As part of the Third Comprehensive Review of the Market Basket Measure (MBM) , Statistics Canada has launched a crowdsourcing initiative to validate how they measure poverty. They are seeking support to increase awareness of this crowdsourcing initiative.

They’ve created a short questionnaire that allows Canadians to provide input on current estimates of how much money a family needs for items like food, clothing, shelter and transportation.

The questionnaire takes no more than five minutes to complete, and will be open to all Canadians from September 19, 2023, to March 31, 2024. Participation is anonymous and respondent information is protected by the Privacy Act.

To ensure strong participation rates, your organization can help spread the word by encouraging your clients, supporters, and stakeholders to complete the questionnaire, and letting them  know that they can contact Statistics Canada with feedback or questions at statcan.mbm-mpc.statcan@statcan.gc.ca.

Also, general information sessions will be held virtually and in-person in selected cities at the end of October and in November. Participation is open to everyone.

For more information on this initiative, please visit Market Basket Measure of poverty (2023-base) consultative engagement.