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A poverty reduction plan for British Columbia

On 11 December 2008, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) published a report (A poverty reduction plan for British Columbia) which sets out a strategy for tackling poverty and homelessness in this Canadian province.

The report notes that, though British Columbia is the most affluent province in Canada, it has the country’s highest rate of poverty. More than half a million British Columbians have been identified as living in poverty, and children make up a quarter of this number.

The report urges the government to adopt a plan that will:

• Provide adequate and accessible income support for the non-employed;
• Improve earnings and working conditions for low-wage workers;
• Address the needs of those most likely to be living in poverty;
• Address homelessness and the lack of affordable housing;
• Provide universal publicly–funded child care;
• Provide support for training and education;
• Promote the health of all British Columbians.

A poverty reduction plan for British Columbia (PDF)