Thread by @MilesCorak

In a few minutes @StatCan_eng will release 2018 information on incomes and the poverty rate, allowing us to update this picture and inform Canadians about progress toward the poverty reduction targets set by @SocDevSoc @HonAhmedHussen

#cdnpoli #cdnecon

@StatCan_eng @SocDevSoc @HonAhmedHussen .@StatCan_eng may confirm plans on how the poverty line will be updated, something that hasn't happened in more than a decade and probably leading the official poverty line to under-estimate the extent of poverty in Canada.

@StatCan_eng @SocDevSoc @HonAhmedHussen .@StatCan_eng has already signaled that some proposed revisions to the official poverty rate may indicate a higher poverty rate, others a lower rate.

@StatCan_eng @SocDevSoc @HonAhmedHussen .@StatCan_eng will surely propose that the cost of cell phone service be included in the costing of the basket of goods used to represent a minimal basic standard of living.

@StatCan_eng @SocDevSoc @HonAhmedHussen But another important proposal will be to recognize the change in the housing market and support given to those in subsidized housing, in effect increasing their income and allowing the poverty line to be sensitive to housing policy and the state of the housing market.

@StatCan_eng @SocDevSoc @HonAhmedHussen .@StatCan_eng reports that Canada's poverty rate continues to fall to unprecedented lows, all the way to 8.7%, falling below 9% for the first time, and continuing its trend since 2015.

www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quoti…

#cdnpoli #cdnecon

@StatCan_eng @SocDevSoc @HonAhmedHussen .@StatCan_eng proposes changes to the official poverty line that imply the poverty rate has been underestimated because of changes in housing costs since 2008

The 2018 poverty rate is 8.7% according to the 2008 standard of living, but 11% according to 2018 standards

#cdnecon

@StatCan_eng @SocDevSoc @HonAhmedHussen Regular updating of the official poverty line is absolutely necessary to sustain a relevant public policy. It is good to see that @SocDevSoc @HonAhmedHussen are continuing to move in the direction laid out by the Poverty Reduction Act.

@StatCan_eng @SocDevSoc @HonAhmedHussen One of the challenges of having an "official" poverty line is the political one of accepting revisions. The fact that the official poverty rate in the US was the responsibility of the White House stymied attempts to regularly update the US line.

#cdnpoli #cdnecon

@StatCan_eng @SocDevSoc @HonAhmedHussen The Poverty Reduction Strategy recognizes that the official poverty line tells only part of the story, and needs to be complemented by a dashboard of indicators.

www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-627-…

@StatCan_eng @SocDevSoc @HonAhmedHussen The fall in the poverty rate reported by @StatCan_eng has been accompanied by a fall in the deep income poverty rate which fell from 5.1% in 2017 to 4.6% in 2018

At the same time food insecurity and unmet housing needs have increased
#cdnecon #cdnpoli

www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-627-…

@StatCan_eng @SocDevSoc @HonAhmedHussen While most of the monetary indicators of dignity, opportunity, and resilience of Canada's poverty reduction strategy are edging in the right direction, others like housing needs, food security, and literacy/numeracy are not.

#cdnpoli #cdnecon

@StatCan_eng @SocDevSoc @HonAhmedHussen This should be a concern not just for @HonAhmedHussen @SocDevSoc but also other federal ministries, as well as raising concerns about how the provincial governments can act in concert and complement federal actions in reducing all dimensions of poverty.

#cdnpoli #cdnecon

@StatCan_eng @SocDevSoc @HonAhmedHussen Here is the dashboard that complements Canada's official poverty rate, and is part of the Poverty Reduction Act

www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-627-…

#cdnpoli #cdnecon

@StatCan_eng @SocDevSoc @HonAhmedHussen .@StatCan_eng should be complimented in moving forward so professionally in proposing updates to Canada's official poverty rate.

Here is an update on the consultation process which proposes to formalize the changes in the coming months.
www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogu…

#cdnecon #cdnpoli

@StatCan_eng @SocDevSoc @HonAhmedHussen But one irritation with @StatCan_eng presentation of Canada's Poverty Reduction Strategy is the continued tendency to name statistics according to how they are produced, rather than what they mean.

The "official poverty line" continues to be called the "Market Basket Measure.

@StatCan_eng @SocDevSoc @HonAhmedHussen The biggest increase in the poverty line proposed by @StatCan_eng across the 50 different regions of the country would occur in Edmonton, a 24% increase from $38,584 to $47,869, followed by Saskatoon.

www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/75f0002…

#cdnpoli #cdnecon

@StatCan_eng @SocDevSoc @HonAhmedHussen The smallest increase in Canada's official poverty line proposed by @StatCan_eng would occur in rural New Brunswick, a 5% rise.

The proposed changes would not lower the poverty rate anywhere in the 50 regions of the country.

www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/75f0002…

#cdnpoli #cdnecon

@StatCan_eng @SocDevSoc @HonAhmedHussen Here is a picture of Canada's official poverty rate during the mandate of the past government, a record of unparalleled success in addressing a persistent problem.

#cdnpoli #cdnecon

@StatCan_eng @SocDevSoc @HonAhmedHussen Now the challenge for Canadians and @HonAhmedHussen is to recalibrate the poverty numbers to reflect the values of the citizens who elected a government in 2019, and move forward with an updated poverty line to track changes and hold this government to account.

#cdnpoli

@StatCan_eng @SocDevSoc @HonAhmedHussen .@HonAhmedHussen should now set a new intermediate target of reducing the poverty rate by 20% below the 2018 number based upon 2018 realities.

#cdnpoli #cdnecon

@StatCan_eng @SocDevSoc @HonAhmedHussen If each successive government set a new 20% reduction target at the start of its mandate, then the 2030 goal of cutting poverty in half can be reached.

If @liberal_party is serious about continuing "to move forward," then it should do this.

https://twitter.com/tylermeredith/status/1231941955891945480?s=20

#cdnpoli