January 18, 2022, Calgary, AB – Today, Vibrant Communities Calgary (VCC) released its annual poverty snapshot. The report analyzed income data along with other metrics, like food bank use and affordable housing need, to get a picture of how people are experiencing poverty in Calgary.

Key highlights include:

• One in ten Calgarians live in poverty
• Temporary emergency government measures and income supports played a key role in reducing poverty in 2021
• Income supports for Calgarians with disabilities and barriers to employment are inadequate at 85 per cent of the poverty line
• Poverty is over-represented among racialized people, with Indigenous and Black Calgarians more likely to experience deep poverty (less than 50 per cent of the poverty line)
• Unemployment, food bank use and reported mental health issues are up in Calgary in 2021
• Calgary ranks among the lowest three cities in Canada for affordable housing supply

 The report states that approaches to poverty reduction are well understood and has six recommendations which focus on improving existing provincial programs, particularly in the area of affordable housing.

Download the 2021 Poverty Snapshot in Calgary.

Quotes:

“While we’re seeing some decreases to poverty overall, we know that doesn’t tell the complete story.  Unemployment in Calgary remains higher than before the pandemic, food bank use has gone up 44 per cent in two years, and more than 81,000 households need affordable housing. Despite these alarming statistics, were seeing some positive impacts from effective governments measures. We hope policy makers will review the data and start a meaningful dialogue about the steps we can take to eradicate poverty in Calgary.”

- Meaghon Reid, Executive Director, VCC

Resources

• View the highlights of the 2021 Poverty Snapshot
• Learn more about the incidences of poverty in 14 communities in the Calgary Poverty Profiles 2021
• Enough for All is Calgary’s community-driven poverty reduction strategy

About Vibrant Communities Calgary

VCC is a non-profit organization that works collaboratively with stakeholders and partners to engage and serve Calgarians and to advocate for long-term strategies that address the root causes of poverty in Calgary. VCC engages the community using a Collective Impact approach to poverty reduction and is the steward of the Enough for All 2.0 Poverty Reduction Strategy. For more information, visit enoughforall.ca or follow us on twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

For more information, contact us.