If your income is less than 60% of the national average, you are considered to be living in poverty. After taxes, the average income in BC is $35,000 per year, so someone who earns less than $21,000 after taxes would be living in relative poverty. Additionally, a study by B.C.'s Fraser Institute says that some families who earn as much as $60,000 or more are now considered to be under the federal poverty line.