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Poverty Fact Sheet
O C T O B E R 2 0 0 8
What is Poverty?
All Calgarians have a Poverty is the condition of a human being 2007 Before-Tax Low-Income
right to fully who does not have sufficient economic Cutoffs for Canadian Cities
and other resources to live with the with 500,000+ Persons
participate in the
dignity, choices and power which support Family Unit LICO
family, social, full participation in society. Size
economic and
political life of their 1 person $21,666
• In Canada, the most widely used measures
communities. of poverty are Statistic Canada’s Low 2 persons $26,972
Poverty limits Income Cut-Offs or “LICOs”. 3 persons $33,159
peoples’ full
• Based on data collected through a survey 4 persons $40,259
participation. of family expenditures, Statistics Canada
has determined that when families earn a 5 persons $45,662
low income they end up spending a larger 6 persons $51,498
share of that income on necessities than
7+ persons $57,336
the average Canadian family.
Source: Statistics Canada, 2008
• According to Statistics Canada, if a family
Who Are has to spend 20% or more than the average family on necessities they
Calgary’s Poor? are living in “straitened circumstances”
• LICOs are often used as an indicator of poverty, and those who make an
• Over half of single income below the LICO are said to be living in poverty.
mothers with
•
children under 6
Over one-fifth of
Poverty in Calgary
females 18 to 24 • During the first six- • The Minimum • 87,212 Calgarians
years of age months of 2008, Housing Wage, the received assistance
• Nearly half the 62,800 (10.7%) of hourly income from the Calgary Food
elderly living without employed Calgarians needed to afford Bank in 2007, a
family earned less than $12 rent, is $13.29 for a 42,614 increase since
• Almost one-third of per hour. bachelor apartment 2004.
males living without in Calgary.
family • Over 60% of employed • During the first six-
Calgarians earning • During the first six- months of 2008, 7,300
less than $12 per hour months of 2008, hardworking
are women 126,000 employed Calgarians earned
Calgarians earned $8.40 per hour or less,
• Only 31.5% of less than $15 per less than one-third of
employed Calgarians hour, all of whom whom are teenagers.
earning less than $12 fail to meet the
Sources:
per hour are Calgary Minimum The City of Calgary, 2008;
teenagers. Housing Wage to Statistics Canada 2006 and 2008;
Calgary Inter-Faith Food Bank 2008; and,
afford a 1-bedroom The Calgary and Region Socio-Economic
Outlook 2005-2010.
apartment.
PAGE 2
We Can End Poverty in Calgary
Some Root Causes
of Poverty:
• Real income is
shrinking, not keeping
up with the cost of
living
• Government cutbacks
have reduced funding
for social services
• Lack of affordable
housing
• Limited health care
benefits
• Limited opportunity to
accumulate personal
The number of hardworking Calgarians earning less than $12 per hour is
and family assets
significantly decreasing. Between the first six-months of 2006 and 2008,
44,200 fewer Calgarians earned less than $12 per hour, despite the fact that
• Isolation and exclusion
from community
nearly 100,000 people entered Calgary’s workforce.
networks By continuing to address the root causes of poverty, by working together, and
• Systemic discrimination by supporting innovative, risk-taking and long-term change initiatives, we can
end poverty in Calgary.
• Underemployment
• Chronic
unemployment
due to health
issues or lack of Vibrant Communities Calgary (VCC) exists to
formal
ignite community action to create and implement
education
• Loss of bold solutions that reduce and prevent poverty
employment For more information: through collaboration and education. VCC is part of
due to
downsizing or a national network where diverse community
poor health leaders from across Canada share ideas, practices
Vibrant Communities Calgary
• Mental health and policies that strengthen their community-based
or addictions 1227 Kensington Close NW
Calgary, Alberta T2N 3J6 poverty reduction initiatives.
issues
• Childhood W: www.vibrantcalgary.com
VCC develops and supports creative and
neglect or abuse E: info@vibrantcalgary.com
impacting innovative poverty reduction strategies in Calgary,
current ability to P: (403) 283-2122
knowing that our combined diversity of experience
cope F: (403) 283-2105
and expertise will achieve results none of us could
achieve individually.
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