A new and troubling report on poverty from United Way Halifax indicates Nova Scotia has the highest provincial poverty rate in the country, and more than a third of Atlantic Canadians say rising costs are affecting their ability to meet basic needs.
The report, released Wednesday, said the impacts of the pandemic, rapid population growth, the housing crisis, the rising costs for basic household needs, and the effects of climate-driven environmental disasters like hurricanes and wildfires are impacting poverty rates across communities in Nova Scotia.
This means individuals and families are relying on community programs and organizations for support more than ever — but the services that are there to help are also being strained.
“The social sector is also facing inflation, affordability challenges, and the results of pandemic pressures. The social sector is also facing staffing and training challenges due to the difficult work and the impact of the affordability crisis,” the report said.
“In some cases, staff are living in housing that is not affordable and facing some of the same issues as their clients.”
1 in 10 Haligonians living below poverty line
The report, which draws data from the 2021 Canadian census along with other sources, indicated that Halifax has the highest rate of poverty among urban centres in Canada. Just over one in 10 people in Halifax are living below the market basket measure poverty line.
A big part of that is food insecurity. Back in 2019, Halifax had a food insecurity rate of 20.7 per cent. It dropped to 15.5 per cent in 2020 — in part due to an income increase many saw during the COVID-19 pandemic from CERB payments.
But when that assistance ran out and incomes decreased, Halifax’s food insecurity rate jumped back to 20.5 per cent. It’s now the second highest in the country at 22 per cent.
“There are people in this community who are very much struggling,” said Sara Napier, president and CEO of United Way Halifax, during a media event Wednesday.
“Basic needs that we consider human rights, like food and housing, are increasingly difficult for many people to secure. Individuals have little choice in what they eat, where they live, and what they can spend their money on.”
People of colour and those within the LGBTQ+ community are overrepresented in poverty and homelessness rates, the report said.
Napier said incomes have failed to keep up with inflation, and the gap between the richest and the poorest members of society continues to widen.
“The poverty line for a family of four in HRM is set at $52,429. So that means the total annual income of $52,000, approximately, is the line to afford that basic basket of goods,” she said.
The report also references the more-than 6,500 people who are on a waitlist for public housing.
“We are experiencing a cost of living crisis here in Halifax and across the country,” said Cathie O’Toole, Halifax’s CAO, during the news conference.
“Housing in Nova Scotia, especially in the Halifax region, has seen significant challenges as supply has dropped below demand.”
O’Toole said while the city has focused on improving equitable access to transit, homelessness supports, affordable housing and development, work needs to continue to support those in need.
Poverty in Halifax ‘quite dire’
Sue LaPierre, United Way Halifax’s director of social impact strategy, said the report is a call to action to address the immediate needs of people who are struggling, and improve people’s quality of life for the future.
She described the poverty situation in Halifax as “quite dire” and said communities, businesses, government, and individuals need to work together to find solutions.
“Income is absolutely essential, affordable housing is essential, and to address those issues with a human rights lens is really important,” said LaPierre.
She said the pandemic showed us that there are measures the government can take that can improve people’s quality of life.
“Things like the CERB reduced our poverty rates and increased our food security. It’s a good demonstration that good policy can make a difference,” she said.
“So, I think from here we have to really learn those lessons and consider what we can do in the future — that we don’t improve people’s quality of life and then take it back again.”
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