The provincial government is not doing enough to combat poverty in New Brunswick according to a year end report released by the Common Front for Social Justice.
Jean Claude Basque is the provincial coordinator for the group and he says one of their biggest concerns is the vague nature of the new Five Year Poverty Reduction Plan – especially as compared to the first version of the plan.
“And in the first plan there was quite a number of actions, and even timetables. In the new plan, you don’t see it,” says Basque. “So the new plan is kind of diluted compared to the first one.
Basque says housing is a major and immediate concern for the working poor.
“Housing is a big ticket item of their budget,” says Basque. “So the government needs to put more money into developing social housing and making it accessible to more citizens.”
Basque says on the upside, the government has taken some strides forward, including raising the minimum wage, making the New Brunswick Drug Plan optional, and increasing taxes on the wealthy.
However, he warns there is still a lot to be done if the government wants to see a significant reduction in poverty.
