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The Centre d’étude sur la pauvreté et l’exclusion (CEPE) is an observation, research and discussion centre entrusted with providing reliable and rigourous information, notably of a statistical nature, on poverty and social exclusion issues.

Created within the context of the Act to combat poverty and social exclusion, the CEPE acts under the aegis of the ministère de l’Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale (MESS) and is managed in collaboration with a steering committee composed of members working in the academic research or government sector, or working with people who are experiencing poverty or social exclusion. For further details, consult the section Introduction to the CEPE.

Update

November 28th, 2011

New publication on the situation of poverty in Québec

This progress report represents a compilation of the most recent data on poverty and inequality in Québec.

After reviewing the latest low income thresholds and rates, the results of interregional, interprovincial and international comparisons are presented and discussed. To compare Québec against itself, we simulated typical cases to determine changes in the relative level of personal and family disposable income in relation to various existing thresholds over the period 2004-2011. The report also discusses various measures of inequality. The CEPE has initiated research on the dimensions and indicators of social exclusion.

Poverty, Inequality and Social Exclusion in Québec: Looking Ahead to 2013. 2011 Progress Report (, 325 KB)

November 28th, 2011

New publication on the costs of poverty in Québec

In this document, we attempt to gauge the costs of poverty in Québec by applying one of the models identified in our review, specifically the model put forward by Nathan Laurie and published by the Ontario Association of Food Banks in 2008. The various costs of poverty assessed using this model, of which the main ones are listed below, are then estimated:

remedial costs;
intergenerational costs;
opportunity costs.

The results of this analysis suggest that, for the aspects evaluated, poverty costs Québec society as a whole between $15.7 billion and $17.0 billion a year, or from 5.8% to 6.3% of its real GDP.

The costs of poverty in Québec according to the model proposed by Nathan Laurie (, 147 KB)

March 17th, 2011

New publication on social exclusion

A new publication is now available in the Working papers section: « Les facteurs engendrant l’exclusion au Canada : survol de la littérature multidisciplinaire » de Lionel-Henri Groulx. (, 912 KB, in French only).