In 2020, a 3-person expert panel released a roadmap for reforming BC’s social safety net. What happened to that?

While the government allows rates of social assistance to become even more unlivable and underfunds the social safety net, we are creating this report and supporting toolkit to build public awareness and pressure around the need for meaningful investment. 

The BC Government has been told - by expert panels they have convened, by people with lived and living experiences of poverty, and by anti-poverty organizations and advocates - what the pathways are to lift people out of deep and working working poverty.

In 2025, the BC Poverty Reduction Coalition began a project to review progress towards the 65 recommendations made by the Universal Basic Income Expert Panel. We have compiled a list of 5 top-mover priorities and three complimentary directions for the government to take following a review of government reforms to the social safety net since 2020, public consultations documents form the 2024 update to the poverty reduction strategy, and taking leadership from our Coalition members and partners. Stay tuned for our full report and advocacy toolkit in Fall 2026!

where do we go from here: six priorities for action

1. Full implementation of targeted income for former youth in-care by lifting income supports to the Market Basket Measure and lengthening the time to receive unconditional income until age 25. 

2. Create a targeted income for people fleeing domestic violence with lump sum and ongoing income supports to provide effective, dignified and empowering support to survivors and their children to help them to move forward and recover after leaving violence. 

3. Ensure access and navigation in the social safety net by investing in a strong public sector workforce and streamlining application processes.

4. Make social assistance rates livable by lifting the rates of Income Assistance and Persons With Disability Assistance to the Market Basket measure, while reducing clawbacks on benefits. 

5. Making work work by better supporting transitions into the workforce 

6. Expand targeted supportive housing by adding 5,000 units to stock across the province, while also ensuring tenant’s rights and appropriate staff-resident ratios are met to ensure safety for all.