
1 in 6 (478,480) children are living
in poverty in Ontario (2004 data measured according to pre-tax Low Income
Cut-off).
132,000 children rely on a food bank each
month in Ontario.
Ontario child poverty rate went up to 17.4%
in 2004 from 15.1% in 2001,
even though economic growth has been strong.
Low income families are living
in deeper poverty now than 12 years ago. An
average low-income single parent family lives approximately $9,500 below
the poverty line.
The percentage of poor children
in working families is growing: 38% of low
income children live in families with a parent working full time, full year.
Poverty rates for children in Aboriginal, visible minority and immigrant families are double the average rate.
Provincial benefits to lone parents on social assistance have dropped by 43% over the past 10 years; about 90% of these parents are lone mothers.
According to the 2001 Census,
in Ontario 47% of children in new
immigrant families and 32% of children in racialized families are
poor.
Source: Child Poverty in Ontario:
Promises to Keep, 2006 Report Card on Child Poverty in Ontario, Campaign
2000




