Social Development Critic sees little right with disability assistance rate increases from BC Liberals

The opposition spokesperson for Social Development has sounded off on the province’s increase on disability rates.

On Friday, the BC government announced a $199 million dollar jump in assistance rates.

However, Michelle Mungall believes the move is a slap in the face.

“When you take away Christy Clark’s spin and you actually look and what’s happening with these people in their lives all we see is her giving back what she took away last year with the bus pass clawback minus the toonie.”

Mungall will re-introduce her poverty reduction plan for a sixth time in the near future and she believes this could solve the problem. “I have introduced the bill five times and I will re-introduce it again this spring because BC is the only province without a plan and what we’re learning about plans from other jurisdictions is that they work.”

Mungall adds the disabled population of BC is already having a tough time getting by and this recent change doesn’t help. “People with disabilities are living off less than a thousand dollars a month and they’re struggling just to get food on the table. Last year we saw the government give with one hand only to take away with another by instituting the new bus pass fee for people with disabilities at 52 dollars a month.”

According to the BC Liberals, disability assistance rates will rise by $50 a month starting on April 1.

Currently, a single person with a person with disabilities designation will receive $1,033 per month in disability assistance, up from $983.

A couple in which both classify as PWD will get an additional $100 per month, for a total of $1,773.