For Immediate Release
VICTORIA – The B.C. Liberal government should be ashamed now that British Columbia has the lowest minimum wage in the country, New Democrats said today.
As of September 1, B.C. now has the distinction of having the lowest minimum wage in Canada at $8 an hour, and a training wage that starts at $6. The B.C. Liberal government has refused to raise the minimum wage since they were first elected eight years ago.
“We have the lowest minimum wage in Canada, and one of the highest costs of living – how does the B.C. government justify that?” asked North Coast MLA Gary Coons.
New Brunswick had an $8 minimum wage up until Tuesday, when they raised the rate. Coons noted that the cost of living in New Brunswick is also dramatically lower than in British Columbia.
Coons said that Tuesday’s budget will result in increased costs for low income families, even as vital services continue to be cut. Many on the North Coast face hardships due to our poor economy and lack of opportunity. Many more are stuck in the vicious cycle of an unduly restrictive qualifying threshold for Employment Insurance Benefits and get forced on Social Assistance. The huge gap between the rich and the poor continues to grow under this government. This ‘tax and cut’ budget has nothing to alleviate the fact that the North Coast has the highest rate of social safety net dependency in the province at 7.4%! (the Cariboo was second highest (6.6%).
The bulk of the increase in Campbell’s budget is an additional $420 million to address massive increases in the number of British Columbians on social assistance and those that will follow on the journey as there is no plan for those unemployed. The money is to meet increased demand over three years, starting this year. Budget documents show that 123,743 British Columbians now receive some form of social assistance, up from 106,289 last year at this time, and that number is expected to increase.
BC is now last for Minimum Wage and first for Child Poverty for 5 straight years …..2 shameful records that Gordon Campbell wears proudly on his chest!
“The B.C. Liberals’ budget has nothing to offer B.C. families other than higher Medical Service Plan premiums and a new sales tax. Now, because the Campbell government lied about the true size of the deficit, families are being forced to pay the price with higher taxes and deep cuts to public services,” said Coons.
Coons noted the opposition is hearing from middle and low-income families all over the province who are worried about the impact of the B.C. Liberals’ budget.
“Under the Campbell government’s post-election budget, minimum wage workers also have to worry about the HST and somehow stretch their dollar even further. Low and middle income families have many concerns about these added costs,” said Coons.
“Many parents throughout the province already have to take two or three jobs just to make ends meet, and this budget is only going to make it harder.”
Carole James and the New Democrats are calling for the minimum wage to be raised to $10.
Under the Campbell government, B.C. has had the worst rate of full-time job losses, the second-worst performing economy, and highest level of child poverty in the country.
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