Nicholas Simons, Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, has released the following statement about the report Income Supports and Indigenous Peoples in B.C.: An Analysis of Gaps and Barriers:

“I appreciate the time and effort that went into this important and comprehensive report. My thanks go to Dr. Kessler and Dr. Quinless, and to the First Nations Leadership Council for their work on this project.

“It is reassuring that many of the findings and recommendations are entirely consistent with the direction of my ministry and our government. We are committed to continuing the work of improving services and eliminating colonialism and systemic racism.

“The report indicates that our decision to more than double the number of community integration specialists will be well received and demonstrates that we are headed in the right direction. These specialists work in the community, providing integral links between people and the government services and other resources they need. We are working to recruit more Indigenous people into these positions throughout the province.

“Government will review and consider all the report’s 51 recommendations in the context of TogetherBC, the Province’s poverty reduction strategy, and in the context of the Declaration Act Action Plan. This year, we will begin engagement to update TogetherBC for 2024.”