Income plays a major role in poverty reduction, according to one PG councillor.
Following an annual report card from First Call on child poverty earlier this week, Prince George City Councillor Murry Krause, who is also on the provinces poverty reduction forum, spoke out.
In the report, Prince George is listed as having a child poverty rate of 19.7%. The data was gauged by 24 census tracts, in which six posted a rate between 30% and 40%. The highest rate were in areas close to downtown, with one reaching 60.6% and another at 37.9%.
The provincial average for child poverty is 20.3%, however, this number appears to be going down.
“The number doesn’t surprise me, we have a higher than average indigenous population, and unfortunately, in Canada and in BC, indigenous populations tend to be poorer than the rest of the population. It’s not okay.”
Krause said a major player in the issue is income.
“People need more of an income to survive. It’s not just income assistance rates, it’s wages. We know people that are working two jobs at minimum wage and they still can’t make ends meet.”
Krause said while the federal government has indicated that minimum wage will go up to $15.00 at some point, a living wage for the Northern Capital is $16.00.
According to him, it’s important to note that poverty reduction is not the responsibility of local governments, but instead of provincial and federal. The Poverty Reduction Committee will be looking at timelines and trying to “hold the government feet to the fire.”
“These are not new issues, but I’m very optimistic, I think that there are more people listening and there’s more and more people who want to do something about this,” said Krause.