A report says more than 10 per cent of Alberta children were living in poverty in 2011.ROSEMARIE GEARHART
A report says more than 10 per cent of Alberta children were living in poverty in 2011. The authors of the report are urging Premier Alison Redford to come through on an election promise to eliminate child poverty by 2017.
The report says there were 84,000 children whose families were below the low-income measure after taxes.
The survey was done by Public Interest Alberta, the Edmonton Social Planning Council and the Alberta College of Social Workers.
The report also says that almost 60 per cent of kids in poverty had at least one parent working full-time.
They say that won't be achieved unless the government invests in social programs and public services to support families in need.
According to UNICEF estimates from 2012, Canada's national child poverty rate is 14 per cent, ranking 24th out of 35 industrialized countries.
Another report released Tuesday by the B.C. child and youth advocacy group First Call said B.C.'s child poverty rate is 18.6 per cent. Manitoba's rate, the second-highest in the country, stands at 17.3 per cent.
With a report from Globe staff