New census figures showing that B.C. is seeing the sharpest decline in incomes confirm what rural British Columbians have known for years: Gordon Campbell’s government has made this province a sharply divided society, NDP Leader Carole James says.
“These new figures confirm what average British Columbians feel. Under Gordon Campbell they aren’t benefiting from B.C.’s economy,” said James. “People are working harder but making less. And with costs increasing, balancing the family budget is harder than ever.”
According to Statistics Canada, the median income in B.C. fell by 3.4 per cent between 2000 and 2005. In the same period, incomes rose in every other province except Quebec.
Making the situation worse is the growing crisis in the forest industry that has been abandoned by the Campbell government. Another 1,000 jobs – primarily from rural B.C. – were lost in the industry this week alone.
“Premier Campbell’s cuts have been hardest on rural B.C.,” MLA Gary Coons , “and they refuse to take any concrete action while the main industry in small-town B.C. collapses.
“Rural B.C. is being devastated. It’s just one more way in which this province is being divided into winners and losers. The people at the top are getting along just fine, but everyone else is out of this government’s radar. We need immediate attention to restoring government services and jobs back into our communities to ensure economic sustainability.
The census shows how hard hit we are in PR were …as the median income of people in Prince Rupert fell significantly in the past five years The median income of people who worked full time in 2005 was over $7000 less than in 2000…( $41,050 compared to $48,286 in 2000).
This is a 15 per cent decline, the second largest decline among cities at 5,000 pop’l( we are only behind the 21.8 per cent decrease in Smithers.) It is obvious that the “down south” , focus on the Olympics attitude is not working for the majority of those on the North Coast.