Opportunity for All – Canada’s First Poverty Reduction Strategy

Opportunity for All will help reduce poverty, support Canadians working hard to join the middle class and build a diverse, prosperous and truly inclusive country-a country where all Canadians can realize their full potential.

The Strategy is guided by an understanding of the complex nature of poverty, recognizing that, for many reasons, some groups of Canadians are more at risk of poverty. The Strategy aims to remove barriers that prevent these groups from moving up, so they can be at their best. In particular, these groups include Indigenous peoples, singles aged 45-64, Canadians with disabilities, single parents (most of whom are women), seniors, recent immigrants, Black Canadians and individuals from other check this link right here now racialized communities, LGBTQ2 (in particular transgender individuals) and Canadians with significant health issues.

The Strategy also ensures that actions taken by the Government will be meaningful to Canadians based on what they have told us is important, measurable so that we will know if we are making progress and monitored so that the Government is held accountable for its commitment to reducing poverty. With measurable indicators and meaningful targets that will serve to monitor progress, the Strategy will guide Canada towards our vision of a country without poverty.

The journey to Opportunity for All – Engaging with Canadians

Poverty is: The condition of a person who is deprived of the resources, means, choices and power necessary to acquire and maintain a basic level of living standards and to facilitate integration and participation in society.

Chapter 2: Taking stock of accomplishments

The Government is focused on growth that benefits everyone, and on investments that help grow the middle class and reduce poverty. Some of these investments, like the Canada Child Benefit and the increase to the Guaranteed Income Supplement, are having immediate impacts on reducing poverty and making a difference in the lives of Canadians. Other actions by the Government, such as historic investments in early learning and child care, the National Housing Strategy, public transit infrastructure, and home care and mental health, are laying the foundation for changing the lives of Canadians in the years to come.

Budget 2017 announced an additional $20.1 billion over 11 years in public transit infrastructure to transform the way that Canadians live, move and work.

A further $5 billion was announced in Budget 2017 for public transit projects that will be funded through the Canada Infrastructure Bank.

This government has made-and continues to make-significant investments in support of poverty reduction. This year, the Government is projected to invest nearly $10 billion in new spending in support of poverty reduction, including investments through the Canada Child Benefit, the increase to the Guaranteed Income Supplement and the National Housing Strategy. This builds on new investments in poverty reduction this government has already made totalling $5 billion in 2016-17 and nearly $7.5 billion in 2017-18. Total investments over the 2016-17 to 2018-19 period are $22 billion, and the Government has also committed new investments of over $12 billion for 2019-20. These investments will help Canada meet its official poverty reduction targets and make measurable progress toward social and economic well-being for all Canadians.

Dignity

The first pillar of Opportunity for All is making sure that Canadians have the basic necessities to live life with dignity. We have made significant and immediate investments in this pillar, especially for children, seniors, and lower-wage workers.

Lifting children out of poverty is a top priority. Evidence shows that children who grow up in poverty are more likely to remain poor as they age. Recognizing this, the Government has bolstered benefits to families with children through the new, more generous, tax-free Canada Child Benefit. The Canada Child Benefit is helping lift hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty, and has improved the quality of life for hundreds of thousands of additional children and families.