strengthening our social safety net
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 poverty and support working people from falling into poverty or experiencing 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!
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Fully implement targeted income support for former youth in-care
Create a targeted income support for people fleeing domestic violence
Improve service provision and navigation through a strong public sector and workers
Raise social assistance rates and index rates to the Market Basket Measure
Expand targeted supportive housing
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Increase access to extended health benefits
Evaluate training and work supports
Inform of Eligibility for Supports and Benefits
Check out the first policy briefing from this project!
Recommendation 43 from the expert panel was to create a targeted income for people fleeing domestic violence. From 2025-2026, our team consulted with anti-violence organizations across BC to learn how that income support could be built in survivor-centered and trauma-informed ways. This briefing was supported by 16 organizations in May of 2026.
