Oct 17, 2024 · We deliver timely, progressive commentary on issues that affect British Columbians, including the economy, poverty, inequality, climate change, provincial budgets, taxes, public services, employment and much more. …

Nov 28, 2024 · In the absence of mandate letters, let’s take a look at what the new cabinet picks and the reorganization of some key ministries tell us, in light of NDP and Green election promises.

Sep 26, 2024 · Health care is a top priority issue for British Columbians and a key sector of the provincial economy. Leading up to the 2024 election, the BC Conservatives are promising major health care reforms, in particular a greater role for private health care. More choice and competition, they claim, will “unleash the power of private-sector innovation” and reduce wait times. There’s good reason ...

Nov 20, 2024 · The 2024 living wage for Metro Vancouver has risen to $27.05 per hour, a 5.3% increase from last year. This significant increase highlights the region’s deepening affordability crisis fuelled by sky-high housing costs. Living wages are also going up across the province as our new report shows. While inflation has eased from record highs, essential costs like rent and food continue to rise ...

Jun 1, 2022 · All three say that while climate change is a clear threat, the more pressing issue is how the government, and in particular the Ministry of Forests, manages key natural resources. They also say that simple things can be done now to set us on a better path: Spend a nominal amount of money to rapidly assess what at-risk logging roads are out there. Step up inspections of aging infrastructure and ...

Topics Browse our blog posts by topic: Children & youth (105) Climate change & energy policy (394) COVID-19 (67) Democracy (81) Economy (420) Education (73) Election commentary (54) Employment & labour (244) Environment, resources & sustainability (390) Fracking & LNG (104) Features (83) First Nations & Indigenous (73) FOI (1) Health care (115) Housing & homelessness (109) Immigrants ...

Nov 15, 2023 · However, the thousands of BC workers who earn less than the living wage in their community face impossible choices—buy groceries or heat the house, keep up with bills or pay the rent on time. The result can be spiraling debt, constant anxiety and long-term health problems. In many cases it means working long hours, often at multiple jobs, just to pay for basic necessities. You don’t have ...

Aug 30, 2023 · A first step would be to stop automatically cutting provincial property tax rates when property values rise faster than inflation. Holding rates steady wouldn’t raise much revenue initially, but if property values continue escalating, it would raise revenue and ensure more land value gains are captured for the public good (while helping to contain price escalation). In …

Nov 7, 2024 · In the BC election, significant tax cuts were put on the table by both the BC Conservatives and BC NDP in their policy platforms. While they were framed as a way of easing pressures on the cost of living, tax cuts would do little to address the structural problems underlying those cost pressures.

Dec 19, 2024 · Climate change, the impact of fossil fuels and the role of BC’s oil and gas industry were much-read analyzes this year. Here are some key articles.