The rate of children living in low-income households in Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph is higher than the national average, according to a report from Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health.
In WDG about 10.5 per cent of households are classified as low-income, “indicating that a significant portion of the population is struggling with economic stability.”
That translates to 5,345 children aged 0 to 17 living in low-income households, making up 23.7 per cent of the low-income population.
In Guelph and Wellington County, Mapleton and Wellington North were the municipalities with the highest rates of children living on low-income, at 18.2 per cent and 16.9 per cent, respectively.
The rate of children living on low-income was lower in Guelph at 8.2 per cent, though some neighbourhoods had significantly higher rates. In Onward Willow, for example, 19.2 per cent of children were living in low-income households.
Children living in a one-parent family were nearly four times as likely to live in low-income compared to children in two-parent families.
“On average, households allocate 23.5 per cent of their income to shelter costs, but for low-income households, this figure often exceeds 30 per cent, highlighting the financial strain these families face in securing adequate housing," the report states.
Among WDG, the unemployment rate among low-income individuals is higher in Guelph at 25.5 per cent. In Puslinch, it’s 19.4 per cent, “indicating localized economic challenges that intensify poverty.”
Children aged 0-5 who are recent immigrants are more than 2.5 times likely to live in low-income households than non-immigrants of the same age.
“Economic disparities also exist for the local Indigenous population, where 11.1 per cent of children ages 0-5 live on low income compared to 9.1 per ent among non-Indigenous children,” the report states.
“Poverty can have a devastating effect on a child's physical and cognitive development,” said Julian Martalog, manager of health analytics for public health during Wednesday's board meeting.
“These statistics underscore the urgent need for targeted interventions to support vulnerable families and improve economic conditions for children in the region.”
