Child poverty rate climbs in N.B. – Country 94

Feb 22, 2024

New Brunswick’s child poverty rate is on the rise after a significant drop at the start of the pandemic.

That is according to a new report card released this week by the province’s Human Development Council (HDC).

It found 18.7 per cent of children, or about 26,360, were living in poverty in 2021, up from 16.6 per cent in 2020.

The increase comes as pandemic benefits wound down and the cost of living increased across the benefits.

Officials said those benefits were the reason the poverty rate fell to 16.6 per cent in 2020 from 21.7 per cent the year before.