Poverty
What do we mean by Poverty?
Poverty can come in many shares and forms. While many think of poverty as an economic issue, such as lack of financial resources, it is also impacted by a variety of political, personal, social and cultural factors. Various forms of poverty are often referred to including:
- Absolute Poverty
- Situational Poverty
- Generational Poverty
- Relative Poverty
To fully understand poverty, we all must consider the opportunities we have had in our own lives. Not everyone has the same opportunities to succeed – there can be many roadblocks people face in their day to day lives. Literacy levels, income and employment, housing, education, access to healthy foods, transportation, mental health and many other factors may contribute to poverty and ultimately to the health of people in our community. Some demographics are also more likely to experience poverty, such as single parents, newcomers to Canada and, due to the ongoing impacts of colonialism, Indigenous peoples.
Grey Bruce Poverty Issues
INCOME - In 2015, the median income for households in Grey ($62,935) and Bruce was well below the provincial average of $74,287. 20% of Grey and 13.4% of Bruce children live in low-income households [LIM-AT], though this varies greatly by local municipality.
HOMELESSNESS – In 2017, the number of people across Grey and Bruce who were homeless or at risk of becoming homeless and accessed the YMCA Housing Support Program was 3,002.
EDUCATION - In 2016, 14.1% of 25-34 year olds in Grey Bruce did not complete high school, which is well above the Ontario average of 7.7%.
ALCOHOL MISUSE – 23% of Grey Bruce residents identified as heavy drinkers in 2013/14, compared to 17% across Ontario.