment or cannot work due to disability or illness, we all need to step up and help.

"[Escaping poverty means] the ability to LIVE, not just survive."
"[Success in poverty reduction would mean] an increase in hopefulness and a decrease in helplessness."

Measuring progress in helping Canadians remain resilient through growth that benefits everyone

Supporting a resilient middle class requires economic growth that increases the incomes of individuals in poverty as well as the majority of the population. In this way, Opportunity for All is an integral part of fostering a strong middle class.

Opportunity for All will track progress on four inter-related indicators of resilience in Canadian households: the hourly wage rate earned by the average Canadian, the percentage of Canadians that fall into poverty each year as well as the percentage of Canadians that are lifted out of poverty each year, the average shortfall below the poverty line among those who are below Canada's Official Poverty Line, and the number of Canadians with sufficient savings and other assets to handle a setback without falling into poverty.

"Liquid assets provide a cushion against life's emergencies, help low-income families to smooth month-to-month income/expense gaps when incomes are volatile, and reduce the need to turn to costly, high-risk loans to make ends meet."

Progress will be achieved if wages paid rise, and the percentage of Canadians falling into poverty each year decreases while the number of Canadians being lifted out of poverty each year increases. On average, Canadians living in poverty earn $9,000 less than Canada's Official Poverty Line. Therefore, progress will mean that Canadians living in poverty will see their incomes increase and move closer to the poverty line. Finally, progress will be achieved if more Canadian families are able to handle unexpected expenses, or reduced income, and face the future with more security and confidence.

Chapter 6: Working with provinces, territories and communities

While Opportunity for All is a federal initiative, the Government of Canada knows that, to be successful, it cannot act alone. Partnerships are essential to implementing a poverty reduction strategy that works for all Canadians.

The Government recognizes the work accomplished by all the provinces and territories, all of which have poverty reduction strategies in place or in development. Provinces and territories have taken leadership roles and charted a way forward with poverty reduction strategies and initiatives, as have many communities across the country.

On July 31, 2018, provincial and territorial Ministers released a joint statement on poverty reduction entitled, “Meeting the Challenge: Provincial-Territorial Vision Statement on Poverty Reduction.” The Statement aligns well with Opportunity for All and can be seen in full on the next page. For example, the Statement includes a vision of all Canadians having the opportunity to live with dignity and reach their full potential; emphasizes collaboration to address social and economic challenges that cross levels of government; focuses on poverty reduction, prevention and alleviation; and highlights the importance of listening and incorporating views and perspectives of individuals with lived experience of poverty.

Moving forward in the service of all Canadians will require efforts that are aligned and complementary across orders of government, where feasible. This helps ensure that Canadians do not miss out on benefits to which they are entitled, or face gaps or duplication in government programming. It also ensures that interactions between federal and provincial or territorial programs do not have unintended consequences that adversely affect individuals and families. Alignment across the different orders of government will also ensure that communities throughout Canada will be well-positioned to help individuals move out of poverty.

The Government will build upon a strong track record of working with the provinces and territories. Since 2015, partnering between orders of government has led to successes in several key areas supporting the social and economic well-being of Canadians. This has included expanding of the Canada Pension Plan, targeting investments in homecare and mental health, signing agreements on early learning and child care, and collaborating with partners on initiatives like the Canada Community Housing Initiative and the National Housing Co-Investment Fund as outlined in the National Housing Strategy.

Collaboration has also meant, for example, that the new Canada Child Benefit is not considered income for the purposes of calculating social assistance and other provincial and territorial child benefit amounts. Cooperation has also given provinces and territories the opportunity to adjust certain parameters of both the Canada Child Benefit and the Canada Workers Benefit, so that these benefits can fit within the overall structure and context of provincial and territorial benefits and programs. Tailoring these programs allows provincial and territorial governments to meet the unique needs of communities in their respective jurisdictions.

Moving forward, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development will continue to work with provincial and territorial colleagues to coordinate current and future poverty reduction initiatives with a focus on addressing gaps in programming, preventing duplication, and making sure that programs work well together. Federal, provincial and territorial Ministers of social services will also continue to work together to identify mutual priorities for future work, share data, support a solid evidence base for future actions and share best practices so that all jurisdictions can take advantage of innovative solutions.

Meeting the Challenge: Provincial-Territorial Vision Statement on Poverty Reduction

Vision:

All Canadians have the opportunity to live with dignity and realize their full potential. Provinces and territories are united in their vision of a Canada where all individuals are included, can develop to their full potential and can participate fully in social and economic life. This can be achieved by working in collaboration to address the social and economic disparities that exist today, and by creating the innovative and responsive solutions required to meet the challenges of the future.

Principles:

It is important that all Canadians are supported to develop to their full potential. Preventing and reducing poverty, as well as alleviating its impacts, are ongoing priorities for provinces and territories. A long term, collaborative effort from all governments is needed, as is the involvement of communities, community-based groups and individuals. We must find more effective ways to support those living in poverty and to protect those who are at risk, while recognizing the need for prevention and being able to respond to the changing nature of Canadian society.

Provincial and territorial governments have a responsibility to listen to those with lived experience of poverty and to work collaboratively to reduce poverty. Social change, emerging technologies, demographic shifts, and the evolving nature of work and labour markets present new challenges for our country and for reducing poverty. Provincial and territorial Ministers Responsible for Social Services are united in recognizing the need for innovative responses; we cannot meet these challenges while working in isolation and we can learn and build on experiences from across Canada.

Our poverty reduction efforts must also acknowledge the diverse circumstances in different parts of the country. The voices of those with lived experience, and the unique needs of rural and remote regions, urban areas, Indigenous communities, recent immigrants and refugees, children, youth, seniors, and persons with disabilities, as well as the gendered nature of poverty, must be central to poverty reduction work.

Poverty reduction must recognize the historic and ongoing impacts of government policies on Indigenous peoples and poverty in Indigenous communities. In the spirit of reconciliation and renewed relationships, poverty reduction must support and empower Indigenous peoples, communities and leaders.

Respecting their distinct roles and responsibilities, provincial and territorial Ministers are committed to working collaboratively with the federal government and other partners in the development and implementation of meaningful and effective solutions that build upon the work of provinces and territories.

Priorities:

Provincial and territorial Ministers are committed to working with each other and the Federal Government to prevent, reduce and alleviate poverty. Approaches to transformative change could include developing the tools, strategies, and policies, including:

• Future-proofing: Responding to the changing nature of work and other social changes, including ensuring that our social and income security systems reflect today's realities and are prepared for the trends and challenges of the future.
• Alignment: Better coordinating programs, services and policies to avoid duplication, maximize cumulative impact, and improve ease of access for individuals and families living in or vulnerable to poverty.
• Measurement: Developing, sharing, and using information to identify trends and gaps, and as appropriate, establishing common measures and indicators.
• Prevention-focused approach: Recognizing the multiple dimensions, causes and consequences of poverty and its intergenerational nature, ensuring an approach that is consistent with human rights principles and is focused on preventing poverty.

Chapter 7: Working with Indigenous peoples

The Government of Canada is committed to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and to a renewed relationship based on the recognition of rights, respect, cooperation and partnership. No relationship is more important to the Government of Canada than its relationship with Indigenous peoples.

As we spoke with Canadians about poverty, we heard that while there are some shared experiences, there are also unique differences in how poverty is experienced among First Nations, Inuit, and Métis. This is largely the result of Canada's colonial history, in which Indigenous peoples have been subject to policies and actions that have had direct negative consequences on their standard of living and perpetuated cycles of poverty and marginalization over many generations.

As a result, certain barriers and challenges are unique to or greater for Indigenous peoples; these barriers and challenges may be even more pronounced for those living in northern or remote communities, women, LGBTQ2 and Two-Spirit people, and those with disabilities or functional limitations.

In response, Opportunity for All takes a distinctions-based approach to poverty reduction through the initiatives that the Strategy is built upon. A distinctions-based approach is one that recognizes and implements the unique rights, interests and circumstances of First Nations, Métis and Inuit. For example, the National Housing Strategy commits to the successful implementation of specific housing strategies for First Nations, Inuit and Métis. Similarly, the new Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Program recognizes the unique needs of First Nations, Inuit and Métis through the creation of distinct program and funding streams.

In addition, the Government's Early Learning and Child Care Framework includes a distinct Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework, to reflect the unique cultures and needs of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis children.

Opportunity for All will also take actions to help better understand poverty among First Nations, Inuit, and Métis—regardless of where they live in Canada.

During the consultation process, we heard that we should take a strengths-based approach to poverty reduction that focuses on well-being and supporting resilience. Indigenous women also told us that poverty is about more than a lack of income; it is also about social disconnection, and they explained that cultural activities promote social and economic well-being by improving self-confidence and building identity.

Accordingly, as part of the Opportunity for All distinctions-based approach, and based on the principles of reconciliation, the Government will work with National Indigenous Organizations and others to identify and co-develop indicators of poverty and well-being, including non-income-based measures of poverty, that reflect the multiple dimensions of poverty and well-being experienced by First Nations, Inuit and Métis.

The process established to better understand poverty and well-being from the perspective of Indigenous peoples and the co-development of indicators of poverty will respect the autonomy of Indigenous governments while laying the foundation for the Government of Canada to more respectfully support the achievement of better poverty reduction outcomes by Indigenous peoples over the long term.

The following pages outline First Nations, Inuit, and Métis perspectives on poverty and their priorities for federal poverty reduction actions going forward in their own words. These sections were informed by First Nations, Inuit and Métis who shared their views on poverty and what they would want to see in a Poverty Reduction Strategy.

First Nations perspectives on poverty

When it comes to poverty for First Nations, "history matters." Colonialism has contributed to higher rates of poverty, and its legacy continues to increase the risk of poverty amongst First Nations individuals. First Nations communities have worked tirelessly over the years to determine the scope of poverty's impact in their communities, as well as determine and develop possible strategies, partnerships, programming and services they can turn to in order to address poverty in their lives.

The Poverty Reduction Strategy comes at an important time as First Nations people have seen promising advancements in their relationship with Canada. For example, the Government of Canada announced its intentions to adopt and fully implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous peoples as well as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's Calls to Action, both of which contain provisions that support First Nations' economic well-being.

Despite these promising developments in the relationship between Indigenous peoples and Canada, First Nations people still experience socio-economic marginalization. First Nations people are more likely to experience poverty in its most notable forms (income, employment, education and housing); however, First Nations poverty also goes beyond these common indicators, and compounds the effects of other issues such as health, mental health and addictions.

As the Government moves forward in implementing the Poverty Reduction Strategy, it will need to continue in its joint effort with First Nations with a particular focus on improving the condition of First Nations elders, women, children and youth. This must be done in a way that addresses a history of colonialism, truly supports First Nations people in reducing poverty based on how poverty is experienced in their communities, and increases both individual and community well-being in a culturally sensitive way that respects First Nations perspectives and worldviews. Finally, gaps in data must be addressed so that the scope of poverty in First Nations communities can be fully understood.

Inuit perspectives on poverty

Inuit have experienced rapid social, economic and cultural changes in the last century, including longstanding human rights violations in the areas of health, housing and safety that continue today. Poverty among Inuit is a condition of colonization and is therefore associated with contemporary society. It is the broad outcome of the troubled shift from living with self-reliance and resourcefulness on the land to being settled in permanent municipalities where dependency on a cash economy and assistance from outside the community could not be avoided.

Inuit define poverty as lacking economic well-being, human capacities and capabilities, and social exclusion, including loss of self-reliance and connectedness. Inuit see poverty as inter‑related, inter‑connected and indivisible from other social determinants of health within our society. Inuit social determinants of health are in turn drivers of social and economic inequity, including poverty.

Inuit are at the lowest end of all well-being indicators in Canada. Reliance upon government support payments by Inuit households is high. Food security is a major issue. Inuit poverty is also evident in poor housing conditions. Other indicators demonstrating vulnerability to poverty amongst Inuit include poor educational and health outcomes, and inequitable participation in the wage-based economy. Cultural poverty has become another feature of poverty, with the erosion of language and Inuit culture and traditions. These are all part of Inuit poverty today.

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami remains committed to working in partnership with the Government of Canada to promote poverty reduction in Inuit communities. Joint poverty reduction efforts must be responsive to Inuit understandings of poverty and the unique circumstances that have led to, and perpetuate, poverty across Inuit Nunangat. To this end, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami has identified seven priority areas for collaboration to improve the standard of living for Inuit and ensure that this parallels that of other Canadians:

1. Income Security;
2. Housing Security;
3. Food Security;
4. Early Learning and Child Care;
5. Education;
6. Health and Wellness; and
7. Livelihoods.

If we work together through a human rights framework to address the unique poverty circumstance of Inuit, the Poverty Reduction Strategy can advance our shared goals for reconciliation between Inuit and non-Inuit in Canada.

Métis Nation's perspectives on poverty

Most of the Métis Nation's policy and program initiatives during the past four decades have focused on improving the living standards of its citizens in general and those of its most vulnerable citizens in particular. These initiatives have proven successful in lifting many Métis people out of poverty by providing opportunities and resources previously beyond their reach.

At the same time, the Métis have faced and continue to face barriers in their relationship with Canada that have slowed the pace of their socio-economic development as demonstrated by unemployment rates higher than the rest of Canada, and Métis are over-represented at the lower end of educational attainment and under-represented at the higher end.

The commitment of the Government of Canada to strengthen the middle class and help low-income Canadians exit poverty offers strong potential to tackle these barriers.

The signing of a Canada-Métis Nation Accord on April 13, 2017, marked a significant step toward a renewed relationship based on recognition of rights, respect, co-operation and partnership. The Accord commits Canada and the Métis Nation to co-develop policies and programs to improve socio-economic conditions of Métis and their access to social and economic programs and services that address their needs.

Poverty reduction is a key priority in the Accord, including a commitment of the Government of Canada and the Métis Nation to work together. Collaboration should focus on addressing key dimensions of poverty reduction that are priorities for Métis, including: self-determination, housing, education, employment and training, early learning and child care, and health and wellness.

Chapter 8: Ensuring a lasting impact

Opportunity for All sets historic targets to improve the well-being of Canadians that extend to 2030. Through this long-term plan, the Government will ensure that Canadians can monitor the progress being made and hold this and future governments accountable to ensure they deliver on commitments to reduce poverty and improve the lives of all Canadians.

Canada's Official Poverty Line

Opportunity for All introduces Canada's first-ever official measure of poverty.

For the first time in Canada's history, the Government is setting an official measure of poverty. Canada's Official Poverty Line is based on the level of income that Canadians require to meet their basic needs and achieve a modest standard of living in 50 regions across the country. If Canadians cannot afford the basket of goods and services, they will be considered to be living in poverty. This is a truly made-in-Canada measure of poverty, based on the unique costs of items that individuals need in communities across Canada, from St. John's to Vancouver.

This official measure of poverty will help the Government and all Canadians monitor progress made toward reducing poverty. The more Canadians are lifted over the line, the more we can all thrive together.

Setting poverty reduction targets

Canada's Official Poverty Line will be used to measure progress toward two targets for poverty reduction, using a baseline year of 2015. These targets are ambitious but achievable, and would make a real difference in the lives of Canadians. They are:

• to reduce the rate of poverty by 20% by 2020; and
• to reduce the rate of poverty by 50% by 2030.

Meeting these targets will mark a significant reduction in poverty in our country, with 1 in 10 or about 10% of Canadians living in poverty by 2020, and 1 in 17 or roughly 6% of Canadians living in poverty by 2030. Progress toward the 2020 target is well on its way, as currently 10.6% or just over 1 in 10 Canadians are living in poverty.

Meeting the 2030 target would mean 2.1 million Canadians would be lifted out of poverty, based on Canada's population in 2015. This would mark the lowest poverty rate in Canada's history.

The Government is already working hard to meet these targets. Investments since 2015—helping groups such as children and families, low-income workers, seniors, and many other groups vulnerable to poverty— will lift about 650,000 Canadians out of poverty by 2019. These Canadians are now meeting their basic needs, have the opportunity to join the middle class, and are more resilient in handling life's setbacks.

Opportunity for All sets concrete targets to reduce poverty.

Tracking progress

In addition to tracking progress in poverty reduction through Canada's Official Poverty Line, a dashboard of indicators will be made available online, so that Canadians can clearly see the progress that has been made. These indicators will reflect what Canadians have told us is meaningful to them in poverty reduction, they will be measurable so all Canadians can see the progress, and they will be monitored so that the Government will be held accountable to ensure it is making progress.

The dashboard will track, for example, the reduction in food insecurity levels, the attainment of skills required to get good jobs, and the number of Canadians with enough savings to handle setbacks in their lives. These measures of poverty go beyond income and will help monitor progress toward a fuller vision of what Canadians have told us is important to them: to live with dignity, to have access to opportunity, and to remain resilient in the face of adversity.

National Advisory Council on Poverty

Canadians have been clear about their desire for a serious commitment to reducing poverty. Throughout its consultations, the Government heard from Canadians that words are important, but action is paramount. To ensure accountability, the Government will establish, and proposes to legislate, a National Advisory Council on Poverty with a membership that reflects the diversity of Canada and a mandate to advise the Government on poverty reduction and produce a report on the Government's progress toward meeting targets every year. The annual reports will be public and tabled in Parliament every year.

Throughout the poverty reduction strategy consultation process, Canadians spoke and the Government listened. Canadians must continue to be heard throughout our journey to 2030. That is why the Council will also foster a national dialogue on poverty reduction with stakeholder groups; First Nations, Inuit and Métis; academics; and all Canadians who are, ultimately, at the centre of Opportunity for All.

Poverty Reduction legislation

The Government proposes to introduce a Poverty Reduction Act in Parliament to entrench the targets, Canada's Official Poverty Line and the Advisory Council into law. This would help cement the Government's commitment to poverty reduction and ensure that poverty reduction remains a lasting priority well into the future.

Chapter 9: Improving measurement of poverty

All Canadians should expect a solid evidence base to inform progress on poverty reduction. Quality evidence leads to informed decision-making, which in turn leads to helping more Canadians reach their full potential. Opportunity for All outlines the Government's plan to strengthen poverty measurement, identify gaps and gather data to guide our journey to 2030.

As a first step, beginning in 2018-19, the Government is investing $12.1 million over five years, and $1.5 million per year thereafter, to address key gaps in poverty measurement in Canada, for example, in Canada's North. This will give governments, stakeholders, service delivery organizations, academics and the general public greater insight into what is working, what could be changed or enhanced, and what further support is needed to meet targets and improve the lives of all Canadians.

Strengthening data on poverty

Canada's Official Poverty Line will be based on the costs of a typical basket of goods and services that Canadian families use in real life. This measure will allow Canadians to track how we are meeting our poverty reduction targets in a way that reflects the financial pressures that families face on a daily basis.

Statistics Canada and Employment and Social Development Canada will update the basket to reflect the reality of what is needed to participate in society today and going forward, with further updates taking place on a regular basis. This will include ensuring that it continues to reflect a modest standard of living suitable for the current day (for example, removing videotape rentals and updating other items such as Internet access).

The plan to improve the measurement of poverty will also include closing gaps in the North by expanding the Canadian Income Survey so that Canada's Official Poverty Line can be calculated in the territories. In addition, Statistics Canada will explore the feasibility of ensuring that the basket of goods and services reflects the unique costs of living in Canada's northern and remote communities.

As part of the Strategy's distinctions-based approach, and based on the principles of reconciliation, the Government will work with National Indigenous Organizations and others to identify and co-develop indicators of poverty and well-being that reflect the multiple dimensions of poverty and well-being experienced by First Nations, Inuit, and Métis.

And finally, this will mean expanding the Canadian Income Survey as well as using other sources such as the Census to permit more detailed analysis of poverty for specific groups, such as racialized communities, persons with disabilities, lone-parent families, immigrants, seniors, LGBTQ2 and others.

Statistics Canada will also strive to close gaps in our knowledge and understanding of the various dimensions of poverty, including the poverty reduction impacts of non-monetary benefits like rent subsidies. In addition, further research will also be undertaken on a range of topics, including entry and exit rates from poverty, the presence of poverty in different regions of the country and the persistence of poverty, particularly among specific groups, such as Black Canadians and other racialized communities.

Introducing the new Centre for Gender, Diversity and Inclusion Statistics

In Budget 2018, the Government announced $6.7 million over five years, starting in 2018–19, and $0.6 million per year ongoing, for the creation of the Centre for Gender, Diversity and Inclusion Statistics.

The Centre will track the Government's progress towards a more equal society by addressing gaps in the availability of disaggregated data on gender, race and other intersecting identities. This work will help enrich our understanding of barriers that different groups face, including women and individuals from racialized communities, and how best to support them with evidence-based policy.

Creation of a dashboard of indicators

Opportunity for All introduces a dashboard of indicators to track progress on the many aspects of poverty, from different measures of low income, to Canadians in housing need, to the differences in earnings and life outcomes between low-income Canadians and those in the middle class.

The publicly available online dashboard will allow all Canadians to monitor progress, and it will be regularly updated as new information becomes available. Statistics Canada will continue to fill gaps in the frequency and quality of information, and will provide more detail when available. For example, data will be disaggregated by geographic and socio-demographic characteristics, including gender. In particular, this will include disaggregating data wherever possible to better understand poverty among various groups, including Black Canadians and other racialized communities. These steps will help Canadians track our progress on reducing poverty using the most up-to-date and reliable data.

While Canada's Official Poverty Line will be the official measure of poverty, Statistics Canada will also continue to measure relative low income using the Low Income Measure (LIM) and will explore making the LIM more sensitive to regional differences. The LIM is a relative measure of low income that tracks the proportion of Canadians with incomes that are below 50% of the median after-tax and transfer income. Since many countries report low income on this basis, it is frequently used for international comparisons.

We are all part of measuring poverty

Taken together, these steps will strengthen our understanding of poverty in Canada according to the highest statistical standards. Creating a transparent process for how we measure poverty will allow all Canadians to join the conversation in assessing how the Government is doing and determining where more could be done to meet poverty reduction targets.

Chapter 10: Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+)

Opportunity for All recognizes the importance of ensuring that all Canadians, regardless of their gender or other identity factors such as race or family composition, have equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from prosperity in Canada. The Government has developed Opportunity for All using a GBA+ lens in order to take into consideration the variation in experiences and barriers that different groups face related to poverty. Some of these groups include women, persons with disabilities, newcomers to Canada, single parents, unattached individuals, Indigenous peoples, trans-gendered and non-binary individuals, and individuals from Black and other racialized communities. Understanding the unique risk factors, the impact of intersecting experiences and the needs of diverse groups will help the Government to tailor interventions under the Strategy to more effectively address poverty in Canada. Going forward, this approach will continue to be applied to assess and evaluate the effectiveness of Opportunity for All. The goal of Opportunity for All is to reduce and remove systemic barriers, and promote equal opportunity for all Canadians. Individual initiatives under the Strategy will also apply a GBA+ lens in their design, implementation and evaluation, in order to promote conditions of equity and concretely address these barriers.

It's Time: Canada's Strategy to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence

In 2017, the Government released its Strategy to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence, which is centred on prevention, supporting survivors and their families and promoting a responsive legal and justice system.

Many of the same groups that are at risk of poverty are also at risk of gender-based violence. These groups may include: women and girls; Indigenous peoples; LGBTQ2 members; gender non-conforming individuals; racialized people; those living in northern, rural and remote communities; people with disabilities; newcomers to Canada, children and youth; and seniors.

Opportunity for All and the Strategy on Gender-Based Violence will both help lay the foundation for filling the gaps in support of these diverse populations.

The impact of poverty on women

Historically, women have been more likely to live in poverty than men, although in 2016 the overall percentage of men (10.3%) and women (10.8%) in poverty was about the same. However, across Canada, some women face unique barriers that can make them more vulnerable to poverty than men.

For example, 80% of single parents are women. Over one-third of single parent women live in poverty. Women continue to take on the majority of caregiving responsibilities and put more hours into their caregiving activities than men—which becomes much more stressful if they are also struggling to make ends meet. It is particularly important to address poverty among women because of the added impact of poverty on their children and other dependants in the household, such as an aging or sick family member.

Women and work

Though women have increasingly made gains in employment since the mid-1970s, the percentage of women employed (58%) still remains below that of men (65%) in 2017. Women are also more likely than men to work in precarious employment arrangements, such as contract work, or temporary or involuntary part-time jobs.

Women continue to face other inequities relative to men. For example, because women continue to assume the primary family caregiving role, they are more likely to work reduced hours or miss work due to these responsibilities, although this trend is decreasing. Women are also generally paid less than men doing similar work, with women earning about 12% less in terms of their average hourly wages among full-time employees. The groups most affected by this earnings gap are female newcomers to Canada, women with disabilities and Indigenous women. The availability and affordability of child care, and increased sharing of caregiver responsibilities by both parents, is key to supporting female participation in the workforce.

The impact of poverty on other Canadians

Certain groups, such as single-parent families, single people aged 45 to 64, persons with disabilities, recent immigrants and Indigenous peoples, are more likely to live in low income than others. Some individuals may also face intersecting challenges that make them more at risk of poverty, for example, individuals from Black or other racialized communities, and transgender individuals. In addition to being more likely to experience low income, these groups are also statistically more likely to live in low income for long periods of time. This is troubling because the longer a person is poor, the harder it is for them to get out of poverty.

Individuals living in northern and remote communities can also experience distinct challenges that make them more at risk of living in poverty, such as increased costs of food, barriers to accessing health care and unmet housing needs, which are particular challenges in Nunavut.

Although a similar proportion of men and women live in poverty overall, there are some exceptions. Notably, 14% of single male seniors live in poverty, compared to 10% of single female seniors. By contrast, 36% of single working-age women live in poverty, compared to 32% of single working-age men.

Elements of Opportunity for All most relevant to GBA+

Opportunity for All is grounded in and supportive of the Government's commitment to GBA+. Certain elements of the Strategy are particularly relevant to those groups negatively impacted on the basis of gender and other identity factors.

The investments and work that will go into producing better poverty data, including the creation of a dashboard of indicators of various dimensions of poverty, will allow the Government, and all Canadians, to monitor the progress being made to reduce poverty amongst women and other at-risk groups. Where possible, data will be disaggregated by geographic and other identity characteristics—such as belonging to a racialized group and gender—to help the Government better understand groups most at risk of poverty and determine what characteristics make an individual more likely to need added support. The ongoing monitoring of progress and the disaggregation of data will also allow for the identification of gaps in poverty reduction efforts, and will inform future government actions so that no groups of Canadians are left behind.

In addition, the creation of a new Centre for Gender, Diversity, and Inclusion Statistics at Statistics Canada will help track the Government's progress towards a more equal society. It will improve our understanding of barriers faced by different groups—such as women and individuals from racialized communities—and how best to support them with evidence-based policy. The Centre will maintain a public-facing GBA+ data hub to support evidence-based policy development and decision-making—both within the federal government and beyond.

As the Government forms the National Advisory Council on Poverty to track and publicly report on progress toward poverty reduction each year, appointments will focus on recruiting qualified candidates who also reflect Canada's diversity. Consideration for appointments will include factors such as linguistic and regional diversity, and groups more vulnerable to poverty. The Advisory Council will also provide guidance on how to reach the poverty reduction targets, including advice on where best to focus the Government's efforts to support women and other at-risk groups.

The way forward

Opportunity for All seeks to improve the social and economic well-being of all Canadians, with a particular focus on groups most at risk of poverty. As the Government works toward its poverty reduction targets, it will continue to evaluate progress based on data, based on what Canadians are telling the Government is important to them for poverty reduction, and always considering options for current and future actions through a GBA+ lens.

The Government is strongly committed to achieving gender equality. This can be seen in many of its actions, such as its strategy on Gender-Based Violence, its commitment to introducing pay equity legislation, and Budget 2018, where no decision was taken without being informed by GBA+. As well, many recent investments are particularly beneficial to women, such as the introduction and indexation of the Canada Child Benefit and the increase in the Guaranteed Income Supplement payments for low-income seniors.

Opportunity for All builds on these steps and actions and ensures that GBA+ is an integral part of the program design and decision-making process to ensure that all Canadians, regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or other identity factors, can reach their full potential and not live in poverty.

GBA+ in action

9 out of 10 Canadian families are receiving more money under the Canada Child Benefit—particularly beneficial for low-income single mothers.

The recent increase to Employment Insurance parental leave by up to 5 weeks in cases where the second parent agrees to take a minimum of 5 weeks of parental leave will help improve the sharing of caregiving responsibilities by both parents.

Increased Guaranteed Income Supplement payments of up to $947 per year are helping nearly 900,000 low-income seniors, 70% of whom are women.

A new National Housing Strategy will support vulnerable populations, with at least 33% of investments to support projects that target the unique needs of women and girls.

Greater funding to improve the health of First Nations and Inuit, including services that are women-specific, such as maternal and child health.

Chapter 11: Going forward: Canada in 2030

Opportunity for All is guided by the Government's commitment to make real, positive change in the lives of Canadians now and into the future. Its targets for poverty reduction are reflected in Canada's international commitments to make progress toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for 2030, including reducing Canada's poverty rate by 50%.

The road to Opportunity for All has been a journey through communities large and small, from all corners of the country — from St. John's, to Iqaluit, to Vancouver, to Hamilton. The Government took this road so it could hear directly from thousands of Canadians.

Canadians have asked for a bold vision, but also for a concrete plan to address some of their most pressing needs, the barriers they face and uncertainties in their lives. Opportunity for All is that vision and that plan.

Dignity, opportunity and inclusion, resilience and security are at the core of this vision. Opportunity for All also sets an official poverty line for Canada with measurable targets to guide action toward longer-term well-being.

The elements laid out in Opportunity for All aim to bring us to a better Canada in 2030. A Canada that is both a global economic leader and a kind and generous country where no one is left behind. A Canada that adapts to changing economic conditions and benefits from a healthy and productive workforce. A Canada that has met the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and where meaningful progress has been made against the multiple dimensions of poverty.

Ultimately, Canada in 2030 will be a country where all Canadians can contribute to the best of their ability and reach their full potential.

Opportunity for All engages Canada with the world

On September 25, 2015, Canada was one of 150 countries to adopt a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all as part of a new sustainable development agenda. Each goal has specific targets to be achieved by 2030.

The long-term target of Opportunity for All to reduce poverty by 50% by 2030 is aligned with the 1st Sustainable Development Goal: "By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions."

The road to 2030

The release of Opportunity for All is not the end of the journey. It is a point in time to take stock of our accomplishments to date and lay out a plan for the road ahead in order to meet concrete, ambitious targets.

Looking ahead, the Government has already identified some challenges and has stated where it intends to take action. This includes plans to develop a National Food Policy; the creation of an Advisory Council to move toward implementing a national pharmacare program; working with stakeholders to develop a Social Innovation and Social Finance Strategy to better support community organizations working to address persistent social and environmental challenges using innovative approaches; and plans to make a more fair and inclusive society through the recent introduction of the Accessible Canada Act in Parliament, as well as upcoming pay equity legislation. The Government has also already started on the path to reconciliation, and is committed to continuing to work in partnership with Indigenous peoples.

Looking forward, the Government will regularly update Canada’s Official Poverty Line to reflect the costs and items that comprise the basket of goods and services that Canadians require to meet their basic needs and achieve a modest standard of living in communities across the country. The Government will also continue to examine the impact that poverty has on specific groups and where further action could be taken to build on the vast array of investments that have already been made.

As the Government moves toward 2030, data gaps will be identified and addressed. The evidence base will be enhanced by new investments in good-quality data, as well as by taking the steps necessary to acquire better information, particularly in northern communities and for First Nations people living on-reserve.

Progress is being made but governments cannot and should not act alone. That is why Opportunity for All is also a call to action to all Canadians, because we are all stronger when we work together.

The Government will continue to work in partnership with Indigenous peoples to realize a Canada where meaningful reconciliation is achieved with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis.

The Government will also work closely with other partners to realize this vision. It will work with provinces, territories and municipalities, and forge strong bonds with stakeholders and community groups on the front lines of tackling poverty in communities across Canada. The Government will engage academics and social innovators looking for new solutions to address the causes and consequences of poverty. The Government is also inviting the private sector to do its part. And, finally, the Government will continue to tap into the rich knowledge, experience and ideas that come from all Canadians, particularly those who live in poverty.

Canada has reason to look to the future with confidence and optimism. Acting together, we can ensure that in the Canada of 2030, all Canadians will live with dignity, have real and fair access to opportunities, and remain resilient through all of life's challenges. And by 2030, Canada will see millions lifted out of poverty. Let's continue our journey together.

Annex 1: The statistical fine print

Opportunity for All includes a series of indicators to track progress in reducing poverty in Canada. This annex provides further background on statistics, definitions of indicators and other elements that make up the data and measurement components of Opportunity for All.

Poverty is:

The condition of a person who is deprived of the resources, means, choices and power necessary to acquire and maintain a basic level of living standards and to facilitate integration and participation in society.

Canada's Official Poverty Line

Opportunity for All introduces Canada's Official Poverty Line. This measure will be used to track progress toward the two poverty reduction targets, using 2015 levels as the baseline:

• a 20% reduction by 2020; and
• a 50% reduction by 2030.

In 2015, 1 in every 8 or 12.1% of Canadians lived in poverty. Meeting these targets will mark a significant reduction in poverty in our country, with 1 in 10 or 9.7% of Canadians living in poverty by 2020, and 1 in 17 or 6.1% of Canadians living in poverty by 2030. This would lift 2.1 million Canadians out of poverty, based on Canada's population in 2015. Meeting these targets will mark historic lows in Canadian poverty rates.

Canada's Official Poverty Line is based on the cost of a basket of goods and services individuals and families need in order to meet their basic needs and achieve a modest standard of living in communities across Canada. The reference family for calculating Canada's Official Poverty Line is two adults between 25 and 49 years, and two children, a 9-year-old girl and a 13-year-old boy. These expenditures are then adjusted for family size and extrapolated to all other Canadians. If Canadians cannot afford this basket of goods and services, then they will be considered to be living in poverty.

The basket of goods and services includes items such as clothing and footwear, transportation, nutritious food and shelter (including electricity, heat and clean water), and other necessary goods and services, such as personal care items and household supplies.

The cost of the basket of goods and services is adjusted to reflect the cost of living in 50 different communities across Canada. This covers all the provinces, 19 specific communities and 31 provincial regions according to population size. The plan to improve the measurement of poverty will also include closing gaps in the North by expanding the Canadian Income Survey so that Canada’s Official Poverty Line can be calculated in the territories. In addition, Statistics Canada will explore the feasibility of ensuring that the basket of goods and services reflects the unique costs of living in Canada’s northern and remote communities. Statistics Canada will also regularly update the cost and the items within the basket of goods and services to ensure that it continues to reflect what Canadians require to meet their basic needs and achieve a modest standard of living. The Government is committed to improving measurement and data collection to inform progress in poverty reduction; further information on these steps can be found in Chapter 9 – Improving Measurement of Poverty.

Canada's Official Poverty Line basket items

The following provides a greater description of each item within the current basket of goods and services used to calculate Canada's Official Poverty Line.

Clothing and footwear

The "Clothing and Footwear" category is based upon a list of items specified by the Social Planning Council of Winnipeg and Winnipeg Harvest Acceptable Level of Living basket. These were chosen as they reflect clothing and footwear for common work, school and social occasions. Adjustments have been made to the clothing basket to ensure it meets a modest, acceptable standard.

Transportation

"Transportation" costs are determined according to whether public transit is available in the community. It is the annual cost of two monthly adult transit passes and one round-trip taxi fare each month in urban centres served by public transit. In areas without public transit it is based on the costs of paying for and operating a five-year-old automobile.

Nutritious food

The "Nutritious Food" category is based on the 2008 National Nutritious Food Basket, developed by Health Canada in consultation with provincial and territorial nutritionists. This basket is intended to represent a nutritional diet consistent with the actual purchases of ordinary Canadians, and healthy foods people like to eat.

Shelter

"Shelter" costs reflect the typical rent for two- and three-bedroom rental units in each community, and include the costs of water, heat and electricity, as well as a stove, refrigerator and use of a washer and dryer.

Other goods and services

The "Other Goods and Services" category represents expenditure on other necessities such as personal care items, household needs, furniture (excluding those already in the shelter component), basic telephone service, reading, recreation, entertainment and school supplies. This category comprises roughly 25% of the cost of all basket items to meet Canada's Official Poverty Line. Therefore, individuals in deep income poverty (incomes below 75% of Canada's Official Poverty Line) would not be able to afford the items in this category of the basket of goods and services.

The following table presents a list of current indicators that will be tracked as part of the dashboard, including a description of each indicator, a snapshot of the most recent data and longer-term trend, as well as the data source and how frequently data is collected. Each indicator is grouped under one of the three pillars of Opportunity for All: Dignity, Opportunity and Inclusion, and Resilience and Security.

Additional indicators to track progress in poverty reduction

Opportunity for All introduces a dashboard of indicators to track progress on deep income poverty as well as the aspects of poverty other than income, including indicators of material deprivation, lack of opportunity and resilience.

The dashboard will be made available online and allow all Canadians to monitor progress and hold the Government to account. It will be regularly updated as new information becomes available. The Government will continue to fill gaps in the frequency and quality of information so that Canadians can track the most up-to-date and reliable data and the Government's progress in reducing poverty.

Indicator	Description	Most recent data and longer-term trend	Data source and frequency
Canada’s Official Poverty Line	Based on the cost of a basket of goods and services that individuals and families need in order to meet their basic needs and achieve a modest standard of living in communities across Canada.	10.6% of Canadians lived below Canada’s Official Poverty Line in 2016, down from 12.1% in 2015.	Canadian Income Survey – Annually 2017 data will be available in early 2019.

Lifting Canadians out of poverty by ensuring everyone's basic needs—such as safe and affordable housing, healthy food and health care—are met

Indicator	Description	Most recent data and longer-term trend	Data source and frequency
Food insecurity	Households that do not have enough money to purchase or access a sufficient amount and variety of food to live a healthy lifestyle.	8.3% of Canadian households were food insecure in 2011-12, up from 7.7% in 2007 to 2008. Data available for all provinces and territories for 2007 to 2008 and 2011 to 2012.	Canadian Community Health Survey – Annually 2017 to 2018 data will be available in late 2018. While the survey itself is conducted annually, food security is optional content and not collected by all provinces and territories. Options are being explored with Statistics Canada to collect annually for all provinces and territories.
Unmet health needs	Canadians that reported that their health care needs were not met when they needed it during the past 12 months.	11.2% of Canadians 12 years and older reported not receiving health care when they felt they needed it in 2014, down from 12.5% in 2000 to 2001. Data available for all provinces and territories for 2000 to 2001 and 2014.	Canadian Community Health Survey – Annually While the survey itself is collected annually, unmet health needs is optional content and not collected by all provinces and territories. Options are being explored with Statistics Canada to collect data on unmet health needs annually for all provinces and territories.
Unmet housing Needs and chronic homelessness	Unmet housing needs: Canadians who are in housing that is unaffordable (more than 30% of before-tax household income); in need of major repairs; unsuitable for the size and makeup of a family and the family cannot afford a suitable and adequate home in their community. Chronic homelessness: Canadians that used a shelter for six months or more in the past year, and/or had shelter stays in each of the last three years.	12.7% of Canadian households experienced housing need housing in 2016, same as in 2006 and slightly up from 12.5% in 2011. 27,000 Canadians were chronically homeless in 2016.	Census – Every five years 2021 data will be released in 2022. National Homelessness Information System – Annually 2017 data is expected to be available in late 2018. Measurement will be complemented in the coming years by improved community-level data.
Deep income poverty	Individuals below 75% of Canada’s Official Poverty Line.	5.4% of Canadians were living in deep income poverty in 2016, down from 6.6% in 2015.	Canadian Income Survey – Annually 2017 data will be available in early 2019.

Helping Canadians join the middle class by promoting full participation in society and equality of opportunity

Indicator	Description	Most recent data and longer-term trend	Data source and frequency
Literacy and numeracy	Literacy: Individuals who have a level of knowledge and skills in reading and writing to permit them to fully participate in society.	10.7% of 15-year-old Canadians had low literacy skills in 2015, slightly down from 10.9% in 2012. 16.4% of adults (age 16-65) had low literacy skills in 2012. Low literacy indicates limited ability in understanding, using, reflecting on and engaging with written text which enable basic participation in society. Data collection on student competencies began in 2000, and occurs every three years. Data collection on adult competencies began in 2012 and occurs every 10 years afterwards. Therefore, no trend line is available at this time.	Programme for International Student Assessment – Every three years 2018 data will be released in 2019. Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies – Every 10 years 2022 data expected to be released in 2023.
	Numeracy: Individuals with the numeracy (mathematical) knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in society.	14.4% of 15-year-old Canadians had low numeracy skills in 2015, an increase from 13.8% in 2012. 22.4% of Canadian adults (aged 16 to 65) had low numeracy skills in 2012. Low numeracy indicates limited ability in communicating, using and interpreting mathematics in daily life. Data collection on student competencies in numeracy began in 2003, and occurs every three years. Data collection on adult competencies began in 2012 and occurs every 10 years afterwards. Therefore, no trend line is available at this time.	Programme for International Student Assessment – Every three years 2018 data will be released in 2019. Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies – Every 10 years 2022 data expected to be released in 2023.
Youth engagement	Youth (age 15 to 24) who are not in employment, education or training.	9% of Canadian youth (aged 15 to 24) were not in employment, education or training in 2017, down from 10.2% in 2016, and at a historic low.	Labour Force Survey – Monthly August 2018 data will be released in September 2018. While new data will be available monthly, the indicator in the dashboard will be updated annually.
Relative low income	The proportion of Canadians who have less than 50% of the median after-tax income.* Median income is the middle of the income distribution: it is the amount at which half the population has more income, and half the population has less income. *Statistics Canada’s Low Income Measure (LIM)	13% of Canadians had less than half as much income as the median after-tax income in 2016, down from 14.2% in 2015.	Canadian Income Survey – Annually 2017 data will be available in early 2019.
Bottom 40% income share	Share of total after-tax income held by 40% of the population at the bottom of the income distribution.	20.6% of total after-tax income went to Canadians in the bottom 40% of the income distribution in 2016, slightly up from 20.2% in 2015.	Canadian Income Survey – Annually 2017 data will be available in early 2019.

Supporting the middle class by protecting Canadians from falling into poverty and by supporting income security and resilience

Indicator	Description	Most recent data and longer-term trend	Data source and frequency
Median hourly wage	The hourly wage at which half the population has a higher wage and half the population has a lower wage.	The inflation-adjusted median hourly wage was $22.62 (all Canadians) in 2017, similar to $22.66 in 2015. Women: $21.00 (2017) Men: $24.91 (2017) Wages are in 2017 dollars, adjusted by the Consumer Price Index.	Labour Force Survey – Monthly August 2018 data will be released in September 2018. While new data will be available monthly, the indicator in the dashboard will be updated annually.
Poverty entry and exit rates	The poverty entry rate is the proportion of Canadians who, among two years of filing their taxes, entered low income in the second year (for example, 2015) after not being in low income in the first year (for example, 2014). The poverty exit rate is the proportion of Canadians who, among two years of filing their taxes, exited low income in the second year (for example, 2015) after being in low income in the first year (for example, 2014).	Between 2014 and 2015, 4.1%, or approximately 872,000 Canadians, entered poverty. Between 2014 and 2015, 27.5%, or approximately 1.1 million low-income Canadians, left poverty.	Longitudinal Administrative Databank –Annually Data on entry and exit rates for 2015/2016 will be published in November 2018. Poverty entry and exit rates are based on the Low Income Measure. The indicator is not currently available using Canada’s Official Poverty Line, and it is not available in the territories. Further research will be conducted to explore the feasibility of improving data collection for this indicator so that it could be tracked using Canada’s Official Poverty Line.
Average poverty gap	Average shortfall below Canada’s Official Poverty Line for those living in poverty.	In 2016, 34.1% of Canadians lived in families with incomes below Canada’s Official Poverty Line, or $9,000 below this line, which is about the same as 2015. In 2016, a total of $19.4 billion would have been required to lift all persons out of poverty. In 2016, the total dollar amount would have represented a payment of $610 from each Canadian not living in poverty to lift all Canadians out of poverty.	Canadian Income Survey – Annually 2017 data will be available in early 2019.
Asset resilience	The ability of Canadians to cover unexpected expenses, or reduced income, by drawing from assets (for example, a bank account) to prevent falling into poverty for a period of three months. (Savings of approximately $10,400 for the three months, based on low income in 2012.)	51.2% of Canadians were asset resilient in 2012, up from 46.2% in 2005, meaning they had enough savings to maintain well-being for three months.	Survey of Financial Security – Every three years While data for 2016 recently became available, the results are not available at this time. Future analysis of the results for this indicator will be updated on the dashboard when available. Going forward, the Government may consider other definitions of asset resilience as new data becomes available (e.g. the appropriate number of months needed to cover unexpected expenses or reduced income to accurately define what it means to be asset resilient). Statistics for Asset Resilience were based on the Low Income Measure and were derived from D. Rothwell and J. Robson, “The Prevalence and Composition of Asset Poverty in Canada: 1999, 2005, and 2012”, International Journal of Social Welfare, 2017.

Annex 2: List of government initiatives that support poverty reduction

Since fall 2015, the Government of Canada has been committed to poverty reduction and improving the socio-economic well-being of all Canadians, as demonstrated by the actions listed below. These actions build on existing programs and initiatives that have a poverty reduction impact, such as the Canada Health Transfer and the Canada Social Transfer.

The actions have been organized under each pillar of Opportunity for All.

Lifting Canadians out of poverty by ensuring everyone's basic needs are met

Helping Canadians join the middle class by promoting full participation in society and equality of opportunity

Supporting the middle class by protecting Canadians from falling into poverty and by supporting income security and resilience