Is poverty a problem in a well-off country like Canada? Unfortunately, the answer is yes. Especially for women.

Although Canada is a relatively wealthy country, about 1 in 10 Canadians are living on a low income, and 1.5 million of those living on a low income are women. As the infographic below shows, the incidence of poverty is even higher for particular groups of women.

There are two main reasons women tend to be poorer than men:

Women living on a low income face many barriers to financial stability and independence. When childcare arrangements fall apart or there’s not enough money to pay a dental bill, a woman can find it difficult to finish an economic development program, even when she’s worked hard to earn a spot.

The Canadian Women’s Foundation invests in 3 kinds of women’s economic development programs, focusing on skilled trades, self-employment and social purpose enterprises.