Poverty
Another priority for the SPRC is the incidence and experience of poverty in Hamilton. The work of the SPRC is directed to (1) improving information about conditions of poverty in Hamilton and (2) developing strategies related to workforce and employment as a way of reducing poverty.
Report on poverty in Hamilton:
- Incomes and Poverty in Hamilton, 2009 (Full report, 27 pages)
- Incomes and Poverty in Hamilton, 2009 (Short report, 4 pages)
- Media Backgrounder, April 17 2009 (1 page)
- Media Release, April 17 2009 (1 page)
- Evaluation Questionnaire for Incomes and Poverty Report (respondents who return this survey by September 15 2009 will be entered in a prize draw for a $50 gift certificate for Bryan Prince Bookseller in Hamilton)
- Previous Reports on trends in poverty in Hamilton
Nearly 90,000 Hamiltonians (18% of the population) were living in poverty in 2005 – enough people to stand and link arms on the Skyway Bridge’s entire span across Hamilton Harbour more than ten times. This includes more than 26% of children under the age of six.
The SPRC, in recent reports, considers the distribution of incomes in the City of Hamilton, and the level of poverty based on the most commonly reported measure – Statistics Canada’s Low Income Cut-Off (LICO). A second measure of poverty also warrants examination, that is, the benefit rates provided to individuals and families on Ontario Works (OW), - Ontario’s primary income security program.
A goal of the Social Planning and Research Council (SPRC) is to strengthen the community’s understanding of social problems. We hope that our reports and information will help to educate the public and stimulate discussion about what it means to be "poor", how the gap in incomes is growing, and the day-to day impacts on individuals, families and children in our community.