BC NDP candidate Kassandra Dycke support Friday’s announcement that New Democrats will take on child poverty with increased funding to the family bonus program.
“B.C. fell to the basement in the fight against child poverty while the B.C. Liberals have been in charge,” Dycke said. “New Democrats offer real and practical changes for people who need a hand up.”
BC NDP leader Adrian Dix announced today that an NDP government would invest $210 million a year in the Family Bonus Program, providing low and moderate income families up to $70 extra per child each month.
“For most of the last decade, B.C. has had the highest or the second highest rate of child poverty in Canada. Unlike most other provinces, B.C. has stood almost alone without a poverty reduction plan,” Dycke said.
Dix also announced changes in Community Living BC, and increases in social assistance, including indexing social assistance rates to inflation.
“Together with our improvements to education and training programs that will allow more British Columbians to avoid poverty with increased job options, these measures to improve social programs will help more British Columbians escape poverty,” Dycke said.
— Comox Valley NDP