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Overall, B.C. had the eighth highest child poverty rate of all the provinces and territories. At just over 19 per cent, B.C.’s child poverty rate was slightly higher than the national child poverty rate of 18.5 per cent.

For the first time since 2009, the number of poor children in lone-parent families increased, from 81,960 in 2016 to 86,690 in 2017. This is the first time we have seen children in lone-parent families make up more than half of B.C.’s poor children.

The gender inequality gap persisted with the median income for female lone-parent households at $44,960 and the median income for male lone-parent households at $62,550.

Many of the regional districts with the highest child poverty rates were located in coastal areas, particularly along the north and central coastal areas. Indigenous children, new immigrant children, children in visible or racialized minority groups and those with disabilities all have much higher poverty rates than the B.C. average.

Photo by Arlen Redekop / PNG

In 2017, a single parent with one child living on social assistance survived on only $19,795 per year, 40 per cent below the poverty line. Unfortunately, the average number of children living in households on social assistance rose by 1,900 between 2016 and 2017. And, like Holly, for most of these families (66 per cent), working is not an option.

However, the story of most family poverty in B.C. is one where one or more parents are working. Many families raising children on minimum-wage jobs, often without benefits, are still far below the poverty line.