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 Regina community conversation, co-hosted by Voices: Manitoba’s Youth in Care Network and the Social Planning Council of Winnipeg on August 2 & October 24, 2022.
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 |
| Knowing you have someone there if you reach out for help | 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 |
| Having someone you can call at any time for any reason | ||
| Access to multiple adult supports | ||
| Having support to learn tasks of adulthood (moving furniture, paying bills, getting a driver’s licence) | ||
| Feeling accepted and respected | ||
| Having people who celebrate you | ||
| Feeling like you have a loving community | ||
| Having a sense of community belonging | ||
| Being connected to other people who experienced the child welfare system | ||
| Having a connection to your culture | ||
| Having someone to show you cultural traditions and practices | ||
| Having friends | ||
| Feeling like people care what you have to say | ||
| Having a sense of identity | ||
| Being able to participate in recreation activities | ||
| Children are able to play at safe playgrounds |
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 |
| Freedom from violence and abuse in child welfare system | ||
| Freedom from negligence in child welfare system | ||
| Freedom from discrimination in child welfare system | ||
| Feeling respected, especially from adults in positions of power | ||
| Freedom from housing discrimination for being a youth in care | ||
| Freedom from government harm against Indigenous peoples | ||
| Freedom from violence against Indigenous women | ||
| Freedom from discrimination against Indigenous peoples | ||
| Freedom from intergenerational trauma, including the harms of residential schools | ||
| Pardons for criminal convictions are accessible and affordable | ||
| Rates of incarceration are not disproportionate for marginalized groups | ||
| People exiting incarceration have opportunities for rehabilitation and support | ||
| Police officers and paramedics are trained in trauma-informed care and disability inclusion | ||
| Freedom from exploitative work | ||
| Freedom from domestic violence | ||
| Youth with disabilities have accessible housing, services, and supports | ||
| Feeling supported with different learning styles and abilities | ||
| Freedom from judgment and stigma for body size | ||
| Rates of poverty are not disproportionate for marginalized groups | Example: Poverty and child poverty rates, disaggregated |
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 |
| Feeling free from cycles of poverty and hopelessness | ||
| Being able to look forward to the next day and know you will be okay | ||
| Feeling like you live in a place where people get along | ||
| Feeling like you live in a peaceful country | ||
| Having time to take a break | ||
| Seeing your peers alive and thriving | ||
| Being able to identify something that gets you through the day | ||
| Feeling happy |
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 |
| Being able to pay all your household bills | ||
| Feeling like you can meet all your needs | ||
| Incomes reflect the cost of living | ||
| Being able to meet basic needs if you lose your job suddenly | ||
| Freedom from spending every day just trying to survive | ||
| Freedom from doing things you don’t want to do to get your needs met | ||
| Ability to engage in parts of life other than work while still receiving enough income to meet your needs (e.g., spend time with children, take part-time classes) | ||
| Knowing you can pay for groceries | ||
| Being able to access social assistance | ||
| Minimum wage is a living wage | ||
| Social assistance rates meet the cost of living, including disability assistance for additional disability-related expenses | ||
| Rates of poverty are not disproportionate for marginalized groups | Example: Poverty and child poverty rates, disaggregated | |
| Ability to pay for non-essentials, like entertainment and media subscriptions |
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 |
| Minimum wage is a living wage | ||
| Being able to work because you like it, not just to survive | ||
| Having a job that supports your mental health needs | ||
| Jobs are flexible and allow you to take opportunities for growth | ||
| Non-profit, care work jobs are adequately paid with opportunities for growth and counselling support | ||
| Access to employment regardless of previous convictions |
Education for all
Everyone has equitable access to affordable, quality education, training, and learning supports.
| Measure | Indicator | Data Source |
| Access to stability and support to be able to complete secondary school | ||
| Housing and family stability to attend one school for the whole year | ||
| Access to education that supports diverse learning styles and abilities | ||
| Access to supports to graduate high school or achieve GED after 18 | ||
| Access to land-based learning for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis children and youth |
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 safe and secure housing in good repair | ||
| Household utility bills can all be paid | ||
| Knowing you have a safe place to sleep | ||
| Freedom from housing discrimination, regardless of income source or experience of the child welfare system | ||
| Having stable housing | ||
| Children in care have safe, supportive, supervised housing | ||
| Youth ageing out of care have access to supportive transitional housing | ||
| Youth ageing out of care are supported to pay rent and find housing | ||
| Having someone who can be a co-signer for an apartment | ||
| Access to supportive housing for parents who are former youth in care | ||
| Access to supportive housing for sex workers | ||
| People with disabilities have accessible housing | ||
| Feeling like you can eventually own a home |
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 |
| Ability to buy food for your children | ||
| Ability to buy nutritious food | ||
| Knowing you’ll be able to pay for your groceries | ||
| Having food in your cupboards | ||
| Access to culturally appropriate food |
Health and mental health
| Measure | Indicator | Data Source |
| Access to trauma-informed counselling and therapy | ||
| Everyone has access to mental health support | ||
| Feeling mentally healthy | ||
| Everyone has access to good medical care | ||
| Freedom from addiction | ||
| No overdose deaths | ||
| Access to supports and resources for drug users | ||
| Youth with learning and developmental disabilities are supported | ||
| Access to sports and physical recreation | ||
| Having time and resources to exercise | ||
| Ability to buy nutritious food |
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 |
| Regular access to multiple adult supports | ||
| Youth ageing out of care have support navigating services and resources | ||
| Services and programs that support youth ageing out of care into later adulthood (no age restrictions) | ||
| Access to resources for trauma experienced in child welfare system | ||
| Peer-led organizations are resourced and supported | ||
| Services are easy to navigate, accessible, and well-coordinated | ||
| Feeling trusted and supported by service providers | ||
| Having access to supports during pregnancy and early parenthood | ||
| Service providers are trained in inclusivity, diversity, neurodiversity, and trauma-informed care | ||
| Mental health support is accessible, affordable, and low-barrier | ||
| Youth have access to transition support and gender affirming care |
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 |
| Parents are supported to keep their children | ||
| Parents who were previously in care are financially supported to raise their family | ||
| Families are supported to bring children back into their care | ||
| Freedom from discrimination from child and family services for parents who were formerly in care | ||
| Freedom from fear of child apprehension | ||
| Children are free from abuse and violence | ||
| Children are supported to live with family, friends, or someone within their community if apprehension is required | ||
| Child welfare system is child and family-centred, trauma-informed, and supportive | ||
| Regular access to multiple adult supports for children in care | ||
| Siblings in the child welfare system are supported to stay together | ||
| Children in the child welfare system do not have to move between placements | ||
| Money given to foster parents benefits children in their care | ||
| Children are not placed in hotels | ||
| External accountability systems for child and family services | ||
| Transparency in record-keeping in the child welfare system | ||
| Flexibility around timing for youth ageing out of the child welfare system | ||
| Youth feel ready for their future | ||
| Access to support during pregnancy and early parenthood for former youth in care | ||
| Parents have regular access to affordable childcare | Example: Percent of children with access to regulated childcare | |
| Having someone you trust to take care of your children | ||
| Children enjoy their childhood | ||
| Families are connected and spend time together |
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 |
| Feeling like the government wants to make positive change | ||
| Feeling like the government acknowledges and validates community needs | ||
| Knowing the child welfare system has external accountability mechanisms | ||
| Feeling confident that oppressive systems can change |
[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