The Key to Tackling Child Poverty: Income Supports to Meet Their Needs and Assets to Support Their Future

This paper discusses child poverty in Canada in terms of access to savings and assets, as well as income and public services.  Middle-  and upper-income families have incentives to set aside funds for their child’s future while low-income families are penalized for doing so through welfare needs tests.  What’s needed now is a targeted, well-conceived plan for delivering meaningful asset-building opportunities to low-income parents.  This paper outlines some of the key features of such a plan, noting progress made in the 2004 federal Budget.

ISBN – 1-55382-095-9