Governments have done little to help the poor on P.E.I., and that needs to change, an anti-poverty group said Wednesday.

Alert P.E.I. came to a news conference with a list of demands it has been making of governments.

"We have a housing study that was done about three years ago, and presented. There is certainly a problem with rental rates that can't be afforded. There is the fuel oil issue. That's just a few of the things we want to see [addressed]," said spokeswoman Edith Perry.

	Welfare rate	Poverty line
Individual	$6,214	$17,784
With a disability	$8,084	$17,784
One parent with child	$13,707	$22,139
Couple, 2 children	$21,213	$33,046

"All governments across the country, and certainly in Prince Edward Island, have really not done much about poverty."

The group is asking for welfare levels to be at least brought up to the poverty line, which would be an increase of more than 100 per cent in some cases.

Perry said Alert is making a public stand in the hope of getting the attention of both provincial and federal politicians in advance of spring budgets. The group is also asking Islanders to make the needs of the poor on P.E.I. an election issue.