Poverty Reduction

Some people are more susceptible to poverty. See the Poverty Risk Profile for PEC.

Historically marginalized groups such as Indigenous, racialized people, recent immigrants and refugees, people with disabilities, single-parent families, seniors, youth, and 2SLGBTQ+ communities are more likely to live in poverty. (Canada Without Poverty)

People with disabilities face barriers that increase their risk of living in poverty. The individual monthly $2,000 CERB payments were significantly higher than the $1,169 that people receive from the Ontario Disability Support Program and the $733 that people receive from Ontario Works — underscoring the difficulty of living on existing social assistance programs. (Health Providers Against Poverty)

9.2% of adults in PEC do not have a high school diploma or post-secondary education (2021 census). Less educated workers are among those at most risk. 

PEC's economy heavily depends on seasonal tourism and agriculture, leading to a prevalence of part-year, part-time employment. Additionally, PEC has a high proportion of self-employment. Workers with precarious employment are less likely to access work-related benefits such as an employer sponsored private pension plan, disability insurance or a family dental plan. (Govt of Canada, Towards a Poverty Reduction Strategy)

19.6% of PEC workers are employed in food services, accommodation and retail sales (Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Lightcast 2023) – sectors with the lowest average weekly earnings and greatest employment impact from COVID-19. (Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey January 2022)

Women in Canada are at an increased risk of living in poverty in old age. The prevalence of women who are 75 years old and over and living with low-income status was 21% compared to 13.9% of men in the same age group. (Govt of Ontario, The Gender Pension Gap).

10.6% of PEC families have a single parent (7.9% female parent, 2.8% male parent). (Prince Edward County 2021 Census Profile) In Canada, 21% of single mothers raise their children while living in poverty (7% of single fathers raise their children in poverty), where women who work full-time earn about 72 cents for every dollar earned by men. (Homeless Hub)

27% of PEC's population lives alone. Single adults are more likely to live in poverty.  Working-age singles constitute the largest proportion of beneficiaries on social assistance, and they are three times as likely to live in poverty as the average Canadian. (Institute for Research on Public Policy)

Recent immigrants may face language barriers, discrimination, difficulty having their educational and professional credentials recognized, a lack of Canadian work experience, and difficulty building social networks when they arrive in Canada. These barriers can lead to high levels of unemployment and poverty. (Govt of Canada, Towards a Poverty Reduction Strategy)