On March 1, The Salvation Army launched the Dignity Project, an initiative that engages Canadians about the reality of poverty in the 21st century. The project features online events, street outreach, traditional advertising and social networking.

To coincide with the launch, Andrew Grenville, chief research officer at market research company Vision Critical (Angus Reid), conducted a public opinion study that looks at some of the myths and misconceptions that Canadians hold about poverty.

Grenville, a member of the Army's National Advisory Board, found that more than a third of Canadians believe the poor “still have it pretty good,” and that nearly half believe that if poor people really want to work, they can always find a job.

Canadians ranked poverty the third most important issue in the country today, behind health care and the economy. But while 89 percent agreed that “people living in poverty deserve a helping hand,” 37 percent felt there was “really nothing [they] could do to help.”

“It's clear from this data that many continue to believe well-worn myths about what it means to live in poverty,” says Commissioner William W. Francis, territorial commander. “Our hope is that by educating the public through the Dignity Project, we can debunk some of these myths and help put dignity within reach for every Canadian.”

Read the complete report, Debunking the Myths About Poverty in Canada, at SalvationArmy.ca/dignity_project_report.