Dashboards
Data related to poverty
in New Brunswick
Based on the 2024 Canadian Income Survey Data, 2022 Base Year
Overall Provincial Statistics
Current Poverty Rate
11.6%
People Living Below the
Poverty Line
~96,800
Note: 2015 is included using both the Low Income Measure after Tax (LIM-AT) and the Market Masket Measure (MBM) because New Brunswick aligned with the Government of Canada’s decision to use the MBM as the official measure of poverty.
Child Poverty
Children Experiencing Poverty Overall
11%
Children in Lone Female-Led Family Experiencing Poverty
27.4%
Senior Poverty
Seniors in an Economic Family*
3%
Seniors not in an Economic Family
18.9%
Poverty for Persons not in Economic Family**
Persons not in Economic Family Experiencing Poverty
25%
More Info
Data related to the
Overcoming Poverty Together 4 pillars
Measuring Progress and Success
Global Objective
In alignment with Canada’s Poverty Reduction Strategy and the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the global objective of the OPT4 plan is to reduce income poverty by at least 50% by 2030.
ESIC will expand the reporting of the plan with evidence-based measurement and monitoring. We will continue to align with Canada’s baseline year of 2015 to calculate the poverty rate based on the nationally-adopted Market Basket Measure (MBM).
The MBM is a measure of absolute poverty, based on the level of disposable income required to afford a specific basket of goods and services, which represent a modest basic standard of living for individuals and families in specific geographic areas. The basket components are food, clothing and footwear, transportation, shelter, and other expenses such as personal care, household supplies, and other goods and services that permit engagement in the community. Individuals or families who cannot afford the basket are deemed to be living in low income or in poverty. The MBM methodology is reviewed and updated regularly.
Market Basket Measure (MBM)
Research shows that relative poverty and inequality also have a significant impact on wellbeing and population health. As a result, ESIC will also track the change in the Low Income Measure After Tax (LIM-AT). The LIM-AT is a relative measure of income poverty, calculated as 50% of median adjusted household income for Canada. ESIC will continue to monitor this metric and include it in transparent dashboards.
Low-Income Measure After Tax (LIM-AT)
In New Brunswick, deep poverty is measured using a number of key indicators, including the MBM and the LIM-AT. Deep poverty is living far below the poverty line, at 50% or less during a given year. While the MBM is used in New Brunswick to measure poverty, LIM-AT provides valuable information relative to depth of poverty.
Despite the decreases in the rate of poverty in several years of OPT, the depth of poverty (the gap between the low-income line and the average income of those in low income) and the number of people living in deep poverty has increased. Someone living in deep poverty in New Brunswick is more likely to be single, living alone, and middle aged or receiving social assistance as their sole income. Having children or being over the age of 65 reduce the likelihood of experiencing deep poverty. ESIC will continue to monitor the prevalence of deep poverty and will include it in dashboards.
Deep Poverty
*Economic family refers to a group of two or more persons who live in the same dwelling and are related to each other by blood, marriage, common-law union, adoption or a foster relationship.
By definition, all persons who are members of a census family are also members of an economic family. Examples of the broader concept of economic family include the following: two co-resident census families who are related to one another are considered one economic family; co-resident siblings who are not members of a census family are considered as one economic family; and, nieces or nephews living with aunts or uncles are considered one economic family (Statistic Canada).
**Person not in economic family includes persons who live with people, none of whom are related to them either by blood, marriage, common-law union, adoption or a foster relationship. Persons living alone are always included here (Statistics Canada).
***F denotes data too unreliable to be published by Statistics Canada.