Annual report says 1 in 6 Central Okanagan children lives in poverty

One out of every six children in the Central Okanagan lives in poverty, according to an annual report.

Issued by First Call, a B.C. child and youth advocacy coalition, the report says poverty rates in the region are lower than the provincial standard, but not by much.

For all residents in the Central Okanagan, the poverty rate is listed at 15 per cent, three per cent lower than the provincial average of 18 per cent.

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Notably, though, the Central Okanagan child poverty rate was listed at 17 per cent. The provincial average for child poverty is 19 per cent.

“In the Central Okanagan, 5,970 children live in poverty, one in six children,” said the 23rd annual report, which was sent out on Jan. 14.

“The child poverty rate is two per cent higher than the resident poverty rate, demonstrating that children are disproportionately affected by poverty in this area, despite having one of the lowest child poverty rates in B.C.”

The report also said the Central Okanagan poverty rate for two-parent families with children was 8 per cent, while the poverty rate for single-parent families was 48 per cent.

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“Children in lone-parent families are at particular risk with rates six times higher than the poverty rates for children in couple-parent families,” said the report.

The provincial average for couple-parented families with children was 11 per cent, while it was 51 per cent for single-parent families.

Below are rates for the and the North Okanagan, Central Okanagan and Okanagan-Similkameen.

Provincial average

• Poverty rates for all residents: 18 per cent.
• Poverty rate for all children: 19 per cent.
• Poverty rate for children in couple-parent families: 11 per cent.
• Poverty rate for children in lone-parent families: 51 per cent.

North Okanagan

• Total children in poverty: 3,060.
• Poverty rates for all residents: 16 per cent.
• Poverty rate for all children: 19 per cent.
• Poverty rate for children in couple-parent families: 9 per cent.
• Poverty rate for children in lone-parent families: 51 per cent.

Central Okanagan:

• Total children in poverty: 5,970.
• Poverty rates for all residents: 15 per cent.
• Poverty rate for all children: 17 per cent.
• Poverty rate for children in couple-parent families: 8 per cent.
• Poverty rate for children in lone-parent families: 48 per cent.

Okanagan-Similkameen

• Total children in poverty: 2,720.
• Poverty rates for all residents: 18 per cent.
• Poverty rate for all children: 21 per cent.
• Poverty rate for children in couple-parent families: 9 per cent.
• Poverty rate for children in lone-parent families: 51 per cent.

For more about First Call, click here.