Montreal’s number of ‘working poor’ rises dramatically
Oct 26, 2016
A recent study indicates that the number of working people in the city of Montreal now being counted as ‘working poor’ has risen dramatically.The numbers demonstrate that over 125 000 people are now being described as ‘working poor’ compared to the 90 000 people who made up that category in 2001. The new INRS (Institut National de Recherche Scientifique) report has already begun to provide poverty activists with the facts that they need to convince the government of the necessity to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour.
“Everything’s going up except for salaries,” said Montreal Professor Damaris Rose. As one of the research professionals who produced the city’s new Centraide report, she went on to tell The Suburban how the report’s numbers indicate the there’s a growing gap between some of the city’s growing social sectors – including women and young immigrants – and some of the more established parts of the city’s working economy.
“The working poor include people who — for a large variety of reasons – have a hard time getting – and keeping — a job,” she said.
According to the Centraide report, the working poor have a household income that’s usually far below the Statistics Canada (low) income baseline – a fact that explains why so many of them must rely upon the city’s food banks for what is now described as ‘food security’ for both themselves and their children. They usually live alone, or sometimes with a spouse, but rarely with parents or other family members. According to Professor Rose, the fact that single parents (mostly women) make up almost 40% of the working poor just goes to prove that some things will never change as many women continue their struggle to find the time for both children and the work they need to pay for the rent. Although the city’s social media sites (Craigslist) are full of ‘willing to work’ ads, Rose believes it’s going to take a lot more than occasional (and badly paid) work as a housemaid or a handyman to solve poverty issues – particularly children’s poverty issues — in both this city as well as in the rest of the country.
Link: http://www.thesuburban.com/news/city_news/montreal-s-number-of-working-poor-rises-dramatically/article_6154942a-2c10-5149-b492-7058e33e4bec.html