2022 Year in Review

As we begin 2023 it is a good time to look back and reflect on the accomplishments of the past year. For the Canadian Poverty Institute, 2022 was a year of tremendous activity as we continued to pursue our mission “to advance the eradication of poverty in Canada through research, teaching and action that promotes systems change.” Read about our work in these three areas.

CPI Year in Review 2022

Inflation by Income: Differential Spending Patterns and Low-income Disadvantage

Recent increases in the rate of inflation have caused concern about the financial resilience of Canadian households. Of particular concern are significant increases in the cost of basic necessities such as food, shelter and transportation. The impact of price increases in these goods and services, however, will affect households differently depending on the share of the household budget allocated to those items.

This report examines the impact of inflation on different income groups based on their differential household spending patterns. Based on this analysis, the lowest income households in Canada experienced a 5.8% rate of inflation in 2022 compared to a rate of only 3.7% among the highest income households. This differential will exacerbate existing trends of economic and social inequality.

Read the full report here.

The Longest Night of the Year

December 21st was not only the longest but also the coldest night of the year. Despite this, people experiencing homelessness continued to be removed from places of shelter such as transit vehicles and stations into the cold. Granted, such places are not intended or equipped to serve as homeless shelters. At the same time, the response of simply removing people from what is perhaps their only place of refuge during extreme weather is equally untenable and morally wrong.

As a matter of principle and in fulfillment of Calgary and Canada’s human rights obligations, if during life threatening situations, people are taking refuge in places not designed for shelter, there should be an obligation to ensure that they are transferred responsibly to appropriate alternate places of shelter, or allow them to remain until such transfer can be arranged. We call on The City of Calgary to adopt such a policy and process immediately.

Read our call to The City of Calgary here.

Submission to the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy

Read the submission by the Canadian Poverty Institute to the federal government with respect to the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy. Through this brief, we shed light on the intersection of environmental concerns and poverty and offer a critical assessment and recommendations. While the Government of Canada is working to prioritize and strategize Canada’s plan for addressing environmental issues, the Canadian Poverty Institute asks the federal government to consider strategies that would inform equitable policy, speak to the inter-connected nature of the environment and poverty, and plan for long-term sustainability for all Canadians.

Read our Submission here.