Campaign 2000’s 2025 Fall Pre-Budget Submission to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance urges the federal government to take immediate action to address the alarming rise in child and family poverty across Canada. With nearly 1.4 million children affected and income inequality on the rise, the submission presents clear, evidence-based recommendations to enhance income security, expand access to child care, invest in non-market housing, and implement universal pharmacare and mental health supports. These investments are essential to ensuring all children and families have the opportunity to thrive.

Click Here to Read The Full Submission

Thursday (May 15) marks the 31^st annual International Day of Families (IDF) introduced by the United Nations in 1994 to raise awareness of issues and challenges facing families around the world.

Campaign 2000 is pleased to work with it host agency Family Service Toronto (FST) to recognize the importance of this day and provide context through its work on child and family poverty.

FST’s name begins with “family” and we understand it to mean: Two or more people, whether living together or apart, related by blood, marriage, adoption or commitment to care for one another.

There’s power in a commitment to care for one another. When we commit to care for one another, we create a family. We strengthen the communities in which we live. We bolster each other’s resilience. And we thrive.

It can be difficult to care for one another. It can be difficult to understand what caring for one another means in uncertain times.

It’s difficult, when we know that in 2022, 1 in 7 families with children lived in poverty.

It’s difficult, when we know that families in every province and territory lived in poverty, and the poverty they experienced was deeper than it had been since 2015.

It’s difficult, when we know nearly all children not living in a family lived, and continue to live, in poverty.

This year’s theme for International Day of Families is Family-oriented Policies for Sustainable Development: Towards the Second World Summit for Social Development 2025. With more than a hundred years of experience, FST assists individuals and families through counselling, community engagement, and public education programs. Caring for one another can mean reaching out for the kind of support FST and other community organizations provide.

We’re also committed to ongoing advocacy work through Campaign 2000, whose three-year national community-based research project produced the “Final Report – Localizing Canada’s Commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals” and brought us to a virtual Knowledge Translation Summit with other organizations working to end poverty. In July 2024, the project findings were also shared at an official side event of the United Nations High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. Caring for one another can mean raising our voices and joining the chorus.

FST envisions a city in which people are resilient and thriving in more just and supportive communities. On May 15, we remember that our commitment to care for one another makes us a family. Together, we will strengthen the communities in which we live. We will bolster each other’s resilience. And we will thrive.

It can be difficult to care for one another. It can be difficult to understand what caring for one another means in uncertain times.

It’s difficult, when we know that in 2022, 1 in 7 families with children lived in poverty.

It’s difficult, when we know that families in every province and territory lived in poverty, and the poverty they experienced was deeper than it had been since 2015.

It’s difficult, when we know nearly all children not living in a family lived, and continue to live, in poverty.
These statistics are captured in a new IDF infographic available here.

The United Nations observes May 15 as the International Day of Families. The day is meant to raise awareness of issues and challenges facing families around the world. This year’s theme for International Day of Families is Family-oriented Policies for Sustainable Development: Towards the Second World Summit for Social Development 2025.

With more than a hundred years of experience, FST assists individuals and families through counselling, community engagement, and public education programs. Caring for one another can mean reaching out for the kind of support FST and other community organizations provide.

We’re also committed to ongoing advocacy work through Campaign 2000, a cross-Canada public education movement to build Canadian awareness and support for the 1989 all-party House of Commons resolution to end child poverty in Canada by the year 2000. Campaign 2000’s three-year national community-based research project produced the “Final Report – Localizing Canada’s Commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals” and brought us to a virtual Knowledge Translation Summit with other organizations working to end poverty. In July 2024, the project findings were also shared at an official side event of the United Nations High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. Caring for one another can mean raising our voices and joining the chorus.

FST envisions a city in which people are resilient and thriving in more just and supportive communities. On May 15, we remember that our commitment to care for one another makes us a family. Together, we will strengthen the communities in which we live. We will bolster each other’s resilience. And we will thrive.

From 2021-2024, Campaign 2000: End Child and Family Poverty, Citizens for Public Justice and Canada Without Poverty co-led the national community-based research project, Localizing Canada’s Commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG): the final SDG Report is now available.

The project built on Campaign 2000’s ongoing monitoring of government progress towards ending child and family poverty, engaging communities experiencing poverty and marginalization across the country in partnership with local organizations. The team is grateful to those partners and communities who generously shared their knowledge and time throughout the project.

Among other outcomes, the findings resulted in a National Community-Based Indicator Framework for SDG 1: No Poverty, intended to supplement the Canadian Indicator Framework. This was released in March 2024 at a virtual Knowledge Translation Summit. In July 2024, the project findings were also shared at an official side event of the United Nations High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development.  

The National Housing Council’s review panel known as Neha, which means “our ways” in Kanien’kehà:ka-Mohawk, examines the right to safe, adequate and affordable housing of women, Two Spirit, Trans, and gender-diverse people, and the government’s duty to uphold this right.

Campaign 2000’s submission envisions safe and secure housing for women, Two Spirit, trans and gender-diverse people who are mothers, parents and primary caregivers and offers recommendations for achieving this vision.    

Read Campaign 2000’s recent written submission for the Neha review panel.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

People living in poverty must be central to federal response amidst a tariff war

Winnipeg, Manitoba – Anti-poverty advocates convene in Winnipeg, where some of the highest rates of poverty in Canada are found, amid tariff wars and an impending federal election, to discuss the effects of the current political climate on low income individuals and families. 

“We don’t know the full effects of the trade war on the economy or on people in our communities.  But what we do know is that poverty has been on the rise in Canada since the pandemic.  Our current social infrastructure is unable to support those who are already living in poverty,” said Leila Sarangi, National Director of Campaign 2000.  “With mass job losses on the horizon, and tariffs compounding the current affordability crisis, we expect more people to fall into poverty, which will increase demand for community programs and resources such as rent supplements, food banks, Employment Insurance, social assistance and mental health counselling supports.”

Campaign 2000, a pan-Canadian coalition of over 120 organizations working to end child and family poverty, found historic increases in poverty from 2020 to 2022, with more than 1.5 million people falling into poverty in those two years alone.  6.5 million people now live in poverty, according to taxfiler data, including 830,000 families with children.  Poverty in Canada is disproportionately experienced by groups who are marginalized, and it is concerning that the new federal cabinet, intending to signal a renewed focus on the economy, eliminates dedicated ministers responsible for social development, children and youth, women and gender, disabilities, seniors, diversity and inclusion, all of which are essential to a productive and dynamic economy.

“Today’s convening comes at a pivotal time in the movement to end poverty,” added Sarangi. “The coalition is united in the call to strengthen our communities, particularly in a time of crisis.”

You are invited to join the conversation, hosted by the Social Planning Council of Winnipeg with anti-poverty advocates, policy experts and community organizers who will provide perspectives on the current political climate and how it will impact on low income individuals and families. 

WHAT: Fireside Chat (50 mins)

WHO: Hosted by Social Planning Council of Winnipeg and Campaign 2000

• Moderator: Richard Cloutier, Host 680 CJOB
• Michael Redhead Champagne, Helper, Author, Speaker, Host
• Marie Christian, National Advisory Council on Poverty
• Diana Sarosi, Oxfam Canada

WHEN: Friday March 21, 2025, 6:10pm

WHERE: Alt Hotel, 310 Donald St, Winnipeg, 8^th Floor Banquet Hall

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Media contact: Leila Sarangi, National Director of Campaign 2000, [email protected], 647-393-109

Campaign 2000 is a coalition of organizations working to end child and family poverty.  Please visit www.campaign2000.ca for more information.

Download the press release

Campaign 2000 will join speakers from Canada, Jamaica and the United Kingdom next Thursday (March 13) at a free virtual conference exploring themes of intersection and poverty and their relationship to social problems.

Titled Intersectionality: Is Poverty the Missing Link?, the conference will be of interest to people with lived experience of social work and social care services, social work practitioners, social work students, field instructors, practice educators and social work academics.

The conference is being presented by several academic institutions in Canada and Britain and Campaign 2000 will speak on the Localizing Canada’s Commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals project.

Register on Eventbrite.

View the Event Flyer.

Conference Speakers

Social Work and Poverty: Realigning to Social Work Values in Education and Practice

Warren Smith

University of Wolverhampton, England

Warren Smith teaches and contributes to social work modules covering sociology, social policy, communities in context, and children & families law and practice across the MA and BA programmes. Smith has experience in a variety of children and family and youth justice social work settings as a support worker, social worker, senior social worker and manager. He is undertaking doctoral studies exploring governance networks at the sub-regional level.

Localizing Poverty Eradication across Canada

Leila Sarangi

Family Service Toronto & Campaign 2000

Leila Sarangi, Senior Director of Strategy and Innovation at FST and National Director of Campaign 2000: End Child and Family Poverty, brings with her over 25 years of non-profit leadership, coalition-building, and government relations experience. She is a seasoned campaigner, community builder and facilitator with a deep passion for connecting lived experiences to social action and public policy development to achieve long-term systemic change using intersectional and trauma informed praxis.

Hannah Barrie

Family Service Toronto & Campaign 2000

Hannah Barrie, Social Action Researcher for FST and Campaign 2000: End Child and Family Poverty, was the Project Researcher for Campaign 2000’s three-year Localizing Canada’s Commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals project, which engaged communities across the country to propose a community-based indicator framework for SDG 1: No Poverty. She holds an MA in Gender Studies and Feminist Research from McMaster University, and her interests include community-based participatory research, rights-based and trauma-informed engagement, and social policy analysis.

From social capital to no capital: How alumni from group and residential care in Trinidad and Tobago join the poverty line

Dr. Petra Roberts

Toronto Metropolitan University

Dr. Petra Roberts, Assistant Professor, School of Child and Youth Care has over 25 years of practical experience in ‘child protection’, child and adolescent mental health, family therapy, rural and northern social work practice. Her main research interests pertain to gendered experiences of residential care and treatment services in the Caribbean, and narrative methodologies with respect to the experiences of people in institutional care over the course of their lifespan.

Examining the Intersection of Poverty, Youth, and Agriculture: How Do Intersectional Identities Affect Access to Agricultural Resources and Opportunities in Rural Jamaica?

Dr. Khadijah Williams

Moneague College, Jamaica

Dr. Khadijah Williams is a researcher, educator, psychotherapist and consultant. With a career spanning over three decades, she is dedicated to bridging academia with real-world applications to foster innovation and drive social change. Her research focus includes crime and violence prevention, women and youth in agriculture, HIV/AIDS, family violence, residential care, natural disasters, migration impacts, eco-social work and more. She currently heads the Research and Development at Moneague College and co-founder of a rural residential school in Jamaica.

On December 3, Disability Without Poverty and Campaign 2000 released the 2024 Disability Poverty Report Card, underscoring Canada’s continued neglect in addressing disability poverty. Read the press release

This year’s report highlights the stark realities faced by over 1.5 million Canadians with disabilities, with poverty rates twice as high as those for the general population. Despite the recent passage of the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB), the report finds that the federal government’s efforts fall drastically short.

Key findings include:

• 16.8% of people with disabilities live in poverty.
• Poverty rates for people with disabilities are twice as high as for those without disabilities.
• People with disabilities would need an average of 30% more income to reach the poverty line.

The 2024 Disability Poverty Report card assigns Canada a failing grade for inadequate action and calls on all levels of government to strengthen the Canada Disability Benefit to ensure it can truly help reduce poverty for people with disabilities.

What can you do to make an impact?

• Read and share the 2024 Disability Poverty Report Card and infographic with your networks.
• Share key findings on social media – please tag @Disability_WP and @Campaign2000 and use the hashtag #DisabilityPovertyReportCard2024.
• Write to your federal government representatives to urgently adopt the recommendations in this report.

Visit https://www.disabilitywithoutpoverty.ca/2024-disability-poverty-report-card/ to read more and take action today!

Please join us for “Localizing the SDGs:  Community Perspectives and Knowledge Sharing,” an official virtual side event of the United Nations High Level Political Forum 2024. This event will focus on community-based perspectives on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 1: No Poverty. Through panel presentations and interactive small group conversation, participants will share knowledge, experiences, and resources on localizing the SDGs and community-based approaches and build capacity to leverage the SDGs for local goals.

Panelists include: 

• Hannah Barrie, Campaign 2000 (Canada)
• Mrs. Sonodhy Hansda, Local Credit and Savings Cooperative (Nepal)
• Katelynn Herchak, VIDEA (Canada)

Date: Tuesday, July 9, 2024

Time: 8:00- 9:30am EDT

Zoom Registration Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZArf-mhqzIiHtxWM70ebwnMr4cNlxg4OqKD

Hosts: Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary-Loreto Generalate NGO to the United Nations; Congregations of St. Joseph NGO to the United Nations

Canadian Partners: Campaign 2000, Citizens for Public Justice, The Mary Ward Centre, CSJ Ministry for Social Justice, Peace, and Creation Care.

Amautiit, the Nunavut Inuit Women’s Association (NIWA), released the first Nunavut report card on child and family poverty on April 29, 2024.
Read the Report Card in English and Inuktitut; and Press Release in English and Inuktitut

From Amautiit:

On April 29, 2024, Amautiit, the Nunavut Inuit Women’s Association (NIWA) stands in solidarity with Campaign 2000 as it unveils its first ever annual Poverty Report Card, revealing the harsh realities faced by Nunavut’s most vulnerable populations. NIWA echoes the urgent call for action to address the systemic issues perpetuating poverty and inequality in our communities.

As an organization deeply rooted in advocating for the rights and well-being of Inuit women and families, NIWA recognizes the profound impact of poverty on individuals and communities across Nunavut. The findings of this year’s Poverty Report Card underscore the need for immediate and concerted efforts to combat poverty and its far-reaching consequences.

Key highlights from the report include:

Child Poverty Rates

Alarmingly high child poverty rates persist in Nunavut, with a significant percentage of our children living in conditions of economic hardship. NIWA emphasizes the importance of prioritizing the needs of our youngest community members and investing in their future through targeted interventions and support services.

Food Insecurity

Many households in Nunavut continue to grapple with food insecurity, facing barriers to accessing nutritious and culturally relevant food. NIWA stresses the importance of addressing food sovereignty and ensuring that all residents have access to healthy and affordable food options.

Impact of COVID-19

ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has further deepened the vulnerabilities faced by those living in poverty, exacerbating existing inequalities and widening socio-economic disparities. NIWA emphasizes the need for targeted support for those most affected by the pandemic, including Inuit women, children, and elders.

NIWA urges all levels of government, Indigenous leadership, and community stakeholders to heed the findings of the Poverty Report Card and to take decisive action to address poverty in Nunavut.

For more information on NIWA’s advocacy efforts and initiatives, please visit www.amautiit.ca

Campaign 2000 releases its annual report on child and family poverty, Unprecedented Progress on Poverty Reduction Being Undone. The report finds that in 2021, despite the historic progress achieved in 2020, Canada saw a sharp upswing in national child poverty rates. As pandemic benefits wound down and the cost of living rose, poverty rates rebounded, resulting in over 1 million children living in poverty.

Using tax filer data from 2021, the latest available, this update finds that the child poverty rate rose to 15.6%, up from 13.5% in 2020 (using the Census Family Low Income Measure, After Tax). That represents 163,550 more children living with the short – and long-term physical, mental, emotional, economic and social harms of poverty.

This year’s national report finds that rates of child poverty increased in every province and territory from 2020 to 2021. Disproportionately higher rates were seen for people marginalized by colonization, racism and systemic discrimination, including First Nations, Inuit and Métis children and racialized and migrant children.

The progress achieved in 2020 revealed that there is room for more ambitious targets for poverty reduction in Canada. Campaign 2000 was founded after the unanimous 1989 federal motion to eradicate child poverty by the year 2000. The federal government’s 2015 commitment to the United Nations 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals, the first of which is No Poverty, signaled an important re-prioritization of poverty eradication. But the latest data presented in this year’s report show troubling signs that progress towards ending child and family poverty is reversing.

Accelerated efforts are required for Canada to meet its human rights obligations to end poverty. This report offers more than 30 recommendations that cover inequality, income security, housing, child care, decent work and healthcare, and calls for bold action to eradicate child and family poverty in Canada.

Key Findings from the 2023 National Report Update:

• Over 1 million children lived in poverty (1,162,460 or 15.6%) in 2021.
• The national child poverty rate increased by 2.1 percentage points between 2020-2021, following a historic reduction of 4.2 percentage points between 2019-2020. This increase represents an additional 163,550 children living in poverty.
• The child poverty rate is higher (16.1%) for children under six than all children.  
• Rates of child poverty increased in every province and territory, with highest increases in Saskatchewan amongst the provinces (child poverty rate of 24.2%) and Nunavut amongst the territories (child poverty rate of 35.8%).
• The gap between wealthy and low-income families widened, as families in the bottom decile of income distribution had only 1.6% of the total share of income compared to families in the top decile, who had 25.4%.
• Government transfers, such as the Canada Child Benefit (CCB), are powerful poverty reduction tools.  The CCB reduced child poverty by 9.2 percentage points in 2021.
• Child and family poverty disproportionately affects marginalized communities due to the historic and current violence of colonialism, racism and systemic discrimination.
• Canada’s universal child care plan must include low-income children with a sliding scale fee model of $0 to $10 maximum.  All child care expansion must be within the public and non-profit sectors.

Want to read more? 

Click on the following links to read and download the 2023 report cards.

English National Update and Press Release

French National Update and Press Release

Check out the provincial and territorial report cards as they become available:

British Columbia Report Card
BC Child Poverty Report Card 2023 – First Call Child and Youth Advocacy Society (firstcallbc.org)
2023 CPRC Media Materials – First Call Child and Youth Advocacy Society (firstcallbc.org)
2023 BC Child Poverty Maps – First Call Child and Youth Advocacy Society (firstcallbc.org)

Alberta Report Card and Press Release

Manitoba Report Card and Press Release

English Ontario Report Card and Press Release

French Ontario Report Card and Press Release

New Brunswick Report Card English and French; Press Release English and French

Nova Scotia Report Card and Press Release

Prince Edward Island Report Card

Newfoundland and Labrador Report Card and Press Release

Nunavut Report Card in English and Inuktitut; and Press Release in English and Inuktitut

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