Programs-Based Overview of Income and Social Support Programs for Working-Age Persons in British Columbia

Abstract

In this paper, we conduct a deep-dive into federal and provincial income and support programs available to B.C. residents. We look at individual program requirements and gaps between programs. Focusing on cash transfers, we examine how programs align with basic income principles of simplicity, respect, economic stability, and social inclusion, finding that programs delivered through the tax system are more closely aligned with basic income principles than provincial social assistance; however, social assistance plays a large role in the income and social support system. We also examine the ability of cash transfer programs and programs intended to provide support in a crisis offered in B.C. to address income poverty, both rates and depths, as well as poverty cycles.