Montreal – A recent report featuring detailed snapshots of poverty in five Canadian cities shows that Montreal’s poverty rate is still one of the highest in Canada.
Conducted by World Vision and Citizens for Public Justice the research proves a positive track record of poverty reduction in the city, yet the ups and downs of the economy and the rising cost of living in Montreal is deeply affecting the pockets of struggling families.
“In the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve community of Montreal, there’s no question that a high percentage of families are facing economic poverty, which begins with attitudes of fear and victimization about managing money,” Sandy Smith of the community group Christian Direction said in a statement.
The research showed that approximately one in ten Montrealers relies on social assistance for income support, a statistic that includes 46, 500 children per month.
“World Vision is on the frontlines of poverty in nearly 100 countries, yet we can’t ignore the situation in our own backyard.”
“The gap between rich and poor is growing at an alarming rate and too many families are falling through this country’s social safety nets,” said Carolyn Hebert, World Vision Canada’s director for Quebec.
This is reflected in the fact that the number of people using food banks has grown 32 per cent over four years, from a monthly average of 112, 319 in 2008 to 148,460 in 2011.
Read the full report below:
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