Poverty-reduction targets coming in spring: NDP

New legislated targets and timelines for reducing poverty in B.C. will be introduced next spring, Social Development Minister Shane Simpson has announced.

Simpson said the province will begin drafting legislation in late January with the help of the 27-person Advisory Forum on Poverty Reduction.

“We will commit in the legislation to targets and timelines,” he said.

“The specifics of the numbers — I’m looking forward to getting some advice from the forum on how to proceed with that. They’ll be providing some direction and then we’ll be writing the legislation.”

Simpson announced appointments to the forum along with the launch of a public engagement process and website to assist in developing a poverty reduction strategy. The process will include in-person consultation sessions in up to 20 communities.

The government has set aside $1.2 million to cover the cost of the process to the end of March 2018.

The NDP frequently called for a poverty reduction strategy while in Opposition, but the former Liberal government refused to adopt one, arguing that it was more effective to grow the economy and create jobs.

The Liberals capitulated in their final throne speech before getting bounced from office in June, pledging to implement a province-wide poverty reduction strategy with a particular focus on children.

Liberal critic Marvin Hunt said he was surprised the government isn’t talking more about job creation as part of a poverty reduction strategy.

“I would think that that would be a normal part of it,” he said. “That’s a concern to us.”

Hunt also expressed concern at the amount of money dedicated to the process. “It’s a tremendous pile of money and you sit there and go, ‘What’s that for? Is that for the 20 consultations that they’re having? That’s a pretty expensive dinner.”

Simpson said the provincial budget in February will contain “pieces that support” a poverty reduction strategy. He cited recent announcements about free tuition for children in care and elimination of fees for adult basic education and English language learning.

“Those are critical components of a poverty reduction strategy,” he said. “So what you’re going to see is a whole range of issues coming forward.”

Simpson said other changes will be made by changing regulations, rather than introducing legislation. “We’ll be able to be nimble.”

The advisory forum will be co-chaired by NDP Vancouver-Kensington MLA Mable Elmore, parliamentary secretary for poverty reduction, and Dawn Hemingway, chair of the School of Social Work at the University of Northern B.C.

“I look forward to hearing from British Columbians from all walks of life and also from all regions of the province,” Hemingway said.

“In my view, this effort is long overdue and I’m confident that we have the collective will to make sure this happens.”