2022 BC Child Poverty Report Card
On February 14, 2023 First Call Child and Youth Advocacy Society released the 26th annual BC Child Poverty Report Card finding that BC’s child poverty rate dropped significantly largely due to the enhanced income supports families with children received during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2020, the year this report covers, 13.3% of BC children and youth (0-17), or 116,500 kids, were living in poor households, down from 18% in 2019.
The report contains 25 child poverty reduction recommendations for the provincial and federal governments in the areas of tax fairness and income support, targeting initiatives for groups with higher child poverty risks, and investing in lowering barriers and improving lives through robust universal programs.
This report is released in conjunction with the national Campaign 2000 Child Poverty Report Card and other provincial and territorial reports.
Read the op ed by, Adrienne Montani, First Call’s Executive Director here on our website.
2022 BC Child Poverty Report Card
Webinar
On March 14, 2023 First Call hosted a webinar that delved deeper into the data and our recommendations to all levels of government. View the webinar slides here.
If your organization is interested in hosting a BC Child Poverty Report Card webinar or a short presentation at a meeting, please contact us at info@firstcallbc.org
About the BC Child Poverty Report Card
Every year for the past twenty-six years, First Call, with the support of the Social Planning and Research Council of BC (SPARC BC), releases a report card with the latest statistics on child and family poverty in BC and recommendations for policy changes that would reduce these poverty levels. This is done in conjunction with the release of a national child poverty report card by Campaign 2000.
All BC children and youth should have the same opportunities to grow up healthy and achieve their full potential, without the extra challenges created by experiencing poverty. Our annual report card is a resource for researchers and leaders who are advancing policy change and tackling child and family poverty in communities throughout BC.
Scaling up our work
We’re in the final year of a Vancouver Foundation funded project to scale up our research to offer resources for advocacy. This includes offering more data on smaller geographic areas, identifying local system opportunities and empowering leaders with tools and training that advance policy and practices that will reduce child and family poverty.
Collaborators
The BC Child Poverty Report Card would not be possible without our provincial and national partners.
Funders
The BC Child Poverty Report Card would not be possible without the financial support from our supporters and affiliates.
