Minister of Children and Family Development Stephanie Cadieux released the following statement in recognition of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, Oct. 17:

"No one deserves to live in poverty and no government wants to see any child or family living with hunger and scarce resources, yet poverty is a sad reality in every society. Poverty is a complex issue that affects all of us and we all play a role in finding solutions.

"That is why the B.C. government is focused on a job-creation plan that is designed to strengthen the economy, create and protect jobs for families in every region of B.C. and make sure B.C. residents are able to get the skills training and education needed to fill job openings. In fact, we've seen 67,400 jobs added to B.C.'s economy since February 2011.

"The B.C. government is taking action by providing targeted supports to low-income families. Our increases to minimum wage mean a full-time employee earning the minimum wage could make over $4,000 more each year.

"We have created close to 21,000 affordable housing units, with 18,000 completed and the remainder under construction, and help more than 29,000 families through subsidized housing and rent supplements that assist in keeping the cost of private market rentals affordable.

"We've also made balanced changes to income assistance policies to help vulnerable families attain better financial outcomes and maintain one of the lowest overall tax burdens in the country.

"Here in B.C., the child poverty rate has dropped 45 per cent since 2003. It is at its second-lowest point since 1980 and is seeing a higher rate of decline than the national average.

"Our efforts to strengthen the economy and create jobs, while providing targeted supports to low-income families are working - but we also know we have a ways to go and that we can't do it alone.

"That is why the B.C. government is partnering with the Union of British Columbia Healthy Communities Committee, municipal governments, local community organizations and local businesses to develop community poverty reduction strategies that address poverty at the community and individual family levels.

"I am encouraged by the enthusiasm I've witnessed by officials and participants in many of the first seven communities we're working with. We have a broad range of creative, compassionate and community-minded people coming together at each of the local poverty-reduction working groups. Through collaboration, we are focusing on the design of innovative services within the current fiscal climate that meet the unique needs of communities and of low-income families vulnerable to poverty.

"More facts on how the B.C. government is working to address poverty can be found at http://ow.ly/euY3m"

Contact:

Shae Greenfield
Media Relations Manager
Ministry of Children and Family Development
250 356-1639