BC child poverty numbers second-highest in Canada

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VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – One hundred and thirty-seven thousand children live below the poverty line in British Columbia. The child poverty rate is just slightly lower than it is Manitoba, which is the highest in the country.

To put it into perspective, the number of poor children we have in BC adds up to the total population of Kamloops, Fort St John, Port Alberni, and Powell River combined. The annual child poverty report card states this is the eighth year we’ve been among the worst in the country.

Linda Young teaches Kindergarten in Vancouver:

“Children are coming to school in need of food, clothing and comfort… Situations of worry and anxiety because of crowded and insecure housing. [There’s] sadness and loneliness because the only time they see their parents is late at night or early in the morning,” she explains.

The report says three quarters of families in this situation have two parents struggling to make ends meet.

Luiza Leite is a single mom who works full time and knows what it is like to barely get by. She says child care was especially difficult to afford and it has only allowed her to be with her daughter two hours out of the day.

“I have to make very hard choices for myself and my daughter,” she explains. “I never have enough to save for my daughters education or for emergencies. I see a lot of anxiety on her from me not being home as much with her, and trying to juggle everything by myself.”

Children’s Minister Mary McNeil says she is developing regional poverty reduction strategy. “The one size fits all for an entire province; I don’t feel [it] is the way to go. What might work well in the Kootenay’s is not necessarily what is going to work in the Peace… or in Downtown Vancouver.”

“I’m hoping we will have our approach finalized in early 2012,” she adds.

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