A new report by Food Banks Canada reveals that the number of Canadians living in poverty is higher than previously thought by Statistics Canada. The report estimates that 25% of Canadians cannot afford two or more essential household items. Among the 11 essential items listed, 10% of Canadians struggle to afford clothing, and 18% are unable to pay for dental care. This means that approximately 10 million out of Canada’s 40 million residents are living in poverty, a stark contrast to Statistics Canada‘s earlier report, which estimated only 4 million Canadians in poverty.
The report released on Tuesday introduces a material deprivation index (MDI), similar to a European metric, to measure a standard of living indicative of poverty. Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, explains that the MDI distinguishes between individuals who cannot afford a certain good or service and those who lack it by choice and simply don’t want it.
“We should continue to prioritize poverty reduction,” – Richard Matern, Food Banks Canada Director of Research.
Matern also said the report also looked at other indicators like food insecurity, reported economic distress, self-reported income adequacy and their actual level of income.
