On the Eve of National Child Day, Many B.C. Children Live in Poverty
Canada Ranks last in Spending on Early Learning
Media Release from ECEBC

Vancouver, B.C. November 19, 2007 – As the federal government prepares to recognize National Child Day on Nov. 20, an alarming number of the country’s children lives in poverty.

In 2007, many Canadian children continue to live in poverty. The rate is dramatically higher in British Columbia where 15%of children live below Statistic Canada’s low income cut-offs after income tax.*

This is despite the fact that in 1989, Canada’s House of Commons voted unanimously to work to end child poverty by 2000.

According to Sheila Davidson, Executive Director of the Early Childhood Educators of BC (ECEBC), lack of sufficient funding for early learning and childcare programs is a major contributor to the problem.

“We simply do not support families with accessible and affordable funding for childcare in this country. At a time when Canada has the biggest budget surpluses in history, we rank at the bottom of 14 developed countries, including the US, when it comes to spending on early learning and childcare,” said Davidson.

Davidson added her association sees little logic in Canada’s position. “We have a labour force shortage across the country, a declining birth rate and children living in poverty. It doesn’t take a lot of imagination to see the benefits of making it easier for parents to participate in the work force while ensuring their children have access to affordable, high-quality early child learning and childcare. Rather than just paying lip service to valuing our children, I hope National Child Day encourages our both the federal Conservative party and the provincial B.C. Liberals to finally get to work on a national childcare system that helps to reverse the growing trend of childhood poverty in this country.”

ECEBC is the professional association for early childhood educators in British Columbia. It advocates for ECE practitioners, young children and families and believes that a society that values and nurtures children will be a stronger and healthier society.

* Statistics Canada defines those living at the poverty line as individuals who spend 20 percentage points more of their gross income on food, shelter and clothing than the average Canadian.  Statistics Canada, Income Trends in Canada 1980 – 2005 13FOO22XCB