Governments say they can’t afford poverty reduction policies but fail to consider the cost paid for consequences of poverty
Poverty is a hardship for those who experience it; it’s also costly to society. Governments say they can’t afford poverty reduction policies like investing in new social housing, increasing welfare, or providing universal access to child care. But they fail to consider the resources spent, year after year, paying for the consequences of poverty.
British Columbia has the highest poverty rate in Canada [opens to PDF] and no plan to tackle it directly. A recent private member’s Bill proposing a BC Poverty Reduction Act, if adopted, would see the government develop a comprehensive poverty reduction strategy within one year, including legislated targets and timelines to reduce poverty in the province. From March 2012…
We speak with Trish Garner, an organizer with the B.C. Poverty Reduction Coalition.
