Fight to Reduce Child Poverty Must Continue

A new child poverty report shows that Nova Scotia has made progress in helping children, but more work needs to be done, Community Services Minister David Morse said today, Nov. 25.

The 2004 Report Card on Child Poverty, prepared by Campaign 2000, a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to eliminating child poverty, showed that Nova Scotia's child-poverty rate was at 18.1 per cent, lower than rates in Newfoundland and Labrador, Manitoba, British Columbia and Saskatchewan, but higher than the rest of the provinces. The rate saw a slight decrease compared to the number for the previous year, when the Nova Scotia government kept its commitment to scrap the provincial clawback on the National Child Benefit.

The report also showed that Nova Scotia's percentage of poor children in Canada is consistent with its share of the overall population.

"We have made some progress in helping poor children in our society, but so long as there is one child living in poverty in Nova Scotia, we must continue to make the investments necessary to get children out of poverty," said Mr. Morse. "I don't think anybody should take comfort in the fact that Nova Scotia's child poverty rate is the middle of the pack in Canada."

About 60,000 children of low-income families in Nova Scotia receive the National Child Benefit, whether they are receiving income assistance or working. The child benefit represents up to $256 per month -- or potentially more than $3,000 per year -- for each child depending on family income. Because it is provided in addition to basic income assistance, it substantially enhances a family's household income regardless of whether or not they are receiving income assistance.

Support for child care for low-income families has also increased and this year. Through accelerated federal funding, $400,000 has been added for child-care subsidies and a further $900,000 will follow this year.

Nova Scotia's minimum wage was also increased to $6.50 per hour, tied with P.E.I. for the highest in Atlantic Canada.

"We have laid a good foundation to keep bringing our child poverty rate down and I have been encouraged by Premier John Hamm's comments in recent weeks that he wishes to see our government do more," said Mr. Morse.