Regional Indicator 16: Low Income Cut-Offs

	Why It's Important There are a number of negative outcomes for those experiencing low incomes. People with low income may experience more physical and mental health problems, rely more on charity, attain lower levels of education, or have higher secondary school drop out rates.

Regional Indicator Sixteen uses data on the number of people with incomes below a level identified by Statistics Canada as relatively low. The region with the lowest proportion earns the best rank.

In 2006, the proportion of Vancouver families and unattached individuals below the after-tax Low Income Cut-Off (LICO) was 31 percent lower than it was in 1997. The ratio in Regional BC was 24 percent lower but Victoria's was roughly the same in 1997 and 2006.

Vancouver had the highest average value for 1997 through 2006, followed by Victoria and Regional BC.

Vancouver's 1997 value of 26.9 percent was the largest value recorded in BC between 1997 and 2006. The smallest was 13.5 percent in Regional BC in 2006.