Single Parent Families and Poverty
That single parents are more likely to live below the poverty line is a fact throughout Canada. Lone parents face obvious financial struggles; they have to cover the costs of all family expenses on one pay cheque. A singular income also means that the well being of the family is tied to the stability of the one parent’s employment – there is no alternative income to fall back on or to save in case of emergency.
Lone parents also have to manage work and childcare. For some, this means working less hours a week to be able to care for children after school, which further reduces income. Part time employment also lacks the costly benefits that families need, like dental and extended medical coverage. The lack of a full time job also prevents parents from qualifying for social benefits, such as employment insurance.
Why Surrey?
Surrey is the second largest city in BC, second only to Vancouver. Surrey’s current population is 462,516 (1). The city has grown by a tremendous 300,000 residents in the last 25 years and is expected to continue growing rapidly (2).
Surrey has long been a destination of choice for new immigrants to Canada because of its proximity to Vancouver. Vancouver is the entry point of nearly 85% of all immigrants to the province (3) and often new residents will move into neighbouring Surrey because of its existing ethnically distinct communities and lower cost of living (4).
It is also a home to 16,260 lone parent families, 80% of which are headed by women. Of these 11,300 families headed by single women, 28.3% are low income, compared to 11.5% of all economic families.
1 (City of Surrey, 2009f),
2 (City of Surrey, 2009f),
3 (Stubbs, 2001),
4 (Stubbs, 2001)
In partnership with:
  
For more information, contact the Project Facilitator at (604) 580-8949 or Toll free at 1-888-622-6337 from outside the Lower Mainland or email: lmvukiyehe@mccbc.com. The office is open Mon- Fri 8:30 am – 4:30 pm and located at #202-14045 - 104 Avenue, Surrey, BC.
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