A recent report by the Nova Scotia office of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives highlights the ongoing issue of child poverty in the province. Despite a 4.6% decrease in child poverty based on 2023 taxfiler income data, over 40,000 children in Nova Scotia still live in households below the low-income threshold, representing about 23% of children.
The report emphasizes the need for significant and sustained government intervention to address the challenges faced by the poorest families. It points out that inadequate income support from the Nova Scotia government contributes to trapping people in poverty, leading to food and housing insecurity, impacting health and well-being, and hindering their future prospects.
According to the report, there are major disparities between the income levels of families and the poverty line. For instance, the after-tax median income for a lone parent with one child living in poverty falls significantly below the poverty line. The report also states that Nova Scotia provides the lowest support among all provinces for a lone parent with one child.
Christine Saulnier, the Nova Scotia director of the CCPA and one of the report authors, expressed concern over the lack of priority given to addressing poverty in the province. She emphasized the urgent need for a substantial increase in income assistance rates to empower the poorest individuals and families to improve their circumstances.
The report calls for a comprehensive poverty elimination plan with specific targets and timelines to end child poverty by 2031. It also urges the government to fulfill its promise of establishing a child and youth advocate to oversee progress on the poverty elimination plan. Additionally, the report suggests expanding the affordable living tax credit and reducing restrictions on how support can be utilized to benefit recipients and their families.
Despite some targeted government initiatives, such as aid for school supplies and a universal school lunch program, the report argues that more decisive actions are required to support vulnerable families effectively. It notes that Nova Scotia’s per-capita spending on social protection is significantly lower than the national average, indicating a need for increased investment in social welfare programs.
As the province awaits the unveiling of the upcoming budget, advocates like Saulnier stress the importance of building trust and providing adequate support to families living in poverty to enable them to make positive changes in their lives.