Canada's Poverty Reduction Strategy – an Update 2019

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Canada's Poverty Reduction Strategy – an Update 2019 Canada’s Poverty Reduction Strategy – An Update 2019 Canada’s Poverty Reduction Strategy – An Update This publication is available for download at canada.ca/publicentre-ESDC. It is available upon request in multiple formats (large print, MP3, braille, audio CD, e-text CD, DAISY or accessible PDF), by contacting 1 800 O-Canada (1-800-622-6232). By teletypewriter (TTY), call 1-800-926-9105. © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, 2019 For information regarding reproduction rights: [email protected]. PDF Cat. No.: Em20-136/2019E-PDF ISBN: 978-0-660-31926-1 ESDC Cat. No.: SP-1215-08-19E IMPLEMENTATION OF THE POVERTY REDUCTION STRATEGY TIMELINE October 2016 February 2017 September 2017 Release of Towards a Poverty Reduction Strategy– Launch of consultation process to inform the Formation of Ministerial 2016 Discussion Paper to help guide Poverty Reduction 2017 development of a Canadian Poverty Reduction Advisory Committee to provide Strategy consultations. Strategy. Thousands consulted from coast advice to the Minister of Families, to coast to coast. Children and Social Development on poverty-related issues. National Poverty Conference in Ottawa to bring February 2018 November 2017 together stakeholders and individuals with lived experience Release of Canadian Poverty 2018 Launch of National Housing Strategy to help of poverty and to conclude engagement. Winners of Reduction Strategy report: ensure that Canadians have access to housing #ReducePoverty in Canada Youth Contest presented What We Heard About Poverty So Far. that meets their needs and that they can afford. their poverty reduction proposals. August 2018 Release of Opportunity for All– Canada’s First June 21, 2019 Poverty Reduction The becomes law. This Act entrenches Strategy. Poverty Reduction Act 2019 into legislation: ambitious and concrete poverty reduction targets; an official measure of poverty: Canada’s Official Poverty Line; and an arms-length National Advisory Council on Poverty. Canada’s Poverty Reduction Strategy – An Update 2019 1 Opportunity For All– Canada’s First Poverty Reduction Strategy On August 21, 2018, the Government of Canada released Opportunity for All – Canada’s First Poverty Reduction Strategy Opportunity for All brings together Opportunity for All includes long-term investments of $22 billion that the commitments to guide the Government Government has made since 2015 of Canada’s actions and investments to support the social and economic including: establishing Canada’s well-being of all Canadians. Beyond first-ever Official Poverty Line; concrete children and seniors, investments poverty reduction targets; a data and cover areas such as housing, clean measurement plan to address data water, health, transportation, early gaps and track progress on poverty; learning and child care, and skills and the establishment of the National employment, which will help address Advisory Council on Poverty; multiple dimensions of poverty. and poverty reduction legislation. Opportunity for All is based on three pillars to focus government actions to reduce poverty: nnDignity: Lifting Canadians out of poverty by ensuring basic needs— such as safe and affordable housing, healthy food, and health care are met; nnOpportunity and Inclusion: Helping Canadians join the middle class by promoting full participation in society and equality of opportunity; and nnResilience and Security: Supporting the middle class by protecting Canadians from falling into poverty and by supporting income security and resilience. Canada’s Poverty Reduction Strategy – An Update 2019 2 OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL CANADA’S FIRST POVERTY REDUCTION STRATEGY CANADA’S OFFICIAL • The first official poverty line in Canada’s history POVERTY LINE • Reduce poverty by 20% by 2020 and by 50% by 2030, as measured by Canada’s Official Poverty Line • Reduce chronic homelessness by 50% TARGETS • End all long-term drinking water advisories on public systems on reserve by March 2021 • Housing need reduced or eliminated for 530,000 households NATIONAL ADVISORY • Track and publicly report on progress, provide advice COUNCIL and continue dialogue with Canadians ON POVERTY MEASUREMENT • Improve understanding of poverty by regularly updating AND TRACKING Canada’s Official Poverty Line, addressing data gaps PROGRESS and tracking progress through an indicator dashboard POVERTY • Propose to legislate the vision, targets, Canada’s Official REDUCTION Poverty Line as the official measure of poverty LEGISLATION and accountability mechanisms PILLARS DIGNITY OPPORTUNITY and INCLUSION RESILIENCE and SECURITY Lift Canadians out of poverty by Help Canadians join the Support the middle class by ensuring basic needs are met middle class by promoting protecting Canadians from falling full participation in society into poverty and by supporting and equality of opportunity income security and resilience Government investments that support poverty reduction A COURSE OF ACTION THAT IS meaningful, measurable and monitored Canada’s Poverty Reduction Strategy – An Update 2019 3 “The first poverty reduction strategy “We are certainly excited that is an important new starting point in the vision of this strategy includes the battle against poverty in Canada.” working towards a ‘Canada without poverty’ and recognizes the role that – Anita Khanna, (former) National Coordinator, Campaign 2000 systemic discrimination plays as a barrier to people living in poverty.” – Leilani Farha, Executive Director, Canada Without Poverty, August 21, 2018 From February to September 2017, the Government of Canada held a nation-wide consultation process to engage Canadians on key issues related to poverty. During these In September 2015, Canada was consultations, Canadians shared one of 150 countries to adopt a set first-hand accounts of living in poverty, of 17 Sustainable Development Goals how government measures have been to end poverty, protect the planet helpful in reducing poverty and where and ensure prosperity for all as part further work could be done to provide of a new sustainable development further support. agenda. Each goal has specific targets to be achieved by 2030. The long-term Canadians called target of Opportunity for All to for a bold vision reduce poverty by 50% by 2030 is aligned with the first Sustainable Opportunity for All offers a vision Development Goal: “By 2030, reduce for Canada as a world leader in at least by half the proportion of men, the eradication of poverty, with women and children of all ages progress validated in terms of its living in poverty in all its dimensions alignment with the United Nations (UN) according to national definitions.” Sustainable Development Goal of ending poverty. Canada’s On June 28, 2019, the Government of commitment to poverty reduction Canada released Towards Canada’s also contributes to meeting Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy, international human rights obligations, which establishes the foundation including under the International for developing a Canadian Indicator Covenant on Economic, Social and Framework adapted to Canadian Cultural Rights, the Convention on reality to accurately report on the Rights of the Child, the Convention progress made with the Sustainable on the Rights of Persons with Development Goals. Disabilities, and the Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women. Canada’s Poverty Reduction Strategy – An Update 2019 4 Canadians called for concrete and meaningful targets “Canada finally has an official poverty line. That’s a big deal.” sets concrete poverty Opportunity for All – Jennifer Robson, Associate Professor, reduction targets: a 20% reduction in School of Public Policy and Administration, poverty by 2020 and a 50% reduction Carleton University, Twitter, August 21, 2018 in poverty by 2030 based on Canada’s Official Poverty Line, which, relative to 2015 levels, would lead to the lowest poverty rate in Canada’s history. The Poverty Reduction Strategy’s commitments around data include These targets also align with target 1.2 comprehensive reviews of the Market of the UN’s Sustainable Development Basket Measure on a regular basis as Goal 1: “By 2030, reduce at least by determined by Statistics Canada as well half the proportion of men, women and as annual updates; improvements to children of all ages living in poverty in the Canadian Income Survey including all its dimensions according to national the collection of food security and unmet definitions”. health care needs data; development of the Market Basket Measure for the Canadians called for North; provisional income estimates; and research related to the common understanding enhancements of income concepts and measurement of poverty such as rent geared to income. The Poverty Reduction Strategy sets an The Poverty Reduction Strategy also official measure of poverty: the Market introduced a dashboard of indicators Basket Measure as Canada’s Official to reflect these multiple dimensions Poverty Line, based on the cost of of poverty. This dashboard allows a basket of goods and services that Canadians to track progress on the individuals and families require to meet many aspects of poverty, from different their basic needs and achieve a modest measures of low income, to Canadians standard of living in communities in housing need, to the differences in across the country. earnings and life outcomes between low-income Canadians and those While Canada’s Official Poverty Line in the middle class. sets a baseline, the Poverty Reduction Strategy underscores the importance
Recommended publications
  • Living Wage Edmonton 2019
    LIVING WAGE EDMONTON 2019 A report to inform the work to end poverty Acknowledgments in a generation. Thank you to Susan Morrissey, Jenn Rossiter, and Justine Published by: Basilan for their feedback and edits on this report. Edmonton Social Planning Council, #200 -10544 106 ST, This report is published by the Edmonton Social Planning Edmonton, Alberta T5H-2X6 Council. Any errors, omissions, and opinions are strictly those of the authors. For a copy of this report, please visit Prepared by Sandra Ngo www.edmontonsocialplanning.ca Design by Diva Communications Inc. ISBN: 978-0-921417-74-3 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. CONTENTS Introduction _______________________________________________________________________ 4 Changes in 2019 ____________________________________________________________________ 5 Advocacy _____________________________________________________________________________ 6 Methods ___________________________________________________________________________ 7 Sources ___________________________________________________________________________ 10 EDMONTON LIVING WAGE 2019 | 3 INTRODUCTION Why a living wage? A living wage is rooted in the belief that individuals and families should not just survive, but live in dignity, and participate in community. The living wage is defined as the hourly wage that a primary income earner must make to provide for themselves, their families, and reach basic financial security. It allows for a higher standard of living than what is included in the Market Basket Measure, which is based on subsistence living. The living wage includes participation in recreation, an extended health and dental plan, and a minor emergency contingency fund. However, it does not include items that would allow families to “get ahead”, such as putting away savings or paying down debt. This is the fifth year that the Edmonton Social Planning Council has calculated Edmonton’s living wage.
    [Show full text]
  • Should the Canada Revenue Agency Also Be a Social Benefits Agency?
    canadian tax journal / revue fiscale canadienne (2021) 69:1, 8 7 - 9 8 https://doi.org/10.32721/ctj.2021.69.1.pf.robson Policy Forum: Should the Canada Revenue Agency Also Be a Social Benefits Agency? Jennifer Robson and Saul Schwartz* PRÉCIS L’Agence du revenu du Canada (ARC) joue un rôle important dans le versement de prestations aux Canadiens, mais devrait-on élargir ce rôle? La rapidité et la facilité avec lesquelles l’ARC a lancé plusieurs nouvelles prestations de revenu pendant la pandémie de COVID-19 ont suscité la question de savoir si l’Agence devrait assumer un rôle beaucoup plus important en tant qu’organisme de prestations sociales, en plus de celui de percepteur d’impôts. Nous passons en revue les arguments pour et contre cette question, en notant les faiblesses importantes qui entravent déjà le rôle actuel de l’ARC dans le versement des prestations et qui seraient exacerbées si on élargissait ce rôle. Tout compte fait, nous concluons qu’un rôle élargi n’est pas le meilleur choix. Nous suggérons que l’ARC pourrait plutôt consolider l’une de ses forces — la collecte et le partage de renseignements — afin que d’autres organismes puissent administrer plus efficacement les prestations qui ne sont pas directement liées au régime fiscal. ABSTRACT The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) plays an important role in the delivery of benefits to Canadians, but should that role be expanded? The speed and ease with which several new income benefits were launched by theCRA during the COVID-19 pandemic have prompted the question of whether the agency should take on a much larger role as a social benefits agency, in addition to tax collector.
    [Show full text]
  • Maximizing Potential Framework for Recovery in a Slow Growth Economy
    Maximizing Potential Framework for Recovery in a Slow Growth Economy A Memorandum to select Cabinet Ministers, the Prime Minister’s Office and the Privy Council Office ARMINE YALNIZYAN, LAURELL RITCHIE, and MARY GELLATLY with input from COLETTE MURPHY, GARIMA TALWAR KAPOOR, MORNA BALLANTYNE, KERRY McCUAIG, and NORA COLE September 4, 2020 SUMMARY Throne Speeches are an opportunity to set a vision and a course for the federal government over the near and long terms. The overlapping economic and public health crises caused by the COVID-19 pandemic make this a challenging task, but also one of great opportunity. The purpose of this memo is to provide input into cabinet deliberations leading to the Speech From The Throne, by presenting a framework for Canada’s recovery from COVID-19. The policy recommendations in this memo meet both immediate term and medium term goals: in the immediate term, to get through the pandemic by minimizing health and economic impacts and leaving no one behind; and in the medium term, by addressing challenges of post-pandemic world (slow growth, population aging) through maximizing human and economic potential. Recovery involves several, overlapping economic issues. There will be an increase in on-demand employment, as happens in the wake of every recession. More workers are and will be struggling with income volatility, and not enough paid work. Households and businesses will face more precarious finances. We are in the midst of a ‘she-cession’ and the low availability of childcare will be a chokepoint of a ‘she-covery.’ Additionally, with an aging population, the federal government will need to invest in children and training, or increase immigration to meet labour market demands.
    [Show full text]
  • Some Examples of Federal, Provincial and Territorial Programs Child, Family and Other Benefits Connected to Tax Filing
    Some examples of federal, provincial and territorial programs child, family and other benefits connected to tax filing Federal Canada Child Benefit • Up to $6,639 annually ($553.25 per month) tax free for each child under six and $5,602 annually ($466.83 per month) for children age 6 to 17, reduced for income above $31,120. • Payments sent out on the 20th of each month starting in July, along with related additional payments from provinces and territories. Child Disability Benefit • An additional $2,832 annually ($236 monthly), included with monthly CCB, reduced for family income above $67,426. Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) • Up to $10,997 annually (for 2019/20) or $916.38 monthly for low for Seniors income seniors, reduced for individual income over $18,600 and combined income over $25,000 or $45,000 depending on circumstances. • Monthly payments included with Old Age Security (OAS) payments made close to the end of each month. GST Low Income Credit • Up to $443 annually for individuals, $580 for a couple, and $153 for each child, reduced for income over $37,789 • Sent out quarterly, with first payment 5 July, along with related additional payments from provinces and territories. Climate Action Incentive Payments • Up to $444 for an individual, $222 for a spouse and $111 per child for residents of Alberta, with lower amounts for residents of Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario, plus 10% more for residents of small and rural communities. • Payments made with tax returns. Canada Workers Benefit • Up to $1,355 for single individuals and $2,335 for families and an additional $700 for those with disabilities, reduced for income above $12,820 for individuals.
    [Show full text]
  • List of Common Benefits and Credits
    List of common benefits and credits Benefits and refundable tax credits help with your living expenses by adding to your income. Whether you qualify and how much you receive depends on your income which is determined by filing your taxes and on other factors such as your age. The Government of Canada website has a Benefit Finder tool that you can use to help you find the benefits and services that you can receive. See a list of some of the common benefits and credits below. Benefits and credits accessed by tax filing Even if you have no income or do not owe taxes, it is important to keep up to date with filing your taxes. Filing a tax return is the only way to apply to many benefits and credits or to make sure that your payments continue. Here are some of the benefits and refundable tax credits that require tax filing to access or to continue receiving payment: • Canada workers benefit (CWB) and • Home renovation tax credit for seniors and disability supplement persons with disabilities – British Columbia • Canada Education Savings Grant (CESG) only • Canada learning bond (CLB) • New Brunswick’s Seniors’ Home Renovation • Child fitness tax credit – Yukon only Tax Credit – New Brunswick only • Climate action incentive (CAI) • Old age security (OAS) • GST/HST credit • Ontario energy support program (OESP) – Ontario only • GST/HST rebate for employees and partners • Ontario trillium benefit (OTB) – Ontario only • Guaranteed income supplement (GIS) • Refundable medical expense supplement • Other tax credits by province or territory Social assistance programs Each province and territory offer programs that provide financial help to people living on a low income.
    [Show full text]
  • Michael's Newsletter
    A Message from Michael Dear residents of Wellington-Halton Hills, As income tax season approaches, you will want to be aware of all your eligible benefits and credits. Many Canadians do not claim the benefits and credits for which they are eligible. This Tax Guide includes some of the tax savings you may be able to claim. If you received the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) or other benefits in 2020, they are considered taxable income by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) as no deductions were taken. Be prepared for a tax bill of up to 15-20% of benefits received, depending on your overall income level. For general information on COVID-19 and for information on the economic response plan, visit canada.ca/coronavirus or call the coronavirus information line at (833) 784-4397. If you believe you have COVID-19 symptoms, please contact your health care provider, public health agency, or Telehealth Ontario at (866) 797-0000. Please feel free to contact my office with any comments or questions you may have. Sincerely, Michael Chong Contact the Canada Revenue Agency at 1-800-267-6999 or visit www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency for more information. All models depicted in this publication were chosen for illustrative purposes only. 2 Support for Individuals Impacted by COVID-19 Employment Insurance............................................................... 4 Canada Recovery Benefit ......................................................... 4 Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit ........................................... 4 Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit ......................................... 4 Savings for All Canadians Goods and Services Tax (GST) Credit ....................................... 5 Medical Expense Deductions ................................................... 5 Climate Action Incentive ............................................................. 6 Simplified Home Office Tax Credit for 2020 ..............................
    [Show full text]
  • Benefits and Credit Information for Indigenous Peoples
    Benefits and credits Information for Indigenous peoples RC656 Table of contents 1. Is this information for you? ...............................................................................................1 2. Benefits and credits ..........................................................................................................1 Canada child benefit .................................................................................................................................... 2 GST/HST credit ................................................................................................................................................. 3 Disability tax credit ......................................................................................................................................... 4 Child disability benefit .................................................................................................................................... 4 Canada workers benefit, formerly known as the working income tax benefit....................................... 5 Climate action incentive ............................................................................................................................... 5 Provincial and territorial programs ............................................................................................................... 6 3. To continue getting your payments ................................................................................6 Do your taxes .................................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Taxes and Benefits for First Nations Individuals
    Taxes and benefits for First Nations individuals First Nations individuals are subject to the same tax rules as any other resident in Canada unless their income is eligible for the tax exemption under section 87 of the Indian Act. We want you to be aware of the benefits, credits and requirements that apply to you. Within this document, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) uses the term "Indian" because it has a legal meaning in the Indian Act. Getting benefits and credits If you don't file a tax return, you won't be able to receive some benefits and credits. File a tax return every year To continue getting your benefit and credit payments, you need to do your taxes on time every year, even if your income is tax exempt or you had no income at all. If you have a spouse or common-law partner, they also need to do their taxes every year so that the CRA can calculate your payments. You must file a return to get any of the following: Goods and services tax/Harmonized sales tax credit (GST/HST) Canada child benefit (CCB) Child disability benefit Disability tax credit Canada workers benefit Canada training credit Climate action incentive Getting back the 10% tax withheld on CRB’s If you received the Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB), Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB), or Canada Recovery Caregiver Benefit (CRCB), 10% of each payment was withheld at source - even if your income is exempt from tax. You may be able to get part or all of the tax back for payments received in 2020 or 2021 by filing a tax return for that year.
    [Show full text]
  • 2021 Federal Budget
    2021 Federal Budget April 19, 2021 Jamie Golombek Managing Director, Tax and Estate Planning, CIBC Private Wealth Management The 2021 federal budget ("Budget 2021") included a number of tax measures that will impact Canadian taxpayers. Rather than summarize every tax measure included in the Budget document, this report, which was prepared from within the virtual Budget lock-up, will focus on some of the tax measures that are of most interest to individuals and business owners. Personal tax measures Additional weeks of COVID benefits When the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) ended last year, it was replaced with a trio of new temporary benefits: the Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB), the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB), and the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB). In March 2021, about 3.5 million Canadians received income support through the recovery benefits and Employment Insurance (EI). In February 2021, the government increased the number of weeks available under the CRB and the CRCB by 12 weeks to a total of 38 weeks, and the number of weeks of EI regular benefits available by 24 weeks up to a maximum of 50 weeks. It also doubled the number of weeks available under the CRSB to four weeks from two weeks. In Budget 2021, the government proposed to provide up to 12 additional weeks of CRB, to a maximum of 50 weeks, the first four of which will be paid at $500 per week, and the remaining eight weeks will be paid at a lower amount of $300 per week for recipients who have claimed the full 42 weeks at $500.
    [Show full text]
  • Taxability of COVID-Related Benefits for First Nations Individuals with Tax
    Taxability of COVID-related benefits for First Nations individuals with tax exempt income COVID-related benefits are generally taxable. If some or all of your income is exempt from tax under section 87 of the Indian Act, however, this will affect the taxability of these benefits. Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) Q1: Is the CERB taxable if your income is exempt from tax because you have status and live on reserve? A1: The CERB you receive will be treated in the same way as your total income that entitled you to the CERB. This total income is your total income for 2019 or the 12-month period prior to the date of your application. Therefore, if your total income that entitled you to the CERB is exempt from income tax under section 87 of the Indian Act, your CERB will also be exempt. If your total income that entitled you to the CERB is partially exempt from tax, your CERB will also be partially exempt. The CERB will be treated as exempt in the same proportion as the total income of the period that is more advantageous to you. Examples 1. You worked on reserve in 2019 and 2020, and all of your income was tax-exempt. In 2019, you earned $24,000. From January to March 2020, you earned $3,000. Since the total income that entitled you to the CERB is exempt from income tax, your CERB will also be exempt. 2. You worked on reserve in 2019, and worked off reserve in 2020. You earned $24,000 in tax-exempt income in 2019, and earned $6,000 in taxable income from January to March 2020.
    [Show full text]
  • Canadian Federal Government Benefits Guide by Province
    Who can I call for information or to ask a question about financial support from government right now? Anywhere in 1-800-O-Canada (1-800-622-6232) Canada Canada Revenue Agency: 1-800-959-8281 help with MyAccount 1-800-387-1193 help with benefits 1-866-426-1527 help with benefits for callers in the North You can also call the constituency office of your Member of Parliament. They can often help answer questions and get information to you. You can look up your local MP (using your postal code) here: https://www.ourcommons.ca/members/en/search BC Government of BC: Call: 1-888-COVID-19 Text: 1-604-630-0300 You might also contact the constituency office of your MLA. You can look up your MLA here: https://www.leg.bc.ca/learn-about-us/members You might also contact your local municipal office. Call 2-1-1 for information about support in your community Alberta Government of Alberta: Call: 1-310-0000 toll free in the province You might also contact the constituency office of your MLA. You can look up your MLA here:http://www.assembly.ab.ca/net/index.aspx?p=mla_report&memPhoto=True&alphaboth=True&alphaindex=True&build=y&caucus=All&conoffice=True&legoffice=True&mememail=True Call 2-1-1 for information about support in your community Saskatchewan Government of Saskatchewan: Call: 1-800-667-6102 You might also contact the constituency office of your MLA. You can look up your MLA here: https://www.legassembly.sk.ca/mlas/mla-contact-information/ You might also contact your local municipal office.
    [Show full text]
  • Canada Workers Benefit Protected B When Completed
    T1-2020 Schedule 6 Canada Workers Benefit Protected B when completed The Canada workers benefit (CWB) is a refundable tax credit that is intended to supplement the earnings of low-income workers. As of the 2019 tax year, you may choose to include or not include tax-exempt income when you calculate the CWB. The benefit has two parts: a basic amount and a disability supplement. Complete this schedule and attach it to your return to claim the CWB, if you met all of the following conditions in 2020: • you were a resident of Canada throughout the year • you earned working income (see Part A) • at the end of the year, you were 19 years of age or older, or you resided with your spouse or common-law partner or your child You cannot claim the CWB for 2020 if any of the following applies to you: • you were enrolled as a full-time student at a designated educational institution for a total of more than 13 weeks in the year, unless you had an eligible dependant at the end of the year • you were confined to a prison or similar institution for a period of at least 90 days during the year • you were exempt from income tax in Canada for a period in the year when you were an officer or servant of another country, such as a diplomat, and you resided in Canada, or you were a family member who resided with such a person, or an employee of such a person at any time in the year Notes: If you were married or living in a common-law relationship but did not have an eligible spouse (defined below) or an eligible dependant (defined below), complete this schedule using the instructions as if you had neither an eligible spouse nor an eligible dependant.
    [Show full text]