Highest Poverty in Canada

Top 100 cities ranked by highest poverty

Highest Poverty - Canada

1 Norway House MB 33.4%
2 Metro Vancouver A BC 30.0%
3 Stephenville NL 26.2%
4 Cariboo BC 25.6%
5 Campbellton NB 25.0%
6 Annapolis, Subd. A NS 24.0%
7 Louiseville QC 22.4%
8 Amherst NS 22.0%
9 Central Kootenay H BC 21.6%
10 Cumberland, Subd. B NS 20.9%
11 Val-des-Sources QC 20.9%
12 Parry Sound ON 20.9%
13 Joliette QC 20.9%
14 Queens NS 20.9%
15 Hawkesbury ON 20.6%
16 Marystown NL 20.3%
17 Bathurst NB 20.3%
18 Truro NS 20.3%
19 Wolfville NS 20.2%
20 Duncan BC 20.1%
21 Elliot Lake ON 20.0%
22 New Glasgow NS 19.6%
23 Mont-Joli QC 19.5%
24 Bridgewater NS 18.8%
25 Shawinigan QC 18.7%
26 Chertsey QC 18.6%
27 Lac-Mégantic QC 18.4%
28 Sainte-Anne-des-Monts QC 18.4%
29 Lachute QC 18.3%
30 Cornwall ON 18.1%
31 Dauphin MB 18.0%
32 Saint John NB 17.8%
33 Clare NS 17.5%
34 Cape Breton NS 17.4%
35 Charlottetown PE 17.4%
36 Annapolis, Subd. C NS 17.4%
37 Strathcona BC 17.4%
38 Montréal QC 17.4%
39 Tracadie NB 17.4%
40 Three Rivers PE 17.3%
41 Kings, Subd. B NS 17.2%
42 Kirkland Lake ON 17.1%
43 Selkirk MB 17.0%
44 Matane QC 17.0%
45 Saint-Calixte QC 17.0%
46 La Sarre QC 16.9%
47 Winkler MB 16.8%
48 Renfrew ON 16.8%
49 Chester NS 16.8%
50 Corner Brook NL 16.7%
51 Edmundston NB 16.6%
52 Prince Albert SK 16.6%
53 Grand Falls-Windsor NL 16.6%
54 Pembroke ON 16.5%
56 Smiths Falls ON 16.4%
57 Amqui QC 16.4%
59 Montmagny QC 16.2%
60 Chatsworth ON 16.2%
61 Mont-Laurier QC 16.1%
62 Summerside PE 16.1%
63 Richmond BC 15.9%
64 Kings, Subd. C NS 15.9%
65 Sackville NB 15.9%
66 Southern Gulf Islands BC 15.9%
67 Barrington NS 15.8%
68 Windsor ON 15.6%
69 Cowansville QC 15.5%
70 West Hants NS 15.4%
71 Portage la Prairie MB 15.4%
72 Moncton NB 15.4%
73 La Broquerie MB 15.4%
74 West Vancouver BC 15.4%
75 Rawdon QC 15.3%
76 Rhineland MB 15.3%
77 Owen Sound ON 15.2%
78 Cumberland, Subd. C NS 15.2%
79 Bay Roberts NL 15.2%
80 Sorel-Tracy QC 15.1%
81 Trois-Rivières QC 15.0%
82 Thetford-Mines QC 15.0%
83 Nanaimo F BC 15.0%
84 Huron-Kinloss ON 15.0%
85 North Battleford SK 15.0%
86 Saint Mary NB 14.9%
87 Chandler QC 14.9%
88 Westlock AB 14.9%
89 Morden MB 14.9%
90 St. John's NL 14.8%
91 Clarenville NL 14.8%
92 Acton Vale QC 14.8%
93 Steinbach MB 14.7%
94 Kings, Subd. A NS 14.7%
95 Brockville ON 14.6%
96 La Tuque QC 14.6%
97 Port Alberni BC 14.6%
98 Miramichi NB 14.5%
99 North Glengarry ON 14.5%
100 Drummondville QC 14.5%

Cities with the highest poverty rates in Canada face deep economic challenges affecting a significant portion of their population. Norway House has a poverty rate of 33.4%.

High poverty rates impact communities in multiple ways: reduced access to healthcare and healthy food, lower educational outcomes, higher crime rates, and deteriorating infrastructure. These challenges are interconnected and require comprehensive solutions.

Addressing poverty in these cities requires a multi-pronged approach including economic development, affordable housing, quality education, healthcare access, and workforce training programs targeting underserved populations.

Did You Know?

  • 1. In Norway House, 33.4% of residents - roughly 1 in 3 people - live below the poverty line.
  • 2. Child poverty rates in these cities are often even higher than the overall rate, sometimes exceeding 40%.
  • 3. Poverty is measured by household income relative to family size - the threshold varies from $15,060 for an individual to $31,200 for a family of four.

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