Working for families to reduce poverty

VICTORIA - The Province is working collaboratively with communities to provide targeted supports and create jobs for low-income B.C. families.

This is just one example of significant progress made by government in the last year to improve the lives of British Columbians and their families by creating and protecting jobs, by becoming more open and transparent, and by continuing to be fiscally responsible in these uncertain economic times.

Premier Christy Clark set families as a priority for the B.C. government and created the Cabinet Committee on Families First to provide leadership on family-focused initiatives. One of the actions the B.C. government has taken to reduce poverty is the creation of 'Canada Starts Here: The BC Jobs Plan', which includes skills training and education to help ensure low-income British Columbians are better qualified for jobs that meet their financial needs.

British Columbians have one of the lowest overall tax burdens in the country. Premier Clark's increases to B.C.'s minimum wage mean full-time employees earning the previous rate will receive an additional $4,000 annually.

While efforts to strengthen the economy, create jobs and provide targeted supports are working, there is always more that can be done. That is why the B.C. government and Union of British Columbia Municipalities' Healthy Communities Committee are working together to develop local poverty-reduction strategies.

Five communities will be selected in early 2012 to pilot strategies that target the unique needs of families living in poverty. Successes from pilot communities will provide insight into strategic approaches for other B.C. communities.

Quotes:

Heath Slee, UBCM president -

"We will continue to work with the government on local poverty-reduction strategies, and look forward to reviewing the project charter in the new year."

Quick Facts:

As part of 'Canada Starts Here: The BC Jobs Plan', the B.C. government has made several funding announcements for skills training including:

• $13-million investment in employment skills training under the Employment Skills Access Initiative.
• $10 million investment to sector and industry groups to develop new training programs, including those for unemployed workers to better prepare them for working in high-demand occupations.
• Over $1 million for mining industry skills training.

The B.C. government increased minimum wage twice in 2011 to $9.50 per hour, with a third increase to $10.25 per hour scheduled for May 1, 2012.

The Province helps more than 26,000 B.C. families through provincial subsidized housing and rent supplements that help keep the cost of private market rentals affordable.

As of September 2011, nearly one million B.C. families were receiving Medical Service Premium (MSP) subsidies, with more than 800,000 individuals and families not whose MSP payments are fully subsidized.

As part of a $23-million provincewide initiative in 2011, the B.C. government introduced the Nurse Family Partnership program which will offer more intensive care to low-income, young, first-time mothers.

In 2011, the B.C. government funded 99,000 licensed child-care spaces and subsidies for approximately 50,000 children in low-income families.

Learn More:

'Canada Starts Here: The BC Jobs Plan' can be found at:

http://www.bcjobsplan.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CSH_BCJobsPlan_web.pdf

To find out more about minimum wage rates, please visit: http://www.labour.gov.bc.ca/esb/facshts/min-wage.htm

For information on the UBCM Healthy Communities Committee, please go to: http://ubcm.ca/EN/main/about/committees/healthy-communities.html

Contact:

Corinna Filion
Communications Director
Ministry of Children and Family Development
250 812-7977