By Ashley Legassic

Province releases first-ever poverty reduction strategy

Mar 18, 2019 | 11:07 AM

VICTORIA — The province’s first proverty reduction strategy, TogetherBC, has been outlined by the provincial government today.

The strategy uses a 2016 baseline and aims to lift 140,000 people out of poverty, including 50,000 children. The province says further poverty reduction goals will be established as these targets are met.

TogetherBC outlines programs and initiatives that aim to reduce overall poverty in the province by 25 per cent and cut child poverty in half over the next five years.

“Together, we can build a fairer province by bringing down barriers and giving people the services and supports they need to break out of the cycle of poverty,” said Shane Simpson, Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction in a news release. “TogetherBC is our roadmap for a better British Columbia, where everyone, regardless of their background or income, is treated with dignity and has access to opportunity.”

The province says the strategy has been developed with feedback received through provincial consultation, and is anchored by a number of key initiatives including the new BC Child Opportunity Benefit and childcare BC, that will help increase household incomes.

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The six priority areas of TogetherBC are affordable housing, supports for families, children and youth, expanding access to education and training, improving income supports and investing in social inclusion.

A Poverty Reduction Advisory Committee has been appointed to advise the minister on poverty reduction and prevention. The committee includes advocates, experts, Indigenous peoples and people with lived experience from across B.C.

The provincial government is required to report on progress to reach its five-year targets each year, starting in 2020. The committee will include a letter in each of these reports, outlining its views on progress made and progress required.

According to the release, B.C. has one of the highest rates of poverty in the country and has for decades — it also has the second-highest overall poverty rate in Canada.