Over 1k children living in poverty in Fort St. John

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — A new report from First Call Child and Youth Advocacy Society indicates that 12.5 per cent of children in Fort St. John were living in poverty in 2020. 

The BC Child Poverty Report Card shares data concerning child poverty within British Columbia, both by city and region.

According to the report, as of 2020, approximately 1,080 children between the ages of zero and 17 lived in low-income families in Fort St. John. 

The city’s average of 12.5 is lower than the Peace River region’s average of 14.2 per cent. 

Fort St. John’s rate is also a lower average than Dawson Creek, which has an average of 15 per cent, or approximately 430 children, living in low income families. 

First Call’s report indicated that 2020 was a “record low” for both B.C. and Canada in child poverty. 

According to the report, this was largely due to the changes made to Canada child benefits. The number of short-term or one-time financial aids given during the COVID-19 pandemic helped to reduce the number between 2019 and 2020 by approximately 40,600. 

The report also indicated that B.C. had a slightly lower percentage of impoverished children than the rest of Canada. The province has an overall average of 13.3 per cent, whereas Canada has a percentage of 13.5 per cent. 

First Call also stated that while government supports “played a critical role in reducing child poverty in 2020,” record high inflation rates and increased cost of living in 2023 may be an issue.

“Progress made towards decreasing both the rate and depth of family poverty in 2020 may be all but wiped out by increasing costs in 2023,” First Call said.

The full BC Child Poverty Report Card can be read below: