The Provincial Cuts: A Summary, The Impact, and Some Support

2. The Provincial Cuts: A Summary, The Impact, and Some Support First presented at the “Mid-Term Crisis: Exposing the Impacts of Provincial Government Decisions,” 11 March 2003 by Pamela Moss, Studies in Policy & Practice, University of Victoria

4. Reducing welfare is not a solution.

5. Cuts to Income = Increased Poverty

6. The government’s approach rests on the assumptions that the majority of social assistance recipients are employable people who choose not to work, and that work is available for them. However, BC is currently experiencing a downturn in its economy, due to various factors. … Training programs across government, including some designed for young low-income people, are scheduled for termination. Many “employable” social assistance recipients may not be able to find training or work opportunities, for reasons that are not in their control. From Submission to the United Nations www3.telus.net/bcwomen/archives/ICESCR_Feb_02.html

7. PovNet www.povnet.org

8. Social Assistance

9. Before applying for income assistance, individuals must undertake a “three-week self-directed job search”. Applies to everyone. From Submission to the United Nations www3.telus.net/bcwomen/archives/ICESCR_Feb_02.html

10. Welfare benefits for employable parents cut by $70 a month.

11. Training programs and welfare-to-work initiatives have been eliminated – including: Work Study Programs, Skills for Employment, and Job Start.

12. Refugee claimants, who are not currently allowed to work without special authorizations, will no longer be eligible for assistance. From Submission to the United Nations www3.telus.net/bcwomen/archives/ICESCR_Feb_02.html

13. Individuals who leave a job voluntarily will be ineligible for any kind of assistance. From Submission to the United Nations www3.telus.net/bcwomen/archives/ICESCR_Feb_02.html

14. Welfare time-limits: “Employable” people without children will only be allowed to receive welfare for two years during any five year period. After two years they will simply be cut off. From Submission to the United Nations www3.telus.net/bcwomen/archives/ICESCR_Feb_02.html

15. Young adults (19 and over) will have to demonstrate that they have lived independent of their parents for two years before being eligible for welfare. From Submission to the United Nations www3.telus.net/bcwomen/archives/ICESCR_Feb_02.html

16. Welfare only covers 45-65% of daily living depending on family type (SPARC Release, December 6, 2001)

17. Women are now required to take their maternity leave in consecutive weeks. For example, if a woman had complications in the first or second trimester of her pregnancy and needed to take a portion earlier than she had planned, these rules would not allow her take that leave.

18. New training wage is below minimum wage!

19. Employers can now set up 'averaging agreements' with employees, which allows employers to side step overtime, the forty-hour workweek, and the eight-hour day.

20. Employers are no longer required to post employee rights or scheduled hours in the workplace. Minimum daily hours have been reduced from four hours to two and standards of enforcement have been lowered.

21. October 3, 2002: Analysis of Changes to Disability Benefits Legislation (BCCPD) www.bccpd.bc.ca/commalert/newact/analysis2.html

22. Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives www.policyalternatives.ca/bc

24. Cuts to Housing = Homelessness

25. Changes to BC Shelter Allowance Rates Shelter Rates Former Current 1 person $350 $350 2 persons $520 $520 3 persons $610 $555 4 persons $650 $590 5 persons $700 $625 6 persons $750 $660 Sources: Ministry of Human Resources and http://www.mhr.gov.bc.ca/factsheets/2002/shelterrates_july.htm

26. Average Rents for Areas with a Population of 10,000 and over, British Columbia, 2001, beginning with letters A to P City 1 BR 2 BR 3 BR Abbotsford 518 647 896 Chilliwack 475 601 651 Courtenay 451 531 631 Duncan 459 550 659 Kamloops 489 610 754 Kelowna 540 655 725 Kitimat 445 479 514 Nanaimo 473 574 665 Port Alberni 370 484 512 Powell River 409 476 558 Prince George 479 567 613 Prince RupertNo Data 564 917 Source: CANSIM (Canadian Socio-Economic Information Management System), Table 270040. CANSIM is Statistics Canada's computerized database of time series covering a wide variety of social and economic aspects of Canadian life.

27. Average Rents for Areas with a Population of 10,000 and over, British Columbia, 2001, beginning with letters Q - W City 1 BR 2 BR 3 BR Quesnel 350 405 478 Salmon Arm 500 607 No Data Squamish 525 614 685 Terrace 474 568 642 Vancouver 726 922 1081 Vernon 468 560 618 Victoria 592 751 919 Williams Lake 439 528 622 Source: CANSIM (Canadian Socio-Economic Information Management System), Table 270040. CANSIM is Statistics Canada's computerized database of time series covering a wide variety of social and economic aspects of Canadian life.

29. Financial Cuts = Stress in Families

30. Single parents are now considered “employable” after their youngest child reaches 3 years of age (down from 7). From Submission to the United Nations www3.telus.net/bcwomen/archives/ICESCR_Feb_02.html

31. Low-income children are more at risk for prostitution and violence who are trying to escape violence at home.

32. $360 million cut over three years to fund the Ministry of Children and Families. This has meant that childcare subsidies, social workers, preventative programs for mothers-at-risk, etc. have been cut. These cuts may result in more child apprehensions.

33. Comparison of Average Costs of and Subsidies Available for Group Childcare  Cost of Subsidy childcare available Toddlers BC average $662 $528 Vancouver $817 $528 3-5 year olds BC average $495 $368 Vancouver $537 $368 Sources: Ministry of Human Resources & BC Childcare Survey www.mcaws.gov.bc.ca/childcare/ChildCar/research.htm

34. “Employable” parents (with children over 3 years old) will only receive full benefits for two out of five years, after which time will have their benefits cut by 25%. From Submission to the United Nations www3.telus.net/bcwomen/archives/ICESCR_Feb_02.html

35. A woman came in crying. Her daycare subsidy has been cut back. She works part-time and is afraid for her job. She needs daycare but has not enough money. She is afraid she will lose everything and have to go on income assistance. “How can I take care of my daughter and myself?” Source: “What Cuts to Shelter Allowance and Childcare Subsidies Mean for Women and Children in BC”, Report Card for Friends of Women and Children in BC, Volume 1, No. 4, http://www.wmst.ubc.ca/Reports.htm

36. These cuts mean only the poorest of the working poor qualify for full childcare subsidies. For example, a single parent with a four year old child in group care, who works full time, earning $11.09 an hour, with a net income is $18,000, no longer receives full subsidy, but faces a cut of $121/month. A parent with a net income of $21,000 has had her subsidy cut by $187.00, and now receives a subsidy of only $96.20 a month. Any parent who qualifies for less than a $50 subsidy now receives no subsidy at all. Source: “What Cuts to Shelter Allowance and Childcare Subsidies Mean for Women and Children in BC”, Report Card for Friends of Women and Children in BC, Volume 1, No. 4, http://www.wmst.ubc.ca/Reports.htm

37. Cuts to the childcare subsidy for low-income parents will put childcare out of reach for thousands of BC families. The subsidy cuts amount to $26 million on a $126 million budget. This is being accomplished by lowering the income threshold for the program by $285, so that fewer women qualify.

38. Coalition of Childcare Advocates in BC www.cccabc.bc.ca/res/briefs_articles.html

40. Monthly Eating Costs, Victoria, BC, 2001 Food costs increased 5% between 2000 and 2001. So the figures for 2003 are more likely to be about $500 to feed a family of 3 (two adults and one teen) and $680 to feed a family of four (two adults, one teen and one school-aged child).

41. Monthly Cost of Eating for Children and teens, Victoria, BC, 2001 National Nutritious Food Basket Calculations are based on the National Nutritious Food Basket from Statistics Canada. Contents of the basket are based on the new Canada’s Food Guide to Health Eating. Because there are relatively few convenience foods, including in the calculations, the cost is kept low. The objective of the food basket it to identify foods that reflect average food purchases. As well, the lowest food price is part of the calculation.

42. Monthly Cost of Eating for Children and teens, Victoria, BC, 2001 Proportions of each food group in the food basket are: • vegetables and fruit 31% • milk products 19% • Meat and alternatives 26% • Grain products 15% • Other foods 4% • Miscellaneous (e.g. salt, oil) 5%

43. Children receiving inadequate nutrition during the early years score much lower on tests of vocabulary, reading, comprehension, arithmetic and general knowledge.

44. Meals on Wheels funding eliminated by 2004.

46. Elimination of Women's Rights = Violence Against Women and Children

47. Women’s Health Bureau and Office for Seniors has been eliminated.

48. The Minister’s Advisory Council on Women’s Health (MAC) was eliminated.

49. The Ministry of Women’s Equality was eliminated.

50. Women economically dependent on men who are abusive will become even more vulnerable because of the cuts.