File photo of a homeless encampment outside of the Civic Centre in Lethbridge in August 2022. (Photo: LNN)

By David Opinko

Report shows how pervasive poverty is in Lethbridge

Oct 14, 2022 | 2:51 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Lethbridge service providers have taken a deeper look into poverty and are making recommendations on how to address the issue.

A new report, titled, “2022 Lethbridge Child and Family Poverty Report: Laying the Groundwork for a Just Recovery,” highlights the importance of understanding poverty in our community.

The report was prepared by HELPSEEKER, in partnership with the City of Lethbridge, the Social Health Equity Network of Lethbridge and Area (SHENLA), and the United Way of Lethbridge and South Western Alberta.

SHENLA Spokesperson Sharon Yanicki says in order to properly take actions to combat poverty, people first need to be educated on the issue.

“When we’re looking at issues of poverty, it’s important to look at data and statistics, but it’s also important to engage directly with people who are experiencing poverty,” says Yanicki. “This fall, SHENLA will be working with members and partners to gather local stories and experiences of poverty and to engage people with lived experience in this important work.”

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According to data from Statistics Canada cited in the report, poverty rates among all family types in the city decreased from 15.4% to 12.4% between 2000 and 2019.

As of 2019, approximately 15.2% of youths were considered to be living in low-income households in Lethbridge.

Children aged zero-to-five experienced the highest rate of poverty among all age groups.

Higher rates of poverty were also seen among children living in single-parent (46.6%), First Nations (42%), and Indigenous identity (26.9%) households.

According to a news release that accompanied the report, “Access to housing and food security, and children’s early child development and educational attainment are all impacted by living in poverty. In the early years (0 – 5), living in poverty impacts children’s ability to learn, to actively engage in school, and to develop skills at the pace of their peer group.”

The report’s authors add that, while the federal and provincial child benefit programs have resulted in a small reduction in child and family poverty, further action is needed.

Dozens of recommendations were made in the report.

It advises people to understand who is affected by poverty in their community, advocate for their elected officials to support low-income individuals, and tell their employers and others to pay a living wage.

According to the Alberta Living Wage Network, a “living wage” in Lethbridge as of 2021 is $19 per hour.

READ MORE: Report states a “living wage” in Lethbridge is $19/hour

The report encourages employers to hire people as employees and not contractors where possible, to pay their staff a living wage, and adopt diverse hiring practices.

Recommendations to the City of Lethbridge include developing a plan to end poverty by a specific date, engaging with people who have lived in poverty, and creating a program that would make it easier for low-income people to access computers.

The full report can be accessed on the Lethbridge United Way website.

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