B.C.'s child poverty rate worst in Canada: report
Fourth year in a row B.C ranked last by report
November 26, 2007
CBC News

A new report says B.C. had the highest child-poverty rate in the country for 2005, based on the latest available income numbers from Statistics Canada.

According to the report written by the B.C. Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition, one out of every five children lives in poverty.

It's the fourth year in a row B.C ranked last in the report.

Coalition chairperson Michael Goldberg said the province needs to come up with "a child poverty reduction plan, which has very specific targets, and timelines.

"That's been done in Newfoundland. Quebec has had one for a number of years. They have an anti-poverty act they have to follow and their figures are way down compared to most other provinces," said Goldberg on Sunday.

Goldberg said it's shameful that British Columbia has so many poor children despite doing so well economically.

"Maybe that's what B.C. needs to get very serious about, both the premier and the leader of the opposition," said Goldberg.

The report also indicated B.C.'s rate of child poverty in families where at least one parent is working full-time, all year, is also the highest in Canada.