Report on Poverty
Released

A report commissioned by the Working Group on Poverty (WGOP) and funded by the Ministry Responsible for Multiculturalism & Immigration called “Unfulfilled Expectations, Missed Opportunities: Poverty among Immigrants and Refugees in British Columbia” highlights serious ways in which immigrants and refugees experience poverty in their new home.

The poverty report illustrates some dramatic facts. Almost 25% of all immigrant and refugee families surveyed for this report, and 51% of those who arrived between 1991 and 1996, live in poverty. For many of them, poverty is an entirely new experience. Poverty is also unexpected in this prosperous western country which has been proud of being listed as one of the most desirable places to live in United Nations reports.

Other findings indicate that immigrant families reach the Canadian income average after ten to fifteen years, and that a higher proportion of immigrants have university degrees than do other Canadians. In 1997, B.C. attracted 22% of all immigrants to Canada, despite B.C. having only 13% of the Canadian population. On average, within two years of arrival, each business immigrant invested about $155,000 and created or preserved five permanent jobs for British Columbians. What then is the problem now?

The economy is part of the problem. The fact is that many people are not as well-off in the 1990s than a decade ago. As well, newcomers to Canada are more vulnerable to the difficulties many people have in looking for work and for an affordable place to live. The other part of the problem is the political unwillingness to deal with the problem. In the 1960s, Canadian governments decided that it was not acceptable that seniors suffer poverty after contributing to this country during their working lives. In the 1990s, seniors are relatively better-off than they were thirty years ago. In other words, it is a matter of political will to reduce people’s poverty.

The challenge for the WGOP, and for all organizations and people who wish to help immigrants and refugees get a fair chance to become part of the life of this country, is to convince governments that we can make the necessary changes.

In the long term, the report emphasizes that Canada must deal with basic, underlying problems that contribute to poverty. As a society, community organizations, businesses, and governments must cooperate to reduce unemployment, to reduce child poverty, to make available affordable housing, and to eliminate inequities in the programs that are there for the whole population. People should be treated equally and fairly.

The WGOP wants to cooperate with organizations and government offices to make life better for immigrants and refugees. Can we reduce immigrant and refugee poverty? If you want to help, or learn what we are doing to reach this goal, feel free to call or drop by our office.

If you would like a copy of the report “Unfulfilled Expectations, Missed Opportunities: Poverty among Immigrants and Refugees in British Columbia,” please contact John Argue at 254-0244 ext. 254.

Email Contact: poverty@mosaicbc.com