Tag Archive: BC Budget 2018

Tackle inequality through tax fairness: BC Budget 2018

Nov 16, 2017
Over the past decade and a half, BC’s tax system has become remarkably unfair. CCPA analysis shows that personal tax changes between 2000 and 2016—including income, sales, property, carbon and Medical Services Plan (MSP) taxes—overwhelmingly benefited the wealthiest British Columbians. Households with income over $400,000—the richest 1 per cent—received a tax cut of $39,000 per… View Article

Let’s strengthen public education in BC: Budget 2018

Nov 8, 2017
The BC government’s September budget update included significant new funding for K-12 education as expected in light of last year’s Supreme Court of Canada ruling. This was vital after years of chronic underfunding by the previous government. The new funding to restore class size and composition provisions illegally stripped from teachers’ contracts means that thousands… View Article

BC Budget 2018 should use progressive tax options to deliver on affordable housing promises

Nov 7, 2017
BC’s real estate boom has created winners and losers and has led to a growing housing affordability crisis with tremendous social and economic consequences. Metro Vancouver continues to have a massive housing affordability problem—in both home ownership and rental markets—that threatens to undermine the region’s long-term prosperity. Moreover, the 2017 Homeless Count revealed that homelessness… View Article

Seven immediate steps to reduce poverty while the government consults on a comprehensive poverty reduction plan

Nov 1, 2017
Earlier this week, the BC government appointed an Advisory Forum on Poverty Reduction to provide expertise and assistance to the Minster of Social Development and Poverty Reduction in the development of a comprehensive poverty reduction strategy for BC. The 27 people named to the Forum represent communities across the province and bring diverse skills, perspectives… View Article

BC Budget must go beyond small carbon tax increases to fight climate change

Oct 30, 2017
After many years of inaction, BC needs a new climate plan. The previous government’s August 2016 Climate “Leadership” Plan was more than a disappointment. Not only did it do little to reduce BC’s greenhouse gas emissions, the plan was written hand-in-hand with the fossil fuel industry. For many British Columbians, climate action is synonymous with… View Article

BC has fiscal room to make lives better

Oct 23, 2017
Looking ahead to BC’s 2018 budget, strong public investment is needed more than ever if our province is to tackle the large and pressing problems before us. Fortunately, we have the economic and fiscal capacity to make significant reinvestments in our public sector and the critical services it provides. The government’s September Budget Update projects… View Article