Children Living in Low-Income Families
High values indicate that a large proportion of children reside in low-income families.
The proportion of persons age 17 and younger living in low-income economic families before tax in 2015, expressed as a percentage of the total population age 17 and younger.
Calculations are made according to Statistics Canada’s low-income cut-offs (LICOs). LICOs represent levels of income where people spend disproportionate amounts of money for food, shelter and clothing. They are based on family and community size and are updated to account for changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
The low-income before-tax cut-off defines income levels at which families or persons not in economic families spend 20 percentage points more than average of their before-tax income on food, shelter and clothing. For the 2016 Census, the reference period is calendar year 2015 for all income variables.
For the definition of economic family, please refer to Statistics Canada’s Dictionary, Census of Population, 2016.
Total population age 17 and younger
Population age 17 and younger living in low-income families
Methodology
Name
Prevalence of Children Living in Low-Income Families
Short/Other Names
Children Living in Low-Income Families
Description
Children age 17 and younger living in low-income families
Rationale
Children who live in poverty, especially for a sustained period, are at greater risk of experiencing health problems, developmental delays and behaviour disorders. Family employment and type of work are key factors associated with the risk of living in a low-income household for children.
Understanding the proportion of the population with children living in low-income families can help inform screening efforts to identify populations whose children are vulnerable to income-related health inequalities. This contextual measure can also serve as a basis to inform programs that promote food security and affordable housing.
Interpretation
High values indicate that a large proportion of children reside in low-income families.
Areas of Need
Not applicable
Targets/Benchmarks
Not applicable
Available Data Years
(calendar years)
Geographic Coverage
- All provinces
Reporting Level/Disaggregation
Provincial and regional
Indicator Results
Update Frequency
Every 5 years
Latest Results Update Date
Description
The proportion of persons age 17 and younger living in low-income economic families before tax in 2015, expressed as a percentage of the total population age 17 and younger.
Calculations are made according to Statistics Canada’s low-income cut-offs (LICOs). LICOs represent levels of income where people spend disproportionate amounts of money for food, shelter and clothing. They are based on family and community size and are updated to account for changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
The low-income before-tax cut-off defines income levels at which families or persons not in economic families spend 20 percentage points more than average of their before-tax income on food, shelter and clothing. For the 2016 Census, the reference period is calendar year 2015 for all income variables.
For the definition of economic family, please refer to Statistics Canada’s Dictionary, Census of Population, 2016.
Type of Measurement
Percentage or proportion
Denominator
Description:
Total population age 17 and younger
Numerator
Description:
Population age 17 and younger living in low-income families
Method of Adjustment
All counts in census tabulations are subjected to a process called random rounding. Random rounding transforms all raw counts to random rounded counts. This reduces the possibility of identifying individuals within the tabulations.
Geographic Assignment
Place of residence
Caveats and Limitations
The low-income concept does not apply to the full population in private households. For the purposes of low-income statistics, units in Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut and on Indian reserves were excluded.
Statistics Canada sources Children Living in Low-Income Families from the 2016 Census of Population, based on the long-form questionnaire (25% sample). Questions on the long-form questionnaire are asked to the population in private households, which is the total population excluding persons living outside Canada and excluding persons living in collective dwellings. Collective dwellings are classified as either institutional (e.g., hospitals, nursing homes, penitentiaries) or non-institutional (e.g., work camps, hotels and motels, student residences).
References
Fleury D. Low-income children. Accessed August 14, 2018.
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. Basic Income: Rethinking Social Policy. 2016.
Public Health Agency of Canada. The Chief Public Health Officer’s Report on the State of Public Health in Canada: Addressing Health Inequalities. 2008.
How to cite:
Canadian Institute for Health Information. Children Living in Low-Income Families. Accessed April 25, 2025.
If you would like CIHI information in a different format, visit our Accessibility page.
Comments
The health regions presented in this table are based on boundaries and names in effect as of 2017. For complete Canadian coverage, each northern territory represents a health region.