Women and Poverty

In this section:

• Women and Poverty in Manitoba
  
• Women and Global Poverty
  
• Women, Poverty and Social Assistance
• Women, Poverty and Minimum Wage

Part of the reason that the wage gap is still as big as it is in Canada is because women make up 2/3 of minimum wage earners. In Canada, minimum wage earnings do not provide people with a fair income. In fact, minimum wage earnings fall well below the poverty-line.

For example, Manitoba's minimum wage of $8.75/hour (as of May 1, 2009) falls well below both LICO - the Low-income Cut Off (a formula determined by Statistics Canada that often acts as Canada's unofficial poverty line) and ALL - the Acceptable Living Level (a poverty-line determined by anti-poverty organizations in Winnipeg).

	Before Tax Low-Income Cut Off (urban)	*Minimum Wage Earnings	Acceptable Living Level (pre-tax) in Winnipeg
Family of 1	$21,666	$18,200	$15,430
Family of 2 (1 adult, 1 child)	$26,972	$18,200	n/a
Family of 3 (1 adult, 2 children)	$33,159	$18,200	$33,471
Family of 4 (2 adults, 2 children)	$40,259	$36,400	$36,996
Family of 4 (1 adult, 3 children)	$40,259	$18,200	n/a

*40 hours/week, 52 weeks/year, no allowance for sick days, holidays, or periodic lay-offs.

Source: Statistics Canada Before Tax Low Income Cut Offs 2007. Acceptable Living Level prepared by the Social Planning Council of Winnipeg 2003. Minimum wage rates current as of May 2009.

What this meansƒ

• According to LICO, a single person earning minimum wage falls 16% below the poverty line.
• According to LICO, a family of 3 in which the adult works 40 hours/week every week of the year and earns minimum wage, falls 45% below the poverty-line.
• According to the LICO, a family of 4 (2 adults, 2 children) in which both adults work full-time all year, earning minimum wage, falls 10% below the poverty-line.

For more information

• Paid to be Poor report from a Manitoba Low Wage Community Inquiry 2005
• Keeping Them Poor: Women and Minimum Wage CCPA Fast Facts March 2005
• UNPAC submission to Minimum Wage Coordinator December 2004
• Just Income Coalition  Manitoba coalition for a just wage
• Minimum wage rates across Canada