Whats the progress to date on addressing child poverty?
The percentage of children living in poverty is unchanged since 1989. Since federal government support for housing stopped in 1993, the availability of affordable housing has drastically decreased. Today, about 1.4 million people need housing. On a positive note, the February 2005 federal budget allocated $1.6 billion to social housing over two years. However, this funding has not be renewed. In 1996, the federal minimum wage was abolished and replaced by provincial and territorial minimum wages. An income of $10 per hour of full time work is needed for a single person to live above the poverty line. All the provincial/territorial minimum wage rates are below $10 per hour.
