Food Banks Canada gave Alberta a score of D on issues relating to poverty, noting that agencies such as the Lethbridge Food Bank have seen substantial increases in usage in recent years, September 26, 2023. (Photo: Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko/LethbridgeNewsNOW

Alberta receives ‘D’ grade in poverty report card

Sep 26, 2023 | 3:05 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Most of Canada did not fare well in Food Banks Canada’s 2023 Poverty Report Cards.

Phil Ozga, chief network and government relations officer with Food Banks Canada, said it has historically been difficult to directly compare living conditions and government efforts on a national basis, so the hope is that this ongoing report should make that easier and more effective.

“Poverty in Canada cannot be resolved by focusing on one provincial government or just the federal government. We need a collective effort from every level of government in Canada, and this report allows us to see that, while every government has a long way to go, some are doing more than others,” said Ozga.

The group analyzed the 10 Canadian provinces on a variety of topics related to poverty such as personal experiences among the population, measures to assist those who are living in poverty, and the overall standard of living, and gave each province a grade ranging from “A” to “F.”

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A total of seven provinces received a grade of D+ or lower. Quebec fared the best with a B- while Nova Scotia was the only jurisdiction to receive an F.

Alberta had an overall score of D.

The province did the worst in the “poverty measures” category, receiving F grades for social assistance, disability assistance, and food insecurity rates.

Alberta also got Fs for feelings that people are worse off now compared to last year and having an inadequate standard of living.

At the same time, some of Alberta’s best scores had to do with affordability, receiving a C+ on the percentage of income people spent on fixed costs beyond housing. It also got a C for legislative processes and a C- for accessing healthcare.

Food Banks Canada said some of the contributing factors to the provincial poverty score include mental health, employment challenges, and the rising cost of living.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization said Alberta experienced a 73 per cent increase in food bank usage, more than double the national rate of increases.

“Since 2019, with the shifts in parties and leaders, and the consequences of a global pandemic, it seems that Alberta has struggled to settle into a direction on poverty,” said Food Banks Canada in its report. “As the government begins building up from the challenges introduced in the past four years, it will need to direct much attention to helping those who are struggling with these new challenges and to help those who have been struggling for even longer.”

The report made seven recommendations on how Alberta can get a better handle on poverty:

1. Introduce a provincial poverty reduction strategy
2. Expand the Temporary Rent Assistance Benefit to all Albertans who are waiting for affordable housing
3. Dedicate 0.5 per cent of the provincial budget every year to affordable rental housing construction
4. Transform the $600 affordability payment into an Alberta Family Benefit that supports all working households with incomes under $50,000
5. Increase and index Alberta income assistance
6. Raise the minimum wage to $17 per hour and index it to inflation going forward
7. Introduce an Alberta Opportunities Awards for low-income Albertans who are transitioning to pre-apprenticeship training

The full report on Poverty Report Cards can be accessed on the Food Banks Canada website.