Finance Minister Carole James is introducing the N-D-P's first full budget in nearly two decades, saying Budget 2018 "carves a new path to shared prosperity" for everyone in the province with a made-in-BC child care plan.
The government will invest more than $1 billion dollars over 3 years to put BC on the path to a universal child care, with a plan James says will make child care affordable for parents and caregivers, create more than 22,000 child care spaces, and ensure those spaces meet rigorous quality and safety standards.
James also introduced a housing plan, with record levels of capital investment in every corner of the province. The plan invests more than $1.6 billion over 3 years to build and maintain affordable rental housing, help finance student housing, increase rental assistance for low-income seniors and working families, and provide supportive housing for at-risk British Columbians.
James also introduced new taxation measures to tackle foreign and domestic speculation, to close loopholes and crack down on tax fraud, and to stabilize housing prices.
And the government says it will make ferries more affordable by freezing fares on all major BC Ferries routes, reducing fares on non-major routes and fully restoring the Monday to Thursday seniors passenger fare discount.
Despite the additional spending, James forecasts a surplus of $219 million for this fiscal year.
Here's the highlights:
* Introducing a new affordable child-care benefit that will reduce child-care costs by up to $1,250 per month for every child and support 86,000 B.C. families per year by 2020-21.
* Providing up to $350 per month directly to licenced child-care providers to reduce fees for an estimated 50,000 families per year by 2020-21.
* Curbing speculation in B.C.'s housing market and helping to build 114,000 affordable rental, non-profit, co-op and owner-purchase housing units through partnerships.
* Eliminating Medical Services Plan (MSP) premiums by Jan. 1, 2020, saving individuals up to $900 a year, and families up to $1,800 a year.
* Making ferries more affordable by freezing fares on all major BC Ferries routes, reducing fares on non-major routes and fully restoring the Monday to Thursday seniors passenger fare discount.
* Improving B.C.'s Fair PharmaCare program to eliminate deductibles for families with annual net incomes below $30,000, starting Jan. 1, 2019. Approximately 240,000 families will receive expanded coverage.
* Reinstating free bus passes with the flexibility to support other transportation needs will help over 100,000 people receiving disability assistance to better connect them with their communities and the services they rely on.
* Health care investments, with funding of $548 million over three years to improve care for seniors and $150 million to help connect those who do not have a family doctor with team-based primary care.
* Hiring more teachers, bringing the total to over 3,700 new hires around the province to support students and meet the need for qualified teachers in B.C.
* Making a historic investment of $50 million this fiscal year to support the revitalization and preservation of Indigenous languages in B.C.
* Dedicating $18 million to services that provide outreach and counselling support for women and children affected by violence.
* Improving access to justice through increased funding for legal aid, family law services, and the hiring of more sheriffs and court staff to help reduce court delays.
* Supporting communities hit the hardest by the 2017 wildfire season and investing in wildfire preparedness to protect people, communities and wildlife.
* Increasing funding for B.C.'s agrifood sector to support enhanced Buy BC, Grow BC and Feed BC initiatives to drive consumer demand and get B.C.'s goods to overseas markets.
* Confirming the removal of fees for Adult Basic Education and English Language Learning to give people opportunities to grow and succeed.
* Partnering with industry, the federal government and First Nations communities to support Indigenous skills training programs with $30 million over three years.
* Increasing grants administered through the BC Arts Council and Creative BC, which support B.C.'s vibrant communities and creative economy.
* Expanding B.C.'s tuition waiver program and increasing financial support for former youth in care while they attend post-secondary school or training programs.
* A speculation tax, and increases in the foreign buyers' tax, to address housing affordability in B.C. by reducing foreign demand, and curbing speculation in the residential property market.
* An employer health tax to allow for the full elimination of MSP premiums.