News Release

FREDERICTON (GNB) – The Economic and Social Inclusion Corporation released today the final report on Overcoming Poverty Together: The New Brunswick Economic and Social Inclusion Plan 2014-2019.

The report documents actions and initiatives that were part of the provincial plan. It includes highlights of the plan, a status report on the plan’s 28 priority actions, comparable data on poverty for Atlantic Canada and Canada for the years 2009 to 2018 and a summary of the recommendations made by three working committees. Success stories on initiatives that have an impact in the communities can be found throughout the report.

“New Brunswick’s model of poverty reduction has become a point of reference across the nation,” said Nick Ganong, chair of the corporation’s board of directors. “The approach of a collaborative participation of citizens, businesses, non-profit organizations and government at the base of the poverty reduction plan has firmly taken root, and these four sectors now fully contribute to this unique community development method.”

Highlights of the report include:

• Between 2010 and 2018 the number of people living in poverty in New Brunswick was reduced from 100,000 to 58,000, a reduction of 42,000 people or 42 per cent.

• In 2018 New Brunswick had the second lowest provincial poverty rate in Canada, tied with Quebec at 7.9 per cent. Alberta had the lowest rate at 7.3 per cent and the poverty rate for Canada was 8.7 per cent.

• Between 2010 and 2018 the poverty rate was reduced for:

o   female lone-parent families, 33 per cent;

o   economic families (couples), 56.7 per cent; and

o   non-family individuals, 15.1 per cent.

• Those in deep poverty are more likely to be single, living alone, middle aged, and on social assistance.

Provincially, the corporation has focused on:

• building community capacity through partnerships with the 12 Community Inclusion Networks;

• supporting the networks in initiating 366 projects, valued at $30.5 million;

• improving community transportation programs and developing new ones; and

• helping create a one-stop-shop for services and information: NB211.

Of the 28 priority actions included in Overcoming Poverty Together 2, 25 are completed or ongoing, and three are in progress.

“The Economic and Social Inclusion Corporation and the Community Inclusion Networks across New Brunswick have played a crucial role in the implementation of Overcoming Poverty Together 2014-2019,” said Social Development Minister Bruce Fitch, who is also minister responsible for the Economic and Social Inclusion Corporation. “This collaborative project helped improve the quality of life of many New Brunswickers and I am confident that more will be achieved in the coming years thanks to the efforts of all those involved.”

The progress report is available online.

The Economic and Social Inclusion Corporation is a Crown corporation that co-ordinates and supports implementation of the Overcoming Poverty Together plan. The corporation's board of directors is composed of members representing residents with lived experience, non-profit groups, businesses and government.