Stop Welfare Time Limits

On April 1, 2002 the BC Liberal Government implemented legislation that only allows people to be on welfare for two out of every five years. This means that starting this April 1, 2004 single people who have received welfare benefits for the past two years will no longer be able to receive welfare for the following three years. This will happen irregardless of the person having a job or any other income to live on. Single parents will lose $100 off their cheque each month for the following three years and two parent families will lose $200 off of their cheque. This means that single parents with one child will only have $225.58 to live on for the entire month!

BC is the only province in Canada to have instituted such a policy that will result in far worse levels of poverty and desperation for all people living in poverty. This policy also violates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which recognizes that everyone has a right to an adequate standard of living.

Having time limits on welfare will affect all of us whether we are or are not on welfare. For landlords it will mean that many of their tenants will no longer be able to pay rent. For schools it will mean more children coming hungry. For businesses it means more people sleeping and panning on the streets. For workers time limits ultimately undermine the bargaining power of working people by flooding the labour market. A study in the US found that if the low-wage market were to give jobs to former welfare recipients without displacing current workers, pay would fall by nearly 12% for the bottom 30% of workers. For tax payers it means paying more money in police, court, hospital and shelter costs that are associated with homelessness. Time limits will also lead to more mothers having their children apprehended as they will not have the money to raise them. This will overburden an already stretched to the limit foster care system.

In Vancouver, a coalition of anti poverty groups, women's groups, faith groups, unions and other concerned organizations and individuals are fighting back against this repressive legislation. Spearheading the effort is the Anti-Two Year Time Limit Coalition which is providing information on people's rights, who will be affected by the changes, and how to become involved. Contact the coalition at (604) 879-1209.

By Lisa Wulwik      
End Legislated Poverty