Recommendation 1: The provincial government should make sure all workers in BC are covered by the hourly minimum wage by the end of 2021 and establish a permanent Fair Wages Commission with research staff to examine issues related to low wages in BC and to give advice to the government on increases to the minimum wage.

Recommendation 2: Amend the Employment Standards Act to provide all workers, regardless of their employment status (full time, part time, casual) or length of service, with the right to paid sick leave.

Recommendation 3: Governments at all levels should ensure their direct and contract employees are paid a living wage that allows them to meet their basic needs, properly support their children and avoid chronic financial stress.

Recommendation 4: The provincial government should significantly raise income and disability assistance rates to bring total welfare incomes up to the CFLIM after-tax poverty thresholds and index them to inflation.

Recommendation 5: Adjust income and disability assistance rates for families with a child with disabilities to recognize the additional costs associated with raising a child with extra support needs.

Recommendation 6: The provincial government should expand the post-secondary program options eligible for support under the Single Parent Employment Initiative and, in the absence of enhancements to BC’s refundable post-secondary grants, allow all those on income assistance to retain benefits while attending a post-secondary institution.

Recommendation 7: The federal government should ensure the Canada Child Benefit, in combination with other income measures, raises all families with children above the CFLIM after tax poverty lines calculated through tax filer data and ensure access to this and other federal benefits for families in population groups with higher rates of poverty.

Recommendation 8: The provincial government should index the BC Child Opportunity Benefit to inflation to ensure the value of the benefit does not erode over time.

Recommendation 9: The federal and provincial governments should ensure maternity and parental leavebenefits are universally available to all parents (regardless of work status) and that the benefit levels are not less than the CFLIM after-tax poverty lines.

Recommendation 10: The federal government should enhance Employment Insurance to expand access, duration and levels of benefits to prevent and reduce child and family poverty.