by Wayne Moore - CASTANET Jul 20, 2017 / 2:20 pm |
Just two days on the job and the new NDP government in B.C. is making good on an election promise. Premier John Horgan announced today the government is ending a freeze on income assistance rates. Beginning with the Sept. 20, 2017 cheque, people on income assistance and disability will receive an additional $100 a month. The new monthly rates will be $1,133 for a person receiving disability assistance and $710 for a person on income assistance. Horgan says the Liberal government left B.C. with the highest poverty rate in the country. He says reversing that trend will take time, but today's increase - which needs 60 days to take effect - is a good first step. This lift will move B.C. from one of the lowest assistance rates to the third-highest among Canadian provinces. "Lifting families out of poverty starts with raising income assistance rates and assistance for people with disabilities," said Horgan. "We're raising the rates to support people and help them live in dignity."
No comments:
Post a Comment