A new report said one in six B.C. kids live below the poverty line, with over 3,400 of them living in Nanaimo. (Submitted Photo)

By Jordan Davidson

one in six kids

Child poverty rates across B.C. keep climbing, including in Nanaimo

Dec 4, 2024 | 4:07 PM

NANAIMO — The number of children living in poverty in B.C. is growing, including in Nanaimo.

The child poverty report from First Call Child and Youth Advocacy Society (FCCYAS) saw 16.7 per cent, or 147,570 people in B.C. 17 years old and younger, living below the poverty line in 2022, up from 14.3 per cent in 2021.

Locally, Nanaimo’s rate was higher at 17.4 per cent, or 3,460 children, just below the Canadian average of 18.1 per cent in 2022, which increased from 15.6 per cent the year before.

FCCYAS executive director Adrienne Montani said this is the single largest increase in B.C.’s child poverty rates in 20 years, going from 126,000 kids (14.3 per cent) in 2021 to 147,570 in a single year.

“We can see what happened when child poverty dropped in B.C. and across Canada during the pandemic when there were income supports coming into many families. As soon as those were withdrawn over 2021-2022, now the poverty rate is shooting back up.”

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Out of the 22 Nanaimo neighbourhoods where the survey was conducted, FCCYAS found child poverty rates of 10 per cent or higher in nearly all parts of the community, ranging from eight per cent up to 50 per cent, with the highest concentrations in the downtown and south end.

Other parts of Vancouver Island are in similar situations, with Campbell River seeing a child poverty rate of 17.5 per cent (1,300 kids), while the more affluent community of Comox at 10.6 per cent (310 kids), was well below the provincial average.

B.C.’s First Nation children were even more affected, according to the report, with a staggering 34.8 per cent living below the poverty line, which increases to 42.2 per cent for those living on reserves.

Despite rising rates of child poverty province-wide, B.C. still had the third lowest rate of child poverty in the country ahead of Quebec and Yukon, both of which are at 12 per cent. The highest numbers are in Nunavut (41.8 per cent), followed by Manitoba (27.1 per cent).

A graph from Statistics Canada shows the rates of child poverty dropping over the last 20 years based on the census family low-income measure (CFLIM), with pandemic-related supports dropping the levels drastically. However, those numbers are now back on the rise. (First Call Child and Youth Advocacy Society)

Montani said poverty-stricken families find themselves in dire situations as their salaries can’t keep pace with cost of living pressures.

“We know that the majority of poor children live with parents who work, and so we know the problem there is that either their wages are too low, they’re not making living wages, or they’re not getting enough work. They’re working precarious jobs in part-time or casual or part-year, so that’s where a lot of kids and families are struggling.”

Ladysmith had a child poverty rate of 10.7 per cent for kids in coupled families in 2022, tied with Vancouver and Quesnel for the highest rate in the province for that demographic.

Montani said the rising cost of housing, food, and childcare are all major factors in growing numbers of poverty-stricken children, especially for single-parent homes, or those who receive income support or disability benefits.

“For those lone parents that are overrepresented in the child poverty stats, (45.5 per cent) we know that child-care would be the solution for them in many ways because they can’t work if they don’t have child-care in some way.”

An increase in full-time wages including benefits, an increase in money for government income support programs, and ensuring those benefits reach groups most affected by poverty are a few of the recommendations mentioned in the report to reduce rates of child poverty.

The report is available here on the FCCYAS website.

— with files from Jon De Roo/97.3 FM The Eagle

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On Twitter: @JordanDHeyNOW