No child wants to live in poverty.

But the problem is becoming more pervasive in B.C., according to the 2011 Child Poverty Report Card released last week by the advocacy coalition First Call.

B.C.'s child poverty rate rose to 16.4 per cent in 2009 from 14.5 per cent in 2008, determined by Statistics Canada's low-income cut-offs before tax.

And the Tri-Cities are not exempt from the issue. Martin Wyant, executive director of SHARE Family & Community Services Society, said local food bank and Christmas program usage rose by 18 per cent in 2009-10 compared to the previous year.

"These are really good indicators of what's going on in the community. The number of people using food banks certainly is something that paints a picture, as does the number of people that sign up for Christmas help," Wyant said.

"Those are both income-related supports. They're very telling. We're really seeing a significant increase in the need that is out there in the community.

There are just more and more children and families that are struggling. You don't hear lots about it, which is what we're trying to change."

Wyant is inviting residents, organizations and businesses to join SHARE to search for child poverty solutions in the Tri-Cities. He hopes to begin brainstorming in early 2012.

"These things play out in our neighbourhoods. I think sometimes there's a tendency to put all this at the doorstep of the provincial government or the feds.

"As much as we understand that there are some challenges that they need to address from the policy side at those levels, we also know that there's stuff we could be doing locally," Wyant said.

"We don't need to be waiting. I think we're all part of the solution in the long run, and the community really has been quite supportive. We want to get them out in force to talk about the issue and see what ideas we can generate about getting at the crux of it."

In the Tri-Cities, poverty tends to be hidden, he added.

"If you drive around or walk around, you see lots of things that are new - even the social housing. The social housing that exists is quite nice on the outside when you look at it. It's been well developed by BC Housing. It seems to fit right into the look and feel of the neighbourhoods, and that was the plan," Wyant said.

"That's super, but the unintended consequence sometimes is you don't see some of the challenges that people are struggling with behind those units."

Many newcomers to Canada also face financial challenges as they adjust to their new lives.

"If you look at our whole area, we are a hotbed of immigration amongst the Lower Mainland. We're seeing immigrants come to the Tri-Cities from all over the world.

"In some cases, they bring with them financial resources that are certainly sufficient to get them settled and employed or starting up a business," Wyant said.

"But in other cases, they're coming here as a result of being granted refugee status. They're settling in the area, in many cases, without much of anything."

Another emerging trend is the growing number of employed parents who need financial help.

"Even with the increases to minimum wage, they're not keeping pace with some of the other increases that people have to bear with respect to housing costs, which is always the big one," Wyant said.

"The cost of finding somewhere to live is still such a big part of what contributes to the poverty situation in B.C." It's time to stop blaming the poor for being poor, he said.

"Last time I checked, kids didn't decide they wanted to be poor. I don't know anybody who would choose to be poor. If you think of a four-year-old kid or a seven-year-old kid or a 10-year-old kid or a 12-year-old kid, none of them would have said at any point in their life, 'Hey, I want to be poor. Pick me.' That's not the way it works," Wyant said.

"Regardless of the circumstances that lead to poverty, these kids didn't ask for it."

Anyone interested in seeking Tri-Cities solutions to child poverty can e-mail their name, phone number and e-mail address to Wyant at martin.wyant@ sharesociety.ca. He will contact interested participants in January.

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