Question 1

What is the name of the assistance that provides financial support to families with children?

Accepted Answer

B

Question 2

When are people who earn more than half their income from employment called "working poor"?

Accepted Answer

People who earn more than half their income from employment are called "working poor" when they do not earn enough to stay out of poverty. This means that they may have a job or multiple jobs, but their wages are unable to cover their basic needs or expenses, putting them below the poverty line. Advancement in their place of employment, saving for education, or retirement age are not necessarily the determining factors for being considered working poor.

Question 3

In terms of actual dollars,how much money in federal and provincial or territorial income tax revenue is estimated that poverty consumes each year?

Accepted Answer

According to a report by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, poverty in Canada costs approximately $13 billion in federal and provincial/territorial income tax revenue each year. This includes costs associated with healthcare, criminal justice, and lost productivity.

Question 4

Which program is likely to meet the criteria of an individual development account?

Accepted Answer

An individual development account (IDA) is a savings program designed to help low-income families build assets and achieve financial stability. Learn$ave is a program that offers matching funds to help individuals save towards a specific savings goal, such as education, homeownership, or entrepreneurship. Welfare-to-work, Employment Insurance, and the Universal Child Care Benefit are not specifically designed to meet the criteria of an IDA.

Question 5

To calculate which Canadians are living in low income,the Government of Canada uses statistical measuring devices.Which of the following describe relative measures of poverty?

Accepted Answer

Both the low-income measure (LIM) and the low-income cut-offs (LICOs) are relative measures of poverty. LIM measures the number of people who earn less than half of the median household income, while LICOs measure the percentage of income that households spend on basic necessities such as food, shelter, and clothing. The market basket measure (MBM) is an absolute measure of poverty, which calculates the minimum cost for a basket of goods and services that a household needs to meet their basic needs, while persistence of poverty (POP) measures the depth and duration of poverty over time.

Question 6

What does the poverty rate refer to in Canada?

Accepted Answer

The poverty rate refers to the percentage of Canadians living below a certain income threshold, which is considered to be the poverty line. This means that D is the best choice since it accurately defines the concept of poverty rate in Canada. A, B, and C, on the other hand, are incorrect since they fail to capture the exact meaning of poverty rate, which is not only about unemployment, welfare, or government programs, but encompasses a broader concept of income and social inequality.

Question 7

Four out of ten renters in Canada spend what percentage of their income on shelter?

Accepted Answer

According to a report by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, four out of ten renters in Canada spend more than 30 percent of their income on shelter. Therefore, option D is the best choice.

Question 8

One of the primary objectives of the National Child Benefit is to lower the welfare wall for families on social assistance.What is the welfare wall?

Accepted Answer

The welfare wall refers to the disincentives to work that are created by the current social assistance system. This occurs because families on social assistance often face a reduction or complete loss of benefits if they earn any income, making it difficult for them to transition to employment and self-sufficiency. The National Child Benefit was introduced to help address this issue and provide a more efficient and effective support system for low-income families.

Question 9

Which of the following measuring devices is also used to measure the depth and persistence of poverty?

Accepted Answer

Low-income cut-offs (LICOs) are used to measure the depth and persistence of poverty by identifying income thresholds below which a family is likely to spend a larger share of its income on necessities compared to the average family.

Question 10

Which measuring device identifies the minimum level of income required for a family to purchase food,shelter,and other basics?

Accepted Answer

The low-income cut-offs (LICOs) are a set of income thresholds that identify the minimum level of income required for a family to purchase food, shelter, and other basic necessities.

Question 11

What does the Government of Canada use the low-income measure (LIM)for?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What does the Government of Canada use...

Question 12

A family who is struggling financially has recently undergone an assessment to estimate the costs of necessities,such as food,shelter,and transportation,compared to their disposable income.Which of the following measuring devices was used?

Accepted Answer

The market-basket measure is used to estimate the cost of a representative selection of goods and services necessary for a family to live at a modest, but adequate, standard. This measure is often used to evaluate the affordability of basic needs for families and individuals with low incomes.

Question 13

When housing is unaffordable,it costs more than what percentage of a household's before-tax income?

Accepted Answer

Housing is considered unaffordable when it costs more than 30 percent of a household's before-tax income.

Question 14

In an effort to promote the federal government's asset-based social policies,Ontario's Ministry of Community and Social Services now allows welfare recipients to keep what amount of money in cash?

Accepted Answer

Ontario's Ministry of Community and Social Services now allows welfare recipients to keep up to $5000 in cash as part of their efforts to promote asset-based social policies. This means that individuals on welfare can accumulate savings without it affecting their government benefits, helping them to become more financially stable and independent in the long run. Allowing individuals to keep a higher amount of cash as savings is a positive step towards reducing poverty and promoting social mobility.

Question 15

To calculate which Canadians are living in low income,the Government of Canada uses statistical measuring devices.Which of the following describes an absolute measure of poverty?

Accepted Answer

The market basket measure (MBM) is an absolute measure of poverty, which calculates the cost of a basket of goods and services necessary for a family to achieve a modest standard of living in a specific geographic location. The other three options are relative measures of poverty. The low-income measure (LIM) calculates the number of people living on less than half the median income, while the low-income cut-offs (LICOs) determine the income threshold below which a family will likely spend a higher proportion of its income on food, shelter and clothing. Persistence of poverty (POP) refers to individuals who experience multiple periods of low income over time.

Question 16

Which measuring device is often used at the international level to compare family income between countries?

Accepted Answer

The low-income measure is often used at the international level to compare family income between countries because it is a relative measure, typically defined as a household with income less than 50% of the median household income of the total population, allowing for comparisons across different countries regardless of their absolute levels of wealth.

Question 17

Who are underemployed Canadians likely to be?

Accepted Answer

Underemployed Canadians are those who are working in jobs where they are highly qualified or have more skills than required, but they are not able to find a job that meets their needs or is in their field. They want to work more hours or have higher wages, but they cannot find employers who will provide these opportunities. Underemployment can also refer to people who are working part-time but want full-time work.

Question 18

According to the Canadian Community Health Survey,what percent of households are food insecure?

Accepted Answer

According to the Canadian Community Health Survey, 8 percent of households are food insecure.

Question 19

Which income security program has been dubbed the "income program of last resort"?

Accepted Answer

Social Assistance is often referred to as the "income program of last resort" as it is intended to provide temporary financial assistance to those who are not eligible for other income security programs or who have exhausted their other forms of financial support. It is typically intended for those who are unable to work, have significant disabilities, or do not have access to other forms of financial support.

Question 20

Canada's unemployment rate hovers around what percentage?

Accepted Answer

As of April 2021, Canada's unemployment rate was at 8.1 percent. However, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the unemployment rate was consistently hovering around 5 to 7 percent. Therefore, the best choice is B) 7 percent.

Quiz 9: The Social Welfare of Low Income Groups