[The new faces of poverty in Québec.]

Statistics from the 80s show a greater female population among the poor, increasingly younger people among the most vulnerable groups, and that vulnerability is on the rise when considering persons living alone. The author notes that revenue is consistently the major cause for poverty, particularly since part-time, unstable work patterns are closely linked to youth and women. The transformation in the family structure is also a key factor, particularly with the increasing number of single-parent families. In a society that is characterized by a widening gap between two social groups, government transfer programs become more and more a matter of strategy.