More Canadians are living in poverty than previously thought, says report

One-in-four Canadians living in poverty: report A new report from Food Banks Canada shows that 1-in-4 Canadians are living in poverty, which is more than what was previously reported.

A new report from Food Banks Canada says 25 per cent of Canadians are experiencing a poverty standard of living, compared to the official Statistics Canada poverty rate of 10 per cent.

The report cites the ‘Material Deprivation Index’ (MDI) using Canadian data, and finds that a quarter of the country cannot afford two or more household essentials.

The report considered responses across 11 different categories:

According to the findings, nearly six million additional Canadians are living in poverty than what’s reflected in Statistics Canada most recent poverty data.

“We’re not looking at just income alone, but we’re looking at what people can actually afford,” says Richard Matern, the director of research at Food Banks Canada. “We’re seeing more people who are perhaps living above the official poverty line, but are still struggling to make ends meet.”

Matern says the findings should push governments to expand dental and drug coverage programs that exclude some benefits based on an individual’s income source.

The report’s findings suggest 30 per cent of Canadians aged 18 to 30 years old, 44.5 per cent of single-parent families, and 42 per cent of renters are experiencing a poverty level standard of living.