Low-income Households

Indicator #40: Children & Youth Living in Low-income Households

Indicator 40: Percentage of BC children and youth age 0–18 living in households that report an annual after-tax household income that is below the low-income cut-off, as defined by Statistics Canada.

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Key Messages

• Family or household income is widely considered a social determinant of health. There is evidence that poverty is correlated with a wide variety of negative physical, emotional, and social outcomes in children and youth.¹
• The challenge of using household income as an indicator of health and well-being is that it does not always correspond accurately with disadvantage, since the cost of living can vary greatly between countries, provinces, and even cities. Depending on location, family structure, and other household arrangements, it is possible for households with relatively low incomes to live quite comfortably, and conversely, some households with higher incomes may struggle in a city with a higher cost of living. However, household income can generally be considered a general proxy measure for socio-economic advantage or disadvantage with related potential health effects.²
• As shown in Figure 40.1, after six years of decreasing rates, the prevalence of persons under age 18 living in low-income households in BC began to increase starting in 2008, following the economic downturn.
• The increasing rate of children and youth living in low-income households in BC contrasts with the decrease in the national rate over the post-2008 time period (see Figure 40.1). In fact, since 2000, in every year except 2008, BC has had a higher percentage of persons under age 18 living in low-income households than the overall Canadian percentage.
• Given the importance of low household income as a risk factor for a variety of physical, emotional, and social problems, the increasing rate in BC is a source of concern with respect to its impact on the health and well-being of children and youth in BC.
• Figure 40.2 shows that in 2011, BC had the second highest percentage among Canadian provinces of persons under age 18 living in low-income households. This high percentage was driven by high rates in the health service delivery areas of Richmond, Kootenay Boundary, Vancouver, North Vancouver Island, Central Vancouver Island, and Northwest (see Figure 40.4); more than 20 per cent of persons under age 18 in these areas were living in low-income households.

Figure Notes and Sources