Fixed Income: The Hardest Goal to Achieve?

In order to live comfortably in Quebec, many families need to increase their income. According to a study published this week by the Institute for Socioeconomic Research and Information (IRIS), disposable income for a single person in Montreal increased by 9% and now stands at $32,252.

“To get out of poverty, you need to have an emergency fund, be able to afford short vacations and certain health care,” explained researcher Guillaume Tremblay-Boily, co-author of the study.

Carrefour Solidaire, located on Sainte-Catherine Street in Montreal, is fighting food insecurity.

“We're seeing people not being able to eat the way they want to. We have community meals twice a week and we're seeing a 150% increase in traffic,” explains Carrefour co-director Emily Balderston.

An observation was also made by service users, including Tanya Hayes, a beneficiary who uses a proximity card to buy fruit, vegetables and meat at a Solidaire grocery store. “With the card, I can come and get things every month that I wouldn't normally buy.”

Marie-Claude Paradis-Desfossés

Proximity card

Ditto for his mother Caroline Massey, a retiree who says she can barely survive on her old-age pension. “With everything I have to pay, I can't!”

Marie-Claude Paradis-Desfossés

Caroline Massey is shopping at the popular Carrefour Solidaire grocery store.

Another observation from IRIS is that the minimum wage in Quebec has risen to $15.75, which does not allow for a viable income. “To break out of poverty, the minimum wage needs to reach at least $20 an hour,” adds researcher Tremblay-Boiley.