Ending Child Poverty is Possible
February 14, 2023
Ending child and family poverty is possible according to the 2022 national poverty report card released by Campaign 2000, a non-partisan coalition of 120 groups and individuals coordinated by Family Service Toronto.
Campaign2000’s report, Pandemic Lessons: Ending Child and Family Poverty is Possible, finds that in 2020, despite the onset of a global pandemic and economic shutdown, child poverty was reduced by a dramatic 40%, the depth of poverty decreased across all family types, and income inequality (the gap between rich and poor) between families was reduced. This significant progress was due in large part to temporary pandemic transfers from the federal government to families and individuals.
“The lesson here is undeniable. Government transfers in the form of cash to families can reduce – and eliminate – income poverty, and it can be done quickly,” said Leila Sarangi, National Director of Campaign 2000 and co-author of report. “We saw significant reductions in rates of child poverty in every province and territory and in nearly every socio-demographic group we have data for. Emergency and recovery benefits, and one-time top ups to existing programs such as the Canada Child Benefit were largely responsible for these gains. For a long time now we’ve been calling on the federal government to increase transfers to families who have been left languishing in poverty. This report shows just how much of a difference these investments can make.”
Campaign 2000 was formed in the early 1990s to urge governments to deliver on an all-party House of Commons resolution to end child poverty by year 2000.
Five Campaign 2000 partners also released their annual reports and other provincial partners will release reports in upcoming weeks. Read more on Campaign 2000 report news page.