Children & youth

Child care unaffordability in Canada’s cities and what to do about it

Nov 10, 2014

A new report from the CCPA takes a closer look at child care fees in Canada’s biggest 22 cities and shows just how unaffordable child care has become everywhere outside of Quebec, the only province in Canada with universal subsidized child care. It’s hardly news that child care is expensive. Indeed, it is pricier than… View Article

If the political will is there, the money is too to settle teachers’ dispute

Sep 13, 2014

By Seth Klein

I’ve submitted the following Letter to the Editor to the Vancouver Sun. Hoping they publish it in the next couple days: Enough with the pleas of a bare cupboard from the Premier, Finance Minister and Education Minister. If the political will is there, there is plenty of money to settle the teachers’ dispute, hire more… View Article

BC’s Awkward Surplus

Sep 11, 2014

By Marc Lee

On Tuesday, the Ministry of Finance reported results from the first quarter of 2014/15. While the news release stated “B.C.’s budget remains balanced in spite of extra costs,” there is a projected surplus of $266 million for the current fiscal year. In reality it will likely be much higher, due to the usual practice of using conservative planning… View Article

How to fund improvements in class-size and composition: a matter of political will

Jun 3, 2014

By Seth Klein

If a compromise is to be reached in the current bargaining between teachers and the government, the long-standing issue of improving class-size and composition must be resolved. The government insists that there is no money to make substantial improvements in this area (notwithstanding multiple court losses telling the province that it must make good on… View Article

New Living Wage Reports Force Us to Look at Child Poverty in the City

Apr 29, 2014

By Iglika Ivanova

There reports released today show that the costs of supporting a family are rising fast in the three largest urban areas of our province, home to 2/3 of BC’s population. Two parents working full-time must each earn $20.10/hour in Metro Vancouver, $18.93/hour in Greater Victoria and $17.02/hour in the Fraser Valley. The living wage reflects… View Article

When no news is not good news: what the uneventful BC throne speech means for you

Feb 15, 2014

By Iglika Ivanova

Last week’s BC throne speech received little media coverage, partly because it fell in the middle of the Olympics and on the same day as the Canadian federal budget, but also because it was rather uneventful, repeating familiar themes and commitments. The absence of significant new announcements in the throne speech is not good news… View Article

What the UBC rape chant scandal says about women in the Canadian economy

Sep 10, 2013

By Iglika Ivanova

The news of UBC Sauder Business School students chanting about rape of underage girls during a FROSH week event has generated much outrage. As it should. While the chant might seem like an isolated incident, it is not. The recent rape chant scandals in UBC and in St Mary’s University in Halifax are evidence of… View Article

Are we undermining our schools by not investing enough in education?

Sep 8, 2013

By Iglika Ivanova

This year’s back-to-school media coverage featured surprisingly little analysis on how our schools are doing. Not to say that articles about innovative approaches to help students stay alert, back-to-school parenting advice and school lunch ideas aren’t useful, but surely those could have been combined with more in-depth analysis of the challenges and opportunities facing our… View Article

With BC’s job market stalled, it’s time for a jobs plan that actually works

Aug 13, 2013

By Iglika Ivanova

The latest BC job numbers reveal a picture of persistently high unemployment and stalled job creation. Since January, BC’s unemployment rate has been on a roller-coaster ride, down one month and up the next. All in all, here have been very few jobs created in 2013, far fewer than needed to employ our growing working… View Article

Why does BC have the highest poverty rate in Canada?

Jul 16, 2013

By Iglika Ivanova

Statistics Canada recently released new data on the incomes of Canadians and it shows two worrisome trends continuing through the economic recovery: BC has the highest poverty rate in Canada and the highest child poverty rate (tied with Manitoba); and Ordinary families in BC haven’t had a raise since 2008 – family incomes in the… View Article

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A progressive take on BC issues

A progressive take on BC issues

Children & youth

Child care unaffordability in Canada’s cities and what to do about it

If the political will is there, the money is too to settle teachers’ dispute

BC’s Awkward Surplus

How to fund improvements in class-size and composition: a matter of political will

New Living Wage Reports Force Us to Look at Child Poverty in the City

What the UBC rape chant scandal says about women in the Canadian economy

Are we undermining our schools by not investing enough in education?

With BC’s job market stalled, it’s time for a jobs plan that actually works

Why does BC have the highest poverty rate in Canada?