Welfare Rates May Be Raised

Aug 3, 2006: Province, News A3:

Income Assistance Minister Claude Richmond says he may seek a budget increase for his ministry to allow welfare rates to go up in some categories next year.

But he said BC's welfare rates for this year will likely remain the same.

His comments came amid a war of words between the New Democrats and Liberals over welfare rates and levels of child poverty in BC.

We hope, if Richmond does go ahead with this budget request, that the increase to welfare rates is significant enough to have a real impact on helping people get out of poverty.

But we fear that the provincial government may only raise welfare rates by a minimal amount, which will deflate our campaign (we will no longer be able to say welfare rates haven't been raised in 12 years) but have no effect on addressing poverty in BC.

So, we desperately need to keep up the pressure. The fact that Richmond is saying this shows that our campaign is having an effect at the level of the provincial government - it is our community outrage that is making this happen and is galvanising the NDP to address this on our behalf.

But we need Richmond to act on all our demands in order to make a difference to those living in poverty in BC so now is the time to step up the campaign and raise our voices even more.

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