Updated: Tue Mar. 31 2009 20:46:19

ctvbc.ca

Nearly half of B.C.'s single-parent families face the challenges of having a low income.

Even talented, creative parents are caught in the low-income tax bracket, earning less than $30,000 per year.

Josephine Watson loves her job as the project co-ordinator at the Surrey Arts Centre, but her contract expires soon -- then she's back on the job hunt.

With three teenaged boys, Watson is lucky to live in social housing. But even with a roof over her head, she still lacks some of the basics that most British Columbians take for granted.

The beds in her Surrey house are all home-made using two-by-four and four-by-four planks. Even a damaged door caused by rambunctious boys poses a huge problem.

"I'd have to replace the doors. I can't replace the door," says Watson.

And she worries about the affect it has on her three boys.

"My children are challenged socially. They have come to me and said my friends are going there; I can't afford for you to go there."

The family has a paper route to supply extra income, but some simple things still elude them.

"I will never be taking my kids cross-country skiing on the weekend, as much as we'd like to go," says Watson.

About 300,000 British Columbians are working for less than $10 per hour, many who are parents, says Seth Klein at the Centre for Policy Alternatives.

"We have a much larger service sector, the pay tends to be less," says Klein.

This is a common story around the province. B.C.'s median wage for a two parent family with children is $76,400 per year. Alberta's is $88,400 per year and Ontario's is $79,000.

When parents start making more money, many of them lose out on government benefits.

But perhaps the biggest reason that 43 per cent of single parents have a low income is that some fathers don't pay child support.

Watson says the government needs to toughen its support payment policy.

"They need to make some drastic changes to the family maintenance enforcement program so that men are forced to pay, or are forced to work if they don't," says Watson.

But she's not hoping for much.

"It's really tough emotionally. I feel angry and I feel abandoned in many was and may children feel abandoned," says Watson.

With a report by CTV British Columbia's Mi-Jung Lee

Please Add Comments(26)

Doug BC
If there are loopholes in BC that allow fathers to walk away from child support surely there can be an non partisan agreement that would close those loopholes and force fathers to help out.
As to earning $10 per hour I think the only solution is to educate yourself in a way that makes you qualified for a job that pays more.And to be prepared to go wherever that job is.
I certainly challenge the notion that this problem is "BC's shame".On what grounds is that accusation made? Is it child support issues,or are there other people who suggest the taxpayer has to support these people too.Or that there is no sense of personal responsibility for the way our lives unfold.
If this is about the laws I have a novel idea for both Campbell and James.FIX THESE LAWS!!! NOW!!!

Specimen Yarp
Don't have children if you can't look after them. Having children is not a right.

Singledad4-11yrs
Although I was a single parent making little money for quite a few years, I am completely against the notion of putting more power into the Family Maintenance Program.
I have seen it ruin many mens lives (and I am not including ANYONE who even comes close to Dead-beat status) as the scale in place for payments is neither unfair nor susceptible to massive abuse.
I have lost three friends to suicide thanks to FMP and mothers who held parentage back until they ended up (it happens to all genders, no bias from me) needing government assistance. Social services contacts FMP when they find out the father isn't supporting the family. It is at this point that I have my issue/concern.
(I am not including the lady in this article in my question as I do not know if it applies to her)
If a woman has not told a man he has a child, or has refused his financial support or visitation in the future, why is it that FMP will enforce DNA tests and then back date years of child support? Imagine finding out you had a child you never knew about when FMP presents you with court order, a sum in excess of 200,000 dollars as well as all legal costs. I ask, in these cases, do readers of the above article feel FMP should enforce payment when the woman herself either obfuscated or aggressively denied the father access?
I ask because it happens across Canada all the time . . .

Chris
I have a stupid question... if she's so in debt and having trouble making ends meet and works at a temporary position, why did she buy a brand new 2009 Dodge Caravan like she was driving/loading her kids into in the report? That's easily a $25,000 vehicle.

Dave
I think it is time the government needs to realize that low income is unacceptable and needs to get with the times. Families needs to have more money to buy the basics and the costs keep going up!

Goofs Opin
ctv is becoming a parasite and ruining the crappy provinces reputation.If they think its such a big problems what are they doing to help?

our system needs repair
to Singledad4-11yrs
When my husband and I were divorced I actually had more assets and so it was decreed that I couldn't go after him for support for at least 5 years for our 6 year old... which was fine.. because of alcohol and drug addiction and porn on his part, I really did not want him procurring 'rights' for visitation based solely on the fact that he helped support her.
My situation did eventually worsen and the minute I applied for social services I was sent to see someone who would look into getting maintenance from my ex which of course they would keep. I was told that if I did not give the information then I would not get welfare. I never did hear back from them btw so I don't know how it turned out.
I had not realized until your comment how bad it could be for guys. Believe me when I say that I did not want to tip any boats.. let sleeping dogs lie as they say... and needless to say, I am against forced maintenance in some cases at least.

disenchanted
I know a friend whose wife was creating such problems in the marriage that he had to divorce her. Believe me, it was not his fault, He is a nice guy. After the divorce, he was forced to pay child support. Nothing wrong with that. Except that his wife doesn't want him to visit the kids at all. What kind of deal is this? No visitation, no payments. My opinion.

Donna Thompson Penticton BC
The government should make better living conditions for all low-income families.

Many of these people live on less than $10,000 per year and less than the necessities of life.

Many have learned to budget to the mastery of, while trying to maintain human dignity.

I commend Ms Watson for her bravery to come forward, because she speaks for many of us in the same boat as she is, except that some cannot work and must rely on the government to survive.

For Watson to live on $2000.per month is poverty, however, there are many BCers living on less, struggling on only $906. per month on a disability pension.

Both the single working families and 'Persons with disabilities' live in poverty and cannot live the healthy lives they'd like to because of financial embarrassment.

Many of these families have to rely on second-hand shops for their clothing, they don't have vehicles because they cannot afford to run one.

And to make things worse Renters charge prices far above what people can pay, forcing people to share rent with others.

And the price of food should be low enough that everyone can be healthy, instead prices sky-rocket in everything, making life difficult to live with any kind of intregrity, for the financially poor-but morally rich.

george
Its high time for BC Govt to raise the minimum wage like Ontario did. Premier Campbell has no moral authority to oppose the wage increase of the Minimum Wage since he had already sanctioned 45% increase for his staff this year, even during this recession. Minimum wage employees should collectively bargain at this election. We will vote only for that Party who is ready to increase our Wage immediately.

Carol
Attacking either parent is not the solution. That will not help the kids. I was a single mom for 25 years. Who are any of you to make a judgement on me? You could try to understand but reality is you cannot walk in my shoes. I am the only one that knows I did the best I could and you can question that if you want but it will not change anything. I was one of the first ones in the fmp program. I can tell you it did me no good. All it did was put up a wall between my boys and their father. In other words, you can't get water out of a stone. Now, as grown men, my sons have never had their father in their lives. Fathers end up owing so much money that they just give up. Children need two parents, together or not. Women use the fmp to get back at fathers. I know, I did it! In case you did not know, fathers have done time for not paying the fmp. What good does that do? How can he help out if he is in jail. I know one father, who is a drug attict who was put in jail every month. What sense does that make. What is the cost and would not that money be better spent if it was spent helping families? FMP does not work. The fathers that do pay more then likely would pay on their own.
FMP only works for a few and the Liberals did a study and know this. Another waste of taxpayers money!

carol
Oh this subject gets to me.
Everyone just wants to blame someone else. Campbell talked about the wages in BC on the news. What he really said is that it is ok for businesses to ride on the backs of the poor. How do you pay 700 or 800 in rent on minimum wage? Ya, our economy is doing great. We have more and more homeless, the highest proverty rate in Canada, a rising unemployment rate. Ask food banks and soup kitchens how much better people in BC are doing. So who is getting all the money. Ask Campbell. The biggest joke was the tax write off he gave for children in sports of $400.00. First, where are low income families to get the money? Second, most sports cost much more than $400.00. Third, a child needs energy to do sports. Energy comes from a decent diet last I heard. Do you think any low income families are benefiting from this tax write off?? From the time this Liberal government was elected they have never listed to the people. Remember, they cut welfare rates and gave themself a raise. Like I said, the well off get richer off the backs of the poor. They should use that for a election slogan.

Familiar
She makes more than I do!

Marilyn
Mi-Jung, this is arguably some of the worst reporting of your career, and a great disappointment to a fan of your work. Some of the other commenters have asked how this woman with three teen boys can afford a new car. If she is the picture of poverty, someone who has a computer, a new car, well-dressed kids, and a decent resume, then we should count ourselves lucky.

Yesterday's report was about the minimum wage. You provided no statistics from the point of view of small business. You used the same woman to support your report, yet offhandedly mentioned that she wasn't earning minimum wage like it didn't matter to your story. You simply repeated reports from social agencies and unions with vested interests in this issue.

PLEASE, please, please don't continue to repeat unsubstantiated and spurious information like you have in these reports.

Marilyn
One more thing...

Almost every kid I knew as a youth either had or wanted a paper route to make extra cash. In your report you make it sound like it's something to be ashamed of.

Where are our priorities? Are we supposed to feel sorry for teenage boys who have a part time job?

A Guenther
to Donna Thompson Penticton BC
Tears actually came to my eyes when I read your post. Now I understand what it's like to have somebody come forward who knows the struggle. I wish you all the best.

Add to that a $40 supplement for a person that's supposed to be on a high protein diet.. any meat goes to their child of course.

GMan
What a cheap shot at the BC government for "having the 2nd lowest minimum wage." That's just what these so-called "journalists" do to get ratings. Let me ask you something: do you think poverty would go away by raising the minimum wage from $8/hr to $10/hr?

Carol
For those who think the FMP is the answer. Here is a story for you. A father I know took his children after he found out the ministry was going to put them into care. They did not even try to contact him, he found out through a friend. Mom was to messed up to look after them. He raised them for 8 years. He never put the mom in the FMP program. In the meantime she had another two more babies from two other fathers. After 8 years she decided she wanted the kids back. Well, it could have been that dad finally put her in the FMP program and they took her income tax cheque. She walked into a court room and got custody of both children. Not only did she get custody, she asked the judge to cancel the money she owed the father for the kids. Guess what, the judge canceled all the payments she had not paid to the dad when he had the kids. Not only that, he ordered the father to pay $750 a month. So, after taking sole responsibility for his children like a responsible father, he had his kids ripped from his arms and was told to pay, after soley supporting the kids for 8 years. Not only is FMP a joke...and biased against fathers, the family courts are too.Seems you just have to wear a short skirt and bat your eyes at the judges in BC to get what you want. Child poverty makes me very angry. Is it such a foreign concept for us all to take responsibility for the well being of all the children each of our communities?

Steve Cash Campbell river
Mi-Jung I cannot believe the report I saw last night. Not only did you edit at least twenty seconds from the late news ( neglecting the wrecked door)but this lady is driving a brand new Dodge Caravan and living in social housing?? What's wrong with this picture?? The bed is well constructed so what it didn't come from the Brick!!!And they can't go skiing?? Big deal. If she can afford a new van she sure as hell can pay for a new door. If I would have wrecked that door I'd be doing that paper route in the rain with a red wagon till I worked it off.. Although I must have been socially deprived because I lived in a very small house but we never wrecked anything Mi-Jung your reporting of poverty upon this lady is very very far from people truly suffering poverty especially when she's driving an 09 van and talking about skiing and has every comfort any home that is truly suffering in this economic time would only dream of having. I for one am VERY disappointed in your reporting, the editing staff,and your producers for not seeing the gaping holes in your report. Yes she may be suffering in her world however in the real world she aint gotit so bad at all.

Bruce campbell river
First off I wouldn't have let my kids wreck that door in the first place!!Second that bed was fine.. well constructed and off the floor. Third I wish I could afford an 09 caravan and in social housing.. hmmm do you see a problem here???? You are doing aa series on POVERTY!!! That woman is so far from poverty it hurts..doing papers in the van.. That is what little red wagons are for or bikes with paper racks not moms new van. Come on CTV if you are to show BC's shame you picked the wrong woman completely. Shame on you CTV

Adrian
I don't get it. If you have a low-paying job then don't have kids. If you want kids then get a better paying job. Why is this my problem?

Donna Thompson Penticton BC
GMan, you sound combative.

I know poverty wouldn't go away raising the minimum wage from $8. to $10, but it would go away if grocers, gas companies, rentees, and everyone else contributing to high prices making it impossible to live life without a struggle, would and should lower their prices.

For the single working families there should be more of an accentive for working for peanuts, like an extra bonus on their cheques every quarter month. It's better than forking government money out monthly to them should they quit their low-paying jobs.

Struggling to make ends meet is no way to live. It is merely existing in an overly expensive world where greedy people want more more more, creating misery for the poor who don't get more, who don't get less, but settle for nothing.

Watson has created a conversational piece here, where many people can really see poverty for what it is, but the question is, what will be done about poverty in Canada?

Donna Thompson
I among many would like to see changes made in a significant area, such as poverty which affects a huge percentage of us.

All taxpayers should be given a year-end bonus just for the fact their hard earned money supports the people who cannot work and must rely on their taxes to survive.

The minimum wage should go up to $15. per hour, allowing people to live not adequate lives but better ones.

If more money was given to the low-income families, and all taxpayers, more money would be spent, giving our economy a chance to boom again.

We should not have poverty in Canada. It's not where did the leaders slip-up, it's more like their not thinking up good enough ideas to change the present situation from negative to positive.

If poverty were taken care of, people would be taken care of. They would eat better thus think better, thus action would naturally occur in bettering one's self.

More high-paying jobs need to be created, everyone knows that, otherwise how can one better themselves unless they have something to pursue for. Which then requires education and training.

Low-income people find themselves in a hole and can't dig themselves out, for the dirt keeps piling up. It seems they can never get ahead no matter how hard they try. They have bills to, imagine trying to pay a bill with money you don't have, penniless as a pauper, but rich enough to have the responsibility to want to pay it. They have no money for entertainment, they barely have money for food, and it's gone before months end, so they literally starve, saying nothing to anyone. It's time for the government to help out these people, to help them rise above the detriment of hunger.

Jun in Surrey
The fact is that there are many single parents’ who struggles to make a living but think about this, who wants to show up on TV and saying “I am so poor” and at the same time showing their children’s face on TV which could put teenagers as a good bulling target. I bet that CTV had hard time finding perfect example. People, it was just one of the many example and you know that most important subject was not just low income, braking marriages and children’s in poverty. Some people attacking single family by should not get a child at first place if you are poor, but can they predict the future when they get married? Do you predict divorce when you are marring? Not many people predict this economic down turn and almost no one fully anticipate the impact. Don’t blame and start donating on local food bank and demand better policy for working poor.

Rebecca, Courtenay
I know many of us were looking at the report going ok working poor. Living in poverty. I guess my idea of working poor and well ctv's idea are rather different. I see someone struggling with 2 jobs maintaining a life for their children for the necessities food, clothing, shelter. "My kids are in poor shape and being stunted socially due to not being able to keep up to the Jones". Well this is an opportunity for a life lesson. Not everyone can afford to go do x,y, and z. Sorry kid this is what we can do. Find alternatives so they are not stunted socially.
The door aspect was interesting. With ctv's news breaks during the day it looked like it was this is how social housing is handed over. The slums people are to move into. Only to find out it was due to her own accord! Not quite what I expected to hear. Nor did I have any sympathy from it. Sorry. The only tidbit of info I would offer is if social housing offered her a door at their cost. Cause you know they get a deal from some company. But really expecting your "landlord" to repair your damages. Ummm Have you heard of a damage deposit before? The land lord wont pay for it and yes I view social housing as a land lord.
I know the list can go on and on with the flaws that were in this report. Really as a viewer I expect better and deserve better news reporting for this report series on BC Shame is more lit CTV's Shame.
Rebecca, Courtenay.

WestofTheRockies
Well Mi-Jung your going have to do a little better. If you’re going to report on a subject as opposed to make news around it, you must report all the facts.

While I'm sure life is a struggle for this Mother, you must report all the benefits she get's, not just her current wage. She is also living in subsidized housing paid for by the government of B.C. (you & me) saving her $4 or $500.00/month in rent. No mention of that. She also receives several hundred dollars per child in grants each month from the B.C. government and additional money from the Federal government for each child as well. Furthermore she receives GST rebates. This all adds up, but perhaps this just doesn’t support your slant on this story so it’s not mentioned.

There are two other issues that skew your story as well and these are - Why is the government paid for housing she lives in, trashed? You comment that it is because of her boy's and the small living quarters. We raised 3 boys and did not have such damage. Wilful damage is not a poverty issue, it’s a respect or lack of it issue. The other issue is her vehicle, a nice new Dodge Van. If things are so bad, how does she afford this?! We certainly couldn't, but we weren't taking handouts from the government either.

I know it's convenient to leave out opposing facts to weight your story against the government as you are attempting to do, but that's not really reporting is it?