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© BOPINION “JHE PLACE WHERE POVERTY LIVES DEVON HARNARAIN Column Waterloo Chronicle | Thursday, April 1 Poverty isn't always what you think it is. We think we know what poverty looks like. In our mind's eye, we might picture sion. People panhandling on a street corner, wearing rat- ty, dirty old clothes and lin- ing up for food at a soup kitchen. i But often poverty isn't quite as blatant as that. Sometimes, you need to look alittle harder to find it. It looks like a single mother working two to three sobs at minimum wage, and struggli to provide the basics for ter cildren, It looks like families who have to spend years waiting to obtain affordable hous- ing, spending nearly half their monthly income on rent in the meantime. It looks like being unable to work because ofa disabili- ty, and not being able to meet your basic needs every month. It looks like hard choices between rent, elec- tricity and food — and no money at all when a car breaks down, or a child weal winter thes, it “Tooke, Tike new- comer families that are struggling so much that their adult children are working night shifts at a fac- tory, still turni up to school the next day, desper- ate to get an education. These are real stories — of real families that live in our own community here in Waterloo Region. These families are all und us — sometimes even in some of our more well-off communities, where costly rental units (often the only ones avail- able) hide among the well-built homes. In Water. loo Region, one of the Cana- da's richest, most economi- und us. One in eight residents live below the poverty line —and nearly 15, i000 of those residents are chil While these siatisties are the most recent ones we have, the rising cost of living (rent, groceries and every- thing else), along with our own experience at House of Friendship, tells us that things are getting worse. In the past year, we've seen an ongoing increase in the number of individuals need- ing food to feed their fami- lies, with more than 27,000 emergency food hampers handed out in the last year —and nearly 20 per cent are first-time visitors. Ittakes so much effort for these families {o simply sur- ey can't 01 iton on et own anymore, it takes fort for thon toask for he ole. while there is sup- port available, such as through our Emer; through our Family Out- reach Workers, it does little te address the underlying systemic causes of poverty, such as the lack of a living wage or affordable housing. This hidden poverty makes it easier for all of us to turn a blind eye, to think things aren’ 't really that bad, break the generational cycle of poverty. It will take a variety of initiatives to address pover- ty inour region, such as cre- ating opportunities for edu- TO LEARN HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR OWN CONTENT VISIT WATERLOOCHRONICLE.CA cation and job training, and investing in financial assis- tance and social safety net programs. mum wi affordable housing and im- proved rent regulations are art of the solution. And we oreo to address sys- lack of access to resources that perpetuate poverty. I challenge every one of us to look closer, to look more deeply at the People around you, and see justi how many among us an struggling to survive amid the wealth of Waterloo Re- gion. By acting together and advocating for those who need 0 our pele you can help men, women and chi chikiren’ in Waterloo Re- gion — your neighbours — can overcome the odds that poverty tacks against Devon Harnarain is Community Resources Manager at House of ‘iendship. Tis a ee published lay, is a division ofthe Metroland Media Group Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Torstar Corporation. The Metroland family of newspapers is comprised of more than 70 community publications across Ontario. This newspaper is a member of the National NewsMedia Council. Complainants are urged to bring their concems write The National NewsMedia Council, Suite 200, 890 Yonge St., ronto, ON M4W 2H2. Phone: 416-340-1981 Web: www.mediacouncil.ca nn¢e Aocna Nesektaiacounet editorial@waterloochronicle.ca Pcie ican waterlonchronicte @wichrot WHO WE ARE Publisher and Chief Exccutive Officer Community and Operations Dana Robbins Director of Content Lee Ann Waterm: Regional General Manager Nelson Parreira STATISTICAL ANOMALIES IN CHILD POVERTY 4 GRAHAM HOOKEY Column According to Statistics Canada, child poverty rates in Canada declined by m« than 50 per cent between 2015 and 2020, largely a function of an increase in the Canada Child Benefit ‘lan. Despite this, the poverty rate for single-parent fami- lies headed by women was g such data is a somewhat $ sluggish pr ‘ocess, but, since § inflation beg an to soar in Hum 2021, no doubt he Pendu- has 8 way. Since the est cost in raising children is Teed. ing them, and inflat taken the biggest ite. out tor last couple of year: Pee between: 2019 and 2022, children's visits to food banks has increased 35 per cent and food banks are projecting a 60 per cent in- crease in food bank usage, by the total population, from 2022 to 2023. Even with the latest fed- budget promise of a ry the in some provinces, the next year is appearing pretty bleak for those families with single incomes and low wages. Occasional handouts, which make for great politi- cal photo ops, are not the answer to systemic poverty and food insecurity. As a highly developed country, we should be doing much ‘ ‘don't pretend to under- stand the complexity of pudgetai ry decisions at the provineial or federal level. I am certain there are a lot of conflicting demands. But, from a human psychology perspective — and, let's face it, mental-health sup- ports are being touted as a serious shortcoming inour edic system — Abra- ham Maslow's sold. hierar- chy that places safety and security at the forefront of uman mental health should help to define some of the government's priori- ties when it comes to creat- affordable-housing _ pro- jects, living-wage rules and food-security provisions so that all people, but particu: larly children, are not ey etohousmivandieod insecurity. The poor are always im- pacted by economic varia- tions more than those who have buffers of savings or additional assets. Any change in basic necessities, food, rent, utilities or trans- portation costs dispropor- tionately impacts those who have no way of maki up for such changes. . They 1 id poor has increased sharply, almost 50 per cent in the last 20 years. This growing gap between the small number of haves and the large number of hai nots (50 per cent ofall work: ing Canadians earn less than $26,000 a year) is im- pacting political and eco- nomic thinking and poten- tially fomenting civil dis- ruption — the truck block- ade of Ottawa and the current numerous labour rikes being the outcome of such collective thinking. Perhaps the issues are are forced to inary choices, between things like food or rent, the lack of either of which has a dramatic impact on chil- dren. It is stressful enough ing a just and civil society. tobe poor, but being unable Peopleneed our children. food security ifthey are go- is astress no parent should ing to be able to contribute have to carry. to society in any meaning- ful way. Our public policy goals should not be to prop up the lack of such security with {femporary handouts lunteer programs, put to ir institute though the statistics of 2020 seemed to be a nice pat on the back for work done in the five years be- fore that to relieve child poverty, the reality is that the gap between the rich for our cur- rent generation of leaders to resolve, being somewhat set in their ways of econom- ic planning, but, if the next Jan Bodanka, Matt wien bet diy lumphreys, Cassandra Managing Editor Robyn Wilkinson ‘Online Editor Loraine Centen News eel Ned Bekavat Reporter Bill Jackson Director Creative Services Paul Gostlin CONTACT US Waterloo Chronicle 219 Labrador Dr. Suite 203, Waterloo, On., 4M8 Phone: 519-886-2830 Web: www,waterloochronicle.ca Letters to the editor Allletters must be fewer than 320 words and include your name and telephone number for verification Published letters will appear in print and/or online at it Ce up hungry and insecure, ‘we may have much more of achallenge to the way of life that we just may be taking for granted at the moment. Graham Hookey is the author of "Parenting Is A Team Sport" and can be reached at ghookey@ya- Delivery For all delivery inquiries, e-mail customerservice@metroland.com or call 519-894-3000. Acerédité Accredited.