Share your Stories

Consultation has concluded

We encourage you to share your story to help us better understand how we can address poverty in Canada. We are interested in your personal experiences, and information on any supports or programs that helped you, or where you experienced gaps in social supports.

When you share your thoughts, please tell your story as anonymously as you can. That means avoiding names of people you know and the names of organizations. Instead, please use more general names such as “my aunt,” “our local food bank,” “our school” and so on. We also welcome photo or video submissions.

Selected stories or excerpts may be posted on this site or used in other communication activities for this or other Government of Canada activities.

The views expressed are those of the contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of the Government of Canada.


We encourage you to share your story to help us better understand how we can address poverty in Canada. We are interested in your personal experiences, and information on any supports or programs that helped you, or where you experienced gaps in social supports.

When you share your thoughts, please tell your story as anonymously as you can. That means avoiding names of people you know and the names of organizations. Instead, please use more general names such as “my aunt,” “our local food bank,” “our school” and so on. We also welcome photo or video submissions.

Selected stories or excerpts may be posted on this site or used in other communication activities for this or other Government of Canada activities.

The views expressed are those of the contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of the Government of Canada.


Tell your story


CLOSED: This discussion has concluded.

  • Breaking the Chains of Poverty Rights Based Approach

    by mikeont57, over 7 years ago

    My name is Michael Creek; I’m the Director of Strategic Initiatives at Working for change. My work also includes being an anti-poverty advocate.

    My Journey:

    I grew up in poverty like many families back in the late 50’s and 60’s my family struggled. I knew we didn’t have money but I never lacked for anything there was no deprivation, no food banks, there was not the inequality that we see today.

    I had a paper route like many other young people; we had rotary phones and TV antennas we had fat tire... Continue reading

  • Grandmother raising her granddaughter in poverty

    by Doodlebug1, over 7 years ago

    I have been raising my 12-year-old granddaughter since she was 5 years old. Last year I had to go on CPP disability. I won't be able to return to work, as my disability is prolonged. I will be 65 in a year and a half. I currently receive the children's benefit of $241.02 for my granddaughter on top of my CPP disability payment. When I reach 65 I will no longer receive this benefit for my granddaughter and I will still be disabled. I barely get by on the CPP disability and will earn even less when I reach 65... Continue reading

  • Restoring Faith Hope Trust & Truth there can be Peace

    by amlh2000, over 7 years ago

    Poverty has been a life experience for billions of People and we Huston have the technology, the resources, the Educated and Experienced Personnel, Volunteers and Life Experiences to end Poverty now.

    Truth is it must be a Holistic approach Triaging Humanity to Groups Sorted out for a Great Debriefing on where we have been where we are now and where we have vison of the way forward.

    Treating the ills from the Wars of Blood and War at Home.

    Encouraging Excellent Self Care and Self and Professional Development.

    Life is a whole package not just money.

    Ma Salam

    Anne Marie... Continue reading

  • Another Working Poor

    by Gail , over 7 years ago

    First I want to comment that the small number of entries here suggests that this is not an effective means to gather information - typical government move. Multiply each of these by 100,000 and you'll be getting there.

    I share a common thread with several of the entries. I am educated - a teacher with two university degrees and over twelve years of teaching experience; I was a single parent - abusive marriage and the resulting poverty that that brings; I work part time - making too much money to qualify for any government assistance, but not enough to live... Continue reading

  • My Real Time, Story as apart of the Working Poor Group from Dec 2016 - 2017 +

    by Mike_S, over 7 years ago

    A little history about me I've been living below the poverty line for over 30 years.

    My story will start from last year 2016, in real time to June 2017 + and I'll update it as things and time change.

    Last year 2016 in Dec, the place I was working was shutting down for the winter. I quit to move closer to town as I was living in a remote area and travel into the city was not always available . Because I quit and had savings I did not qualify for Employment Insurance or Social services .

    Because of... Continue reading

  • Red Worn Hands

    by elaberge, over 7 years ago

    The silence surrounding the experiences of poverty-class students is compounded by an unspoken understanding of the dangerous Other. As Shields (2013) explains, there exists an “insidious fear of otherness in the context of a community based on sameness [that] maintains an elite sense of entitlement and privilege” (p. 54). Shields (2013) goes on to explain that “marginalization with respect to social class … is more subtle than marginalization due to skin color because class is, in many ways, invisible” (p. 32). However, for those whose lives have been shaped by systemic childhood poverty, poverty has left distinct visible markers, visible... Continue reading

  • The Echoes of Poverty: Composing Lives in Higher Education

    by elaberge, over 7 years ago

    “I scrub my skin raw, but I can’t wash away the stain of poverty; it is deeply embedded in my self-identity. The shame was bearable until university- a place I believed was never meant for people like me. Now, I live in fear of being outed, and ousted.” This is part of my personal biography; I come from intergenerational poverty.

  • Contribution for Town Hall on Poverty in Canada

    by DMG, over 7 years ago

    I'd like to share this information which is the outcome of my own study as an effort to help me understand the issues as they apply to my personal situation.

    Long story short, I'm one of many former Public Safety Workers in Canada who's landed now in poverty as an outcome of systemic weakness in our social safety net.

    The following is a collection of my own thoughts on poverty, with some ideas about where to turn to get ourselves informed in such a way as to encourage needed change:

    In advance of the town hall, I shared this recently... Continue reading

  • Volunteer Dental Outreach for Haliburton County has a Strategy of Poverty Reduction which involves providing free dental care to those unable to afford dentistry

    by VDOHC, over 7 years ago

    I represent a front line volunteer with an organization called Volunteer Dental Outreach for Haliburton County. We are a registered charity who provide free dental care to low income residents of Haliburton County Ontario.  Our community experiences a high poverty rate and hundreds of people cannot afford dental care and have neglected their oral health.  Until we opened in 2011, their only options were to suffer, or attend hospital emergency departments where they were given prescriptions for pain meds, antibiotics and told to seek dental care.  This would buy them time until the next flare-up but not prevent reoccurrences.  These... Continue reading

  • I am poor and I am proud

    by Happyme, over 7 years ago

    Living in poverty is living in darkness.

    Windsor ranks among the top municipalities that provides subsidized and rent geared to income (RGI) housing. We seem to forget to be grateful for this, because being poor is depressing. We are economically handicapped and discriminated against because we live in RGI housing.

    This is where I disagree. There are many people who are handicapped and there are many people who practice some form of discrimination. Some examples are discrimination against religion (islam), race , life style (homosexuality), economics (poverty), profession (ladies of the night).People who practise any form of ... Continue reading