But a job provides no guarantee against poverty. As national unemployment rates have climbed so have the number of working poor. Living in a family, on the other hand, can provide considerable protection against poverty. In recent years, efforts have been made to focus national attention on the plight of poor children and youth. But in 1994, 1.4 million Canadian children under the age of 18, or almost 20 percent of all Canadian children, were poor.
Women face a considerably higher risk of poverty than men, and have for some time.
But for seniors during the past 15 years, the overall poverty rate has moved sharply downward, falling to a record low of 17.2 percent in 1994. Most people with disabilities are poor and of all population groups in Canada, Aboriginal peoples are the most economically disadvantaged. The challenge for health-enhancing policy in times of deficit reduction is to maintain and, where possible, enhance the value of child benefits, elderly benefits and other forms of income support for persons with disabilities and the unemployed. Other policy areas to be considered include removing disincentives to work for those receiving social assistance, and ensuring an adequate supply of affordable and accessible housing. Prenatal programs, both in the form of financial assistance and educational information, have been found to have a positive impact on health and well-being.