A Port Coquitlam city councillor will ask council next week to press the B.C. government to fill the gaps on its poverty reduction plan.
At Tuesday’s committee of council meeting, newly elected Coun. Nancy McCurrach brought forward a notice of motion for the Jan. 22 meeting for council to consider backing the ABC Plan, which has already been endorsed by councils in Port Moody, New Westminster, Vancouver and Richmond.
That plan — which outlines an "accountable, bold and comprehensive" poverty reduction initiative to prevent and reduce poverty — was designed by the BC Poverty Reduction Coalition, a group of more than 400 community and non-profit organizations including Vancity, United Way of the Lower Mainland and the Vancouver Foundation.
The coalition is asking for, among other things:
• a cut to B.C.’s poverty rate by 30% within four years and by 75% within 10 years;
• an increase in income supports, especially the welfare and disability rates;
• more affordable social and rental housing;
• and a universal, publicly funded child care system.
Last November, the provincial government passed Bill 39: Poverty Reduction Strategy Act, which is due to be launched in March.
But the coalition’s community organizer, Trish Garner, told The Tri-City News today (Wednesday) the legislation likely won’t go far enough.
Now, the group is drumming up support for its ABC Plan to be in place by next month, before the throne speech (more details about the plan can be viewed at abcplan.ca).
Last month, Port Moody council also took steps to lobby for poverty reduction when it formally joined the #AllonBoard campaign, which advocates for free transit for kids up to 18 and lower fares for those on low income.
The motion from newly elected Coun. Amy Lubik, was unanimously supported by PoMo council. A TransLink spokesperson said the move to allow kids to ride free on public transit would cost the agency $35 million a year, based on current ridership levels.
McCurrach’s motion isn’t the first time PoCo has addressed poverty-related issues. In 2017, it became the third municipality in the country to implement a living wage policy for city staff and contractors, at the request of the Living Wage for Families Campaign.
