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 Halifax community conversation, co-hosted by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Nova Scotia Office on April 19, 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, Proxy Data Source, or Gap |
| Everybody is valued | Percentage of population that reports very or somewhat strong sense of belonging to community | Nova Scotia Quality of Life Survey |
| People can contribute to the community according to their skills and abilities | Residents who were members of or participants in an organization during the past 12 months | |
| People feel comfortable participating in the community | Feeling at ease with the people in your community | |
| People are invested in the community | Percentage of population that provides unpaid help to others on their own | |
| People feel understood | ||
| People are respected | ||
| People can make social connections | Percentage of population with 5 or more close friends | |
| Children can participate in community activities | ||
| All children have access to the same opportunities | ||
| Historically displaced and marginalized communities, in particular African Nova Scotian and Indigenous communities, have land and space to gather | ||
| Neighbours have meetings and gatherings | ||
| People have time for organizing and political action | Percentage of population that volunteers for a law, advocacy, or political group |
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, Proxy Data Source, or Gap |
| Freedom from discrimination based on race, disability, age, experience of the child welfare system, immigration status, class, single parenthood, gender, Indigenous identity, and their intersections | Residents’ experience of discrimination in the community because of ethnicity, culture, skin colour, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, age, gender, disability | |
| Human rights are upheld | ||
| Freedom from stigma of living in poverty, including receiving income assistance | ||
| Freedom from stigma and stereotypes of living in public housing | ||
| African Nova Scotian communities are recognized, preserved, adequately funded, and supported by community-led organizations | ||
| Service providers are members of the communities they support | ||
| Non-profit organizations are designed to build community capacity, not perpetuate their own existence | ||
| Equitable access to services | ||
| Rates of homelessness and incarceration are not disproportionate for marginalized groups | ||
| Housing is accessible | ||
| Shelters are free from staff judgment and discrimination | ||
| Jails and prisons are supportive and rehabilitative | ||
| People have opportunities for rehabilitation after incarceration | ||
| Communities have less violence, including gun violence | ||
| People feel safe in their community | ||
| Communities have less drug trafficking and use | ||
| New immigrants are able to find work | ||
| People with disabilities are able to find work |
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, Proxy Data Source, or Gap |
| Incomes reflect cost of living | Poverty and child poverty rates | CFLIM-AT |
| Social assistance rates reflect cost of living | Adequacy of welfare incomes for two household types, NS | |
| Disability assistance rates reflect cost of living for people with disabilities | ||
| Pensions reflect cost of living | ||
| People have the ability to pay all bills and not choose between meeting different needs | ||
| Freedom from living each day trying to survive | Percentage of population 25-64 years of age working over 50 hours/week at main job | |
| Community members collaborate to support everyone meeting their basic needs | ||
| People have enough income to live in the community they grew up in |
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, Proxy Data Source, or Gap |
| Equitable access to job opportunities | Percentage of labour force employed – disaggregated | |
| Jobs provide a living wage | Minimum wage vs. living wage | |
| Jobs are secure and decent | CIBC index of employment quality | |
| People have the ability to use their skills and education | ||
| Everyone have access to job training |
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, Proxy Data Source, or Gap |
| Equitable access to job opportunities | Percentage of labour force employed – disaggregated | |
| Jobs provide a living wage | Minimum wage vs. living wage | |
| Jobs are secure and decent | CIBC index of employment quality | |
| People have the ability to use their skills and education | ||
| Everyone have access to job training |
Education for all
Everyone has equitable access to affordable, quality education, training, and learning supports.
| Measure | Indicator | Data Source, Proxy Data Source, or Gap |
| Everyone has access to free education and training | ||
| Post-secondary education is affordable for everyone | Average undergraduate tuition fees | |
| Existing student loan debt is forgiven | ||
| Everyone has adequate literacy skills | ||
| Everyone has access to learning skills that let you contribute to your community | ||
| Students have opportunities to specialize in secondary 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, Proxy Data Source, or Gap |
| Housing is guaranteed and recognized as a human right | ||
| Housing, including utilities, is affordable for everyone | Housing affordability based on Shelter Consumption Affordability Ratio (SCAR) | |
| Everyone knows where they are sleeping on any given night | ||
| Rent is regulated to reflect unit size | ||
| Housing built in neighbourhoods reflects needs of existing community | ||
| Affordable housing supply reflects size and needs of population, including new immigrants | ||
| Equitable access to market housing, regardless of income source | ||
| Housing is prioritized in service provision of any kind | ||
| Everyone receives adequate support from social assistance to secure housing (financial and navigational) | ||
| Social assistance shelter allowance is equal to or more than the cost of housing a person in an emergency hotel | ||
| Housing is secure | ||
| Housing is safe, pest-free, and in good repair | ||
| Housing is accessible | ||
| Reliable access to shelter beds for everyone who needs them | ||
| Shelters are low-barrier and supportive | ||
| Ability to address household’s changing needs, scaling up or down without risking housing security | ||
| Tenants have input in decisions that affect them |
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, Proxy Data Source, or Gap |
| Everyone has adequate, affordable, culturally appropriate nutritious food | Percentage of households that are moderately or severely food insecure | |
| Everyone has access to community gardens |
Health and mental health
| Measure | Indicator | Data Source, Proxy Data Source, or Gap |
| Everyone’s health needs are met | Percentage of population that rates their overall health as very good or excellent | |
| Everyone has access to a doctor | Percentage of population with a regular medical doctor | |
| Everyone is able to have good mental health | Percentage of population that rates their mental health as very good or excellent | |
| People have a place to sleep and get enough sleep | Percentage of Canadians who report 7-9 hours of good quality essential sleep | |
| People are free from pain | ||
| People have the medication they need | ||
| Everyone has access to harm reduction and addiction support |
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, Proxy Data Source, or Gap |
| Social assistance has up-to-date, relevant, coordinated, well-communicated, accessible and adequate supports available (employment support, education support, housing support, special diet, telephone allowance) | ||
| Social assistance supports people to exit the program | ||
| Service providers believe and trust community members, treat them equitably and support their human rights | Trust in non-governmental organizations | |
| Services have accessible options for use | ||
| Everyone has access to free counselling | ||
| Youth ageing out of the child welfare system have access to the supports and resources they need to thrive | ||
| People exiting incarceration have access to transition supports | ||
| People have access to employment programs and supports | ||
| People have access to resources for financial literacy and budgeting |
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, Proxy Data Source, or Gap |
| Youth ageing out of child welfare system are supported and resourced to thrive | ||
| Group homes are supportive, accessible, and fulfill basic needs | ||
| Parents experiencing poverty are resourced to care for their own children (rather than foster parents receiving money to care for those children) | ||
| All children can participate in the activities they want to | ||
| Parents can afford to support children’s interests |
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, Proxy Data Source, or Gap |
| Governments make concrete change when they say they will | Percentage of population with a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in federal Parliament | |
| Governments are accountable to community members, providing solutions, not excuses | Trust in local/municipal/band government, provincial, federal government | |
| Communities have direct and meaningful policy input | ||
| Communities have opportunities to discuss issues together | ||
| Politicians earn what the average citizen earns |
[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