Canadian Council on Social Development 441 MacLaren Street 4th/e Floor/Étage Ottawa, ON K2P 2H3

Conseil canadien de développement social Tel: (613) 236-8977 Fax: (613) 236-2750 E-mail: council@ccsd.ca Internet: www.ccsd.ca

A PROFILE OF POVERTY
IN MID-SIZED ALBERTA CITIES

by Kevin K. Lee and Cheryl Engler

January 2000

     

Glossary

ABORIGINAL IDENTITY: refers to those persons who reported identifying with at least one Aboriginal group, i.e. North American Indian, Métis or Inuit (Eskimo) and/or those who reported being a Treaty Indian or a Registered Indian as defined by the Indian Act of Canada and/or who were members of an Indian Band or First Nation. In 1991 and previous Censuses, Aboriginal persons were determined using the ethnic origin question, based primarily on the ancestry dimension. Rather than determining Aboriginal status based on the cultural group of one’s ancestors, respondents in 1996 defined themselves as Aboriginal if they personally identified with at least one Aboriginal group.

ANNUAL EMPLOYMENT ACTIVITY: refers to the number of weeks in which a person was employed for pay or in self-employment in 1995 at all jobs held, even if only for a few hours. Full-year workers refers to persons 15 years of age and over, excluding institutional residents, who were employed 49-52 weeks in 1995 for pay or in self-employment. Part-year workers refers to persons aged 15 and older who were employed less than 49 weeks in 1995 for pay or in self-employment.

DISABILITIES (or activity limitations): refers to the limitation in the kind or amount of a person’s activity because of a long-term physical condition, mental condition or health problem.

EARNINGS: refer to wages, salaries and self-employment income.

EDUCATION LEVEL: refers to completed degrees or diplomas, and "secondary" refers to high school.

ELDERLY/NON-ELDERLY: "Non-elderly families" refers to those with both head and spouse under 65 years of age. "Elderly families" refers to those with either head or spouse aged 65 years or over.

FAMILY: refers to two or more household members who are related to each other by blood, marriage, common-law or adoption and thereby constitute an economic family. Economic families are classified into "married couples" (couple families) with or without children under 18, "lone-parent families" with children under 18 and "other economic families." Married couples with no children under 18 refers to families with couples living with no children under the age of 18. Married couples with children under 18 refers to families with couples and their children under the age of 18. Lone-parent families are those in which either a male or female lone parent is the economic family reference person. Lone parent families with children under 18 refers to families with one parent and their children under the age of 18. All other families refers to families with couples, or lone parents living with relatives other than children under the age of 18 or non-family reference persons living with related household members.

GOVERNMENT TRANSFER INCOME: refers to income received through any level of government, including income from Employment Insurance, social assistance, Old Age Security, Guaranteed Income Supplement, Spouses Allowance and Canada or Quebec Pension Plans.

HOUSEHOLD: refers to both economic families and unattached individuals. However, this definition allows for more than one unattached individual or economic family to live in the same dwelling. Despite living under the same roof, each of these families and individuals are treated as separate households in this study. "Household types" include economic families and unattached individuals. Families are households in which members are related by blood, marriage or adoption (common-law arrangements are considered marriage), and children in these families refer to children under the age of 18.

HOUSING TENURE: A dwelling is classified as "owned" even if it is not fully paid for, such as one which has a mortgage or some other claim on it. The dwelling may be situated on rented or leased land or be part of a condominium (whether registered or unregistered). A dwelling is classified as "rented" even if it is provided without cash rent or at a reduced rent or if the dwelling is part of a cooperative. This variable does not include data for farm operator dwellings.

MARKET GAP: refers to the dollar figure between a household’s market income and LICO. Market income refers to total family income minus any government transfer income.

POOR: refers to persons in households with incomes below Statistics Canada’s Low Income Cut-off (LICO) lines.

POVERTY GAP: refers to the income deficiency between total income and LICO. "Poverty line" refers to Statistics Canada’s Low Income Cut-offs (LICOs). "Poverty rate" refers to the proportion of the population living in families or alone with incomes below the appropriate LICO.

SHELTER COSTS: for owners refers to utilities, property taxes, mortgage payments and condominium fees. Renters’ monthly shelter costs (or gross rent) include cash rent, utilities and parking. This variable does not include data for farm operator dwellings.

TOTAL INCOME: refers to annual income from all sources. "Other income" refers to income garnered from any other source, such as private investments or pensions.

WEEKS EMPLOYED: refers to weeks of paid vacation or sick leave with pay or paid absence on training courses. It also categorizes mostly "full time" (30 hours of more per week) or mostly "part time" (less than 30 hours per week).

     

The Canadian Council on Social Development (CCSD) is an independent, national, non-profit organization focussing on issues of social and economic security.

[ CCSD Home Page ] [ CCSD Publications ] [ CCSD E-mail ]