Recommendations to end Indigenous women’s displacement from land

On reserve

Recommendation 45: The federal government must eliminate the discrepancy in federal education funding for First Nations children being educated on reserve and First Nations children being educated off reserve, and provide sufficient funding to close educational attainment gaps.

Recommendations to end Indigenous women’s displacement from land

On reserve

Recommendation 47: Close the gaps in health outcomes between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities and focus on indicators such as infant mortality, maternal health, suicide, mental health, addictions, life expectancy, birth rates, infant and child health issues, chronic diseases, illness and injury incidence, and the availability of appropriate health services.

Recommendations to end Indigenous women’s displacement from land

On reserve

Recommendation 48: Provide an annual transport allowance for Indigenous women in the DTES to be able to travel to their home community.

Recommendations to guarantee economic security for Indigenous women in the DTES

Recommendation 55: Implement a human rights, Indigenous rights, and gender based analysis in the conception and implementation of all poverty reduction strategies, policies, legislation, and decision making.

Recommendations to guarantee economic security for Indigenous women in the DTES

Recommendation 56: All levels of government must coordinate on an Indigenous specific poverty reduction plan, complete with specific goals, targets, timelines, and accountabilities.

Recommendations to guarantee economic security for Indigenous women in the DTES

Recommendation 57: Implement an Indigenous reparations tax on top of property taxes on residential, commercial, and industrial properties, with all revenues going to implementation of an Indigenous poverty reduction plan.

Recommendations to guarantee economic security for Indigenous women in the DTES

Provincial income assistance

Recommendation 63: Eliminate barriers to accessing income and disability assistance by reducing unnecessary eligibility criteria and simplifying the application processes. This includes:

1. Removing the two-year financial independence requirement for income assistance.
2. Basing income assistance eligibility on current income only.
3. Removing the penalty clawback for failure to work search requirements for income assistance.
4. Removing the work search requirement for mothers with children over the age of three years old.

Recommendations to guarantee economic security for Indigenous women in the DTES

Provincial income assistance

Recommendation 64: Restructure the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, including:

1. Bringing back individual caseworkers and timely individualized assistance.
2. Ensuring there are computers and Ministry support staff at every Ministry office for the purpose of helping applicants.
3. Modifying the online application for income assistance so that it is not mandatory to create an email address and BCelD.

Recommendations to guarantee economic security for Indigenous women in the DTES

Provincial income assistance

Recommendation 74: Extend coverage for health supplements for people accessing income or disability assistance, such as counselling services that are particularly relevant for Indigenous women.

Recommendations to guarantee economic security for Indigenous women in the DTES

Employment security

Recommendation 76: Free skills training, retraining, and apprenticeships for Indigenous women in the DTES.