Tag: Advisory Group on Poverty Reduction

Canada Without Poverty gives Saskatchewan’s Poverty Reduction Plan a failing grade

Poverty Free Saskatchewan is highlighting a national assessment that shows Saskatchewan is much behind other provinces in its efforts to eliminate poverty.

Canada Without Poverty (CWP) recently issued its annual progress profiles on all Canadian province and territories poverty plans. The 2017 Poverty Progress Profiles report was prepared using a human rights framework with ten success indicators.  http://www.cwp-csp.ca/2018/02/provinces-and-territories-make-limited-progress-on-economic-and-social-rights-report/

In order for a poverty strategy to be based on human rights, CWP says, the plan must meet a number of criteria.

Saskatchewan’s effort in this regard, Taking Action on Poverty: The Saskatchewan Poverty Reduction Strategy, was released by the provincial government in 2016. Its aim was to reduce the number of Saskatchewan people who experience poverty for two years or more by 50 per cent by the end of 2025. https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/news-and-media/2016/february/24/poverty-reduction-strategy

Saskatchewan’s strategy is in compliance with only two of the ten CWP indicators, #2 and #5. It is somewhat in compliance with #6, and not in compliance with the remaining seven.

1. Ensure human rights training for those involved in developing and implementing the strategy. (*SK – SOMEWHAT*)
2. Identify and address systemic discrimination and inequality. (*SK – YES*)  
3. Explicitly refer to human rights obligations. (*SK – NO*)
4. Be enshrined in the law. (*SK – NO*)
5. Include representatives of diverse groups experiencing poverty in developing, implementing, and evaluating the strategy. (*SK – YES*)
6. Set rigorous goals and timelines for achieving identified strategy goals. (*SK – SOMEWHAT*)
7. Develop transparent mechanisms and indicators to monitor and track progress. (*SK – NO*)
8. Report annually and publicly on progress. (*SK – NO*)
9. Be a budget priority. (*SK – NO*)
10. Create a space for individuals to claim rights and hold their government accountable to the strategy. (*SK – NO*)

CWP also noted that child poverty in Saskatchewan is very high and the poverty level for Indigenous children living off reserve and on reserve is extremely high. The province’s minimum wage is second lowest in Canada. And food insecurity in Northern Saskatchewan is a very serious concern.

The Saskatchewan government has not presented to the public a comprehensive evaluation report on achievement of its poverty reduction goals.