About Poverty

WINDSOR-ESSEX COUNTY

38,000: Total number of people living in poverty (2006)

16,000: Number of children and youth living in poverty (2006)

1 in 5: Number of tenants who are spending more than 50% of their income on rent (2005)

ONTARIO

100,000: Number of meals food banks serve to children every month

$2.9 Billion: What Ontario spends each year to treat the symptoms of poverty through the health care system

CANADA

3.4 Million: Number of Canadians living in poverty (2006)

1.5 Million: Number of Canadians who cannot afford suitable and adequate shelter

$38 Billion: Estimated annual economic cost of poverty

Sources: Campaign 2000. (2008). 2008 Report Card. Toronto: Author. Laurie, N. (2008). The Cost of Poverty: An Analysis of the Economic Cost of Poverty in Ontario. Toronto: Ontario Association of Food Banks. Loewen, G. (2009). A Compendium of Poverty Reduction Strategies and Frameworks. Waterloo, ON: Tamarack Institute. Shapcott, M. (2008). Wellesley Institute National Housing Report Card. Toronto: Wellesley Institute. Statistics Canada. (2009). Low income cut-offs for 2008 and low income measures for 2007. Ottawa, ON: Minister of Industry. United Way / Centraide Windsor-Essex County. (2009). A Snapshot of Children and Youth in Windsor-Essex County.