Introduction
PROJECT
From 2021-2024, Campaign 2000, Citizens for Public Justice and Canada Without Poverty co-led a national community-based research project that engaged communities experiencing poverty to recommend indicators measuring progress towards eradicating poverty and achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
This project, Localizing Canada’s Commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals,builds on Campaign 2000’s ongoing monitoring of government progress towards ending child and family poverty, aiming to address the limitations of the Canadian Indicator Framework for tracking progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDG 1: No Poverty.
Through the project, the research team held 17 community conversations with 227 people affected by poverty and intersecting forms of marginalization in every province and territory. The project website hosts summaries of each community conversation.
This local framework is based on the knowledge and experiences shared by participants in the Charlottetown community conversation, co-hosted by BIPOC USHR on May 2, 2023.
FINDINGS
Measurement of progress towards poverty eradication in Canada should reflect the lived realities of people experiencing poverty. The indicators used in the Canadian Indicator Framework for measuring progress towards SDG 1: No Poverty are the Market Basket Measure (MBM) and the prevalence of asset resilience.[i] Campaign 2000 report cards and early research from this project highlighted the limitations of these two indicators to track progress towards SDG 1.[ii] [iii]
The project set out to address these gaps with an emphasis on localizing measures of poverty reduction and centring the knowledge and experience of lived experts. Local visions of communities free from poverty emerged. The frameworks drawn from this research reflect participants’ subjective, multidimensional experience of poverty, which is wide-ranging, affects every aspect of life, and differs place to place and community to community. The frameworks also reflect poverty as a violation of human rights resulting in short- and long- term physical, mental, spiritual, and social harm.
These findings highlight the importance of community-based, culturally relevant, localized measures and indicators for ending poverty and the need to urgently recognize and address the systemic intersecting power structures that create and deepen inequities and experiences of poverty.
In addition to the 17 local frameworks, the findings are illustrated in a National Community-Based Indicator Framework, intended to supplement the Canadian Indicator Framework. It outlines dimensions, measures, indicators, and data sources for poverty eradication (including recommendations and gaps, where no indicators exist) that reflect the knowledge and experiences of lived experts and community organizations across the country.
While the findings depict a broad range of expertise from across the country, they remain a snapshot of 227 people, in 17 places, at one moment in time, and further engagement and community-based research is required to continue to centre lived experts in the work of poverty eradication and achieving the 2030 Agenda.
UNDERSTANDING THE FRAMEWORK
The entire framework falls under Sustainable Development Goal 1: End Poverty in All its Forms Everywhere.
The framework is organized by 12 interdependent dimensions of communities with no poverty. These dimensions are interconnected and non-hierarchical – all connect and contribute to the multifaceted way that people experience poverty in Canada. Many of the indicators could fall under multiple dimensions, but for the sake of length, they are each only shown under one.
Dimensions:
- Social inclusion and community connection
- Equality, justice, and freedom
- Joy, happiness, and hope for the future
- Income and material security
- Decent work
- Education for all
- Right to housing is realized
- Food security and sovereignty
- Health and mental health
- Equitable access to services, programs, and supports
- Connected and supported families and children
- Accountable and engaged governments and institutions
In each dimension, measures refer to qualities of communities with no poverty.
Indicators are statistical definitions of the measures.
As living documents, the local frameworks offer Example Indicators and Data Sources. The local frameworks are intended to complement the National Framework, highlight local priorities, and demonstrate opportunities for continued work in localizing measurement towards ending poverty in Canada. They are accompanied by living action recommendation documents.
Social inclusion and community connection
Community members feel valued and connected, have opportunities to participate in society and culture, care for and support each other, and live in harmony.
Measure | Indicator | Data Source |
Having someone to turn to for support | Example: Percentage of people who often or always feel they have people they can depend on to help them when they really need it. | Statistics Canada Social Survey and Community Health Survey |
Being able to borrow from and share with community members | ||
Feeling loved and cared for | ||
Community members support each others’ wellbeing | ||
Communities have gatherings | ||
People share meals and eat together | ||
Having designated spaces and gatherings for people who share identities and experiences | ||
Having friends in your community | ||
Having family in your community | ||
Having opportunities for growth and accomplishment | ||
Youth can participate in activities and have access to opportunities |
Equality, justice, and freedom
Everyone’s human rights are upheld. Communities are free from systemic inequality and injustice, discrimination, oppression, violence, and trauma, and the harms of colonization.
Measure | Indicator | Data Source |
Everyone has dignity | ||
Freedom from intergenerational trauma and abuse | ||
Freedom from colonial structures and harm | ||
Freedom from disparities created by capitalism | ||
People and corporations with high incomes are taxed fairly | ||
Nobody profits from the exploitation and disenfranchisement of others | ||
Freedom from exploitative labour | ||
Freedom from racism | ||
Freedom from anti-Black racism | ||
Pay equity for Black women | ||
Freedom from racist and tokenistic hiring practices | ||
Immigrants are accepted and welcomed in communities | ||
Immigrants are supported with infrastructure | ||
Immigrants have equal access to opportunities and programs | ||
Equitable and barrier-free access to health care for racialized immigrants | ||
Freedom from housing discrimination and exploitation for immigrants | ||
Freedom from discriminatory predatory lending | ||
Freedom from discrimination based on length of time you have lived on PEI | ||
Freedom from inequities based on historic familial power dynamics on PEI | ||
Freedom from gender discrimination | ||
Drug use does not result in incarceration |
Joy, happiness and hope for the future
Everyone is able to be happy, feel ease, and have the time and freedom to enjoy life. People have hope, can imagine the future, and don’t feel trapped in cycles of poverty and isolation.
Measure | Indicator | Data Source |
Having hope | ||
Having space for many kinds of love | ||
Feeling like things are working in your community | ||
Seeing people smiling in your community | ||
Communities embody decolonial love |
Income and material security
Incomes reflect the cost of living. People have the ability to pay all their bills, meet all their basic needs, have some flexibility to not live paycheque to paycheque, and are able to thrive.
Measure | Indicator | Data Source |
Everyone can meet their basic needs | ||
Everybody has enough money to get by | Example: Census Family Low Income Measure | T1 Family File |
Freedom from fear or worry about paying bills | ||
Freedom from living paycheque to paycheque | ||
Being able to pay all your bills at once | ||
Being able to save for vacations | ||
Being able to afford leisure and pleasure | ||
Feeling like you can buy a home one day | ||
Being able to afford clothes | ||
Freedom from debt | ||
Having confidence that you can pay for everything you need that month | ||
Being able to have the money to handle an emergency without debt | ||
Incomes reflect local cost of living | ||
Jobs pay a living wage | ||
Being able to survive and thrive regardless of employment status |
Decent work
People can work in jobs with a living wage, safe work conditions, opportunities for growth, and job training. Work is fulfilling and allows people to use their skills.
Measure | Indicator | Data Source |
Being able to have a stable, secure job | ||
Jobs pay a living wage | ||
Minimum wage is a living wage | Living wage compared to minimum wage | MacKillop Centre for Social Justice and CCPA-NS living wage calculation |
Employment income increases with inflation | ||
Access to job training and opportunities for growth | ||
Freedom from exploitative labour | ||
Everyone is paid equally for their work | ||
Workplaces are supportive and mitigate burnout | ||
Everyone is recognized for their accomplishments at work | ||
Immigrants can work in their field of practice | ||
Freedom from racism and tokenism at work | ||
Clear accountability practices in workplaces for racism and discrimination | ||
Freedom from racist and tokenistic hiring practices | ||
Freedom from stigma of unemployment or seasonal work | ||
Traditional seasonal work practices are embraced | ||
Work is creative and fulfilling | ||
Being able to work to fulfill your passion or interest |
Education for all
Everyone has equitable access to affordable, quality education, training, and learning supports.
Measure | Indicator | Data Source |
Education is valued by governments and communities | ||
Children have equitable access to quality education | ||
Access to quality local post-secondary education | ||
Education is well-funded | ||
Everyone has free transportation to get to school | ||
All children have access to French programs if desired | ||
Children and youth are taught financial literacy and budgeting in schools | ||
Equitable and barrier-free access to medical school |
Right to housing is realized
Everyone has a home. There is adequate, affordable secure housing for all, free from discrimination, and reflecting the needs of communities and neighbourhoods.
Measure | Indicator | Data Source |
Everyone has a home | ||
Housing is affordable for all | ||
Having stable, secure housing | ||
Freedom from eviction and renoviction | ||
Housing is in good repair | ||
Freedom from stress about housing | ||
Rent is regulated and controlled | ||
Affordable housing supply reflects needs of neighbourhood and population | ||
Ability to scale up or down with housing without financial repercussions (e.g., seniors can downsize) | ||
Freedom from discrimination or exploitation from landlords | ||
Equitable access to housing for immigrants and people of colour | ||
Seniors have access to affordable housing | ||
Freedom from housing discrimination for people receiving social assistance | ||
Equitable access to mortgages |
Food sovereignty and security
Everyone has access to nutritious, affordable, culturally appropriate food; the ability to hunt, harvest, grow, and share food according to cultural values; and the freedom to choose what they want to eat.
Measure | Indicator | Data Source |
Everyone has enough food | ||
Food is affordable | ||
Freedom from fear and worry about not being able to eat | ||
Children have enough to eat at school | ||
Communities have vegetable gardens and orchards | ||
Ability to fish and farm according to traditional or cultural values | ||
Nobody needs to use the food bank | Food bank use | Charlottetown Food Bank |
Food banks offer healthy and varied food |
Health and mental health
Measure | Indicator | Data Source |
Everyone has access to free healthcare | ||
Feeling like you receive good quality healthcare | ||
Everyone has a family doctor | ||
Having good mental health | ||
Mental health supports are well-communicated in the community | ||
Feeling supported to care for your own mental health | ||
Everyone has access to affordable dental care regardless of income | ||
Being able to navigate the healthcare system with ease as a racialized immigrant | ||
Freedom from addiction | ||
Access to harm reduction and addiction supports |
Equitable access to services, programs, and supports
Services and supports are accessible and coordinated, with no arbitrary bureaucratic barriers or discrimination. Community organizations are resourced and are by communities, for communities.
Measure | Indicator | Data Source |
Programs and services are widely accessible and barrier-free | ||
Everyone can get the support they need, regardless of income or other factors | ||
Programs and services are flexible and address the shifting needs of community members | ||
Community organizations created by and for communities are supported and resourced | ||
Organizations by and for communities have power to make changes | ||
Feeling comfortable with organizations and services | ||
Worker’s compensation is supportive and accessible | ||
Schools have free breakfast and lunch programs for children | ||
Food banks are accessible to all | ||
Service providers are no longer necessary |
Connected and supported families and children
Families are supported to stay together and spend time together. The child welfare system is equitable, trauma-informed, and reflects needs of children and families. Everyone has access to affordable childcare.
Measure | Indicator | Data Source |
Having a supportive family | ||
Children are free from abuse | ||
Children are free from sexual abuse | ||
Everyone has access to affordable childcare |
Accountable and engaged governments and institutions
Governments are accountable to communities. Policy-making is community-engaged, trauma-informed, responsive, and based on local needs and values.
Measure | Indicator | Data Source |
Governments care about people, not profit | ||
Governments are accountable to communities | ||
Government promises are backed up by long-term solutions | ||
Governments ensure infrastructure reflects needs of growing population | ||
People with marginalized identities are involved and centred in policy and program design | ||
Policies account for historical and cultural context of communities | ||
Policies reflect local needs and values | ||
Policies address harms of colonization |
[i] Statistics Canada. (2021). The Canadian Indicator Framework for the Sustainable Development Goals. Statistics Canada. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-26-0004/112600042021001-eng.htm
[ii] Campaign 2000. Pandemic Lessons: Ending Child and Family Poverty is Possible. February 14, 2023. https://campaign2000.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/English-Pandemic-Lessons_Ending-Child-and-Family-Poverty-is-Possible_2022-National-Report-Card-on-Child-and-Family-Poverty.pdf
[iii] Barrie, H., & Sarangi, L. (2022). Literature Review: Localizing Canada’s Commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals. Campaign 2000: End Child and Family Poverty. https://sdg.campaign2000.ca/wp-content/uploads/Campaign-2000-Localizing-SDGs-Project-Literature-Review-May-2022.pdf