The BC Office works with a team of over 60 staff and volunteer researchers to investigate major problems in our province—the high rate of poverty, the extreme concentration of wealth, the serious environmental challenges. But we don’t stop there: we propose real, workable solutions to these problems. Our goal: social, economic and environmental justice. Recent publications include:
- Working for a Living Wage 2011: Making Paid Work Meet Basic Family Needs in Metro Vancouver calculated that $18.81 is the 2011 living wage which is based on the real costs of raising a family in Vancouver. We also publish a calculation guide for other communities.
- Fair and Effective Carbon Pricing: Lessons from BC called on the provincial government to fix the flaws in the carbon tax to make it fair for all British Columbians.
- Managing BC's Forests for a Cooler Planet: Carbon Storage, Sustainable Jobs and Conservation was co-published with forest industry unions and leading environmental groups. We’ve united behind a plan that calls on the BC government to conserve more forest, halt rampant wood waste and promote wise use of forest products — all as part of a concerted effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
We've also recently released a documentary film The Remaining Light, which looks at community-based services for seniors as they age and die. The film features the stories of seniors and their families, and explores themes of dignity, preventing illness and social isolation, and keeping health care costs under control as the boomer generation ages. You can watch the film online or order the DVD.
And there’s more— the CCPA-BC is part of some major projects that will develop ideas for broad-based changes to how BC society looks…
- The CCPA-BC is a founder and key member of the BC Poverty Reduction Coalition. This provincial network has made the call for a comprehensive poverty reduction plan with targets and timelines and continues to pressure the government for action.
- The CCPA-BC has partnered with UBC on the Climate Justice Project, a major five-year initiative that will examine how the province can meet its climate change obligations in a way that also promotes social justice.
The CCPA-BC relies on support from individual members and donors for its core funding, and thanks the Columbia Institute for its ongoing funding. Join or donate to the BC Office today.
