Child Poverty Increasing In North Okanagan, Says Expert: Lynne Reside blames high cost of housing, child care
Vernon News
Kate Bouey
11/24/2010

New figures show that one child in every ten lives below the poverty line in Canada, that number one in seven in BC. Lynne Reside of the North Okanagan Early Child Development Coalition says groups in this region are seeing alarming signs that poverty is on the increase in this region. "Food bank use is up, there are children coming to school without lunches. There are families that just run out of money far too early," says Reside. She says those on low incomes sometimes turn to the food bank in the middle of the month when the pay cheque won't stretch any further. Reside blames the high cost of housing in the North Okanagan. "When people are paying that much of their income toward housing then of course that affects the rest of their disposable income, in particular, food.'' Reside says child care is another big expense and she questions the failure of the provincial government to raise BC's minimum wage.

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