For Immediate Release COALITION CALLS ON PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE $10-A-MONTH INTERNET FOR PEOPLE LIVING BELOW THE POVERTY LINE AND ALL THOSE ACCESSING EDUCATION IN BC   September 22nd, 2020 Vancouver, Coast Salish Territories–The BC Poverty Reduction (BCPRC) and allies, including the BC Teachers’ Federation, CUPE BC, the First Nations Technology Council and MOSAIC, have released a letter calling on the provincial government to provide $10-a-month Internet access to all living below the poverty line and anyone accessing education in B.C., regardless of immigration or citizenship s ..read more

Greetings from the BC Poverty Reduction Coalition. Thank you for your continued commitment as we stand together to protect our communities and leave nobody behind. Welcome to the third BCPRC COVID-19 Public Progress Alert.  On April 2, the BC government announced emergency financial support including an extra $300 per month for people receiving income and disability assistance and some very low income seniors, for three months. After responding to the announcement together on the CBC, Viveca Ellis from the BC Poverty Reduction Coalition and Iglika Ivanova from the Canadian Centre for Policy A ..read more

Published on PolicyNote by Iglika Ivanova and Viveca Ellis On April 2, the BC government announced emergency financial support for some of the most vulnerable British Columbians: an extra $300 per month for people  receiving income and disability assistance and some very low income seniors, for three months. This necessary and welcome measure can’t come fast enough.  BC is now only the second Canadian province to extend COVID-19 financial relief measures to people on income and disability assistance, after Nova Scotia launched a paltry $50/mo supplement. It’s telling that people receiving thes ..read more

Greetings from the BC Poverty Reduction Coalition. Our best wishes to everyone working tirelessly under pressure and caring for those most at risk to COVID-19—both in our own lives and in the greater community. This is the second BCPRC COVID-19 Public Progress Alert. Progress Alerts will highlight the unfolding work of the BC Poverty Reduction Coalition, our members and allies, and the collective advocacy we must undertake to ensure safety, health and economic justice for all during the COVID-19 crisis. We will monitor local, provincial and federal progress to mitigate the impact of the crisi ..read more

BCPRC COVID-19 Emergency Response for Justice Who accesses the health care, social distancing and sanitation they need, and who remains at risk, unprotected, and uncared for? Who goes hungry at home while others hoard food and supplies? The greatest inequities of our time are writ large in the face of a crisis such as COVID-19. It strikes at the heart of our communities and reveals the ugliness of existing human rights violations in this province. A public health crisis such as this reveals our greatest failures as a rich, developed nation to equitably protect the lives, livelihoods and healt ..read more

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   March 20th, 2020   (Vancouver) As COVID-19 sweeps the globe and communities through-out BC, the BC Poverty Reduction Coalition calls on the provincial government to implement a suite of emergency measures to safeguard the health and incomes of more than 421,000 at-risk, low income and homeless BC residents.   “Low income seniors, those who are already living far below the poverty line, those who are food insecure, those living in poverty with complex health issues and disabilities, those experiencing substance-use and homelessness are drastically at risk in the cu ..read more

BC Poverty Reduction Coalition members have been hard at work analyzing BC Budget 2020. Some of our members are celebrating as we are moving closer to winning long-term campaign goals that will help reduce poverty and inequality. Others are frustrated by a ‘stay the course’ budget and inaction that leaves many people in poverty still far behind. With this in mind, we’ve compiled a round-up of BCPRC member responses to BC Budget 2020 into three categories: meeting expectations, ‘not yet’ meeting expectations and failing expectations, with a link to member press releases and further information ..read more

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 18th, 2020 (Victoria) In the second year of BC’s poverty reduction strategy, the BC government is on the right track as it prioritizes access to education and raising the earnings exemptions for those in income and disability assistance, but fails to make the significant investments necessary to reduce poverty in the province. Budget 2020 brings an increase in up-front grants for post-secondary students, a boost to the earnings exemptions for those in income and disability assistance, and $50 million towards homelessness with additional funding for 200 new modula ..read more

The BC Poverty Reduction Coalition was proud to join over 170 national and provincial organizations who have signed the joint Pharmacare Now Statement calling on all parties to work together to implement universal, public pharmacare within this government’s mandate. We are now celebrating the diverse coalition of 150 national and provincial organizations representing health care providers, non-profit organizations, unions, workers, business, seniors and patients are now calling on the Finance Minister to make the financial commitments that are needed in this year’s budget to make this program ..read more

As part of TogetherBC, British Columbia’s Poverty Reduction Strategy, the Province is providing $5 million to the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) for the Poverty Reduction Planning & Action program. Interested communities can apply for funding to support local initiatives and plans. We created a guide providing support to local governments in considering guiding principles for the work local governments may undertake, and ideas for potential actions and initiatives. Using the Stream Framework involves defining and being intentional about how much of your activities will be ..read more