YOUR PERSPECTIVE: NDP’s failed affordability policies are harming British Columbians
After seven years under the NDP government, more British Columbians are struggling to afford everyday essentials. Rising costs and shrinking paychecks have hit people in every corner of the province as B.C. has become the least affordable province in Canada.
And as if that wasn’t bad enough, we also face the most unaffordable housing in North America, the highest rental costs in Canada, and the highest gas prices and gas taxes in North America — not a record to be proud of.
One of the biggest challenges people face is the skyrocketing cost of grocery prices. This issue is a common topic everywhere from family kitchen tables to construction sites, to conversations with strangers. It’s what’s led to a nearly 60 percent increase in food bank usage with 62,000 children relying on these services every month.
Additionally, Food Banks Canada has given B.C. a failing grade for its overall poverty reduction efforts. The report highlights that 45 percent of British Columbians feel worse off this year than last — a dismal outcome from a government that promised to improve lives, not make them harder.