Winnipeg's child poverty rate well above national average

Winnipegs child poverty rate is the third highest among large cities in Canada, and the city is behind the rest of the country on a number of important poverty markers, according to a new report.

World Vision released its Poverty at Your Doorstep report Wednesday, which examined the state of five Canadian cities.

Winnipeg had a 14 per cent child poverty rate in 2010, up from nine per cent in 2008.

The citys rate is well above the national average of eight percent.

Winnipeg ranks only behind Vancouver and St. Johns for the highest child poverty rate among large cities in Canada.

Dennis Lewycky is the executive director of the Social Planning Council of Winnipeg.

He said the report highlights a numbers of issues the city is facing.

The primary problem, according to Lewycky, is the lack of provincial investment in housing, training or child care.

"People can get out of poverty, but if they just get enough to survivejust to get by month to month for example without all these supports, then in effect, theyre trapped in poverty," said Lewycky.

The report showed Manitobas aboriginal population is disproportionately represented among those in poverty.

Aboriginal people make up about 10 per cent of the provinces population, but constitute 25 per cent of those living in poverty.