In a province as diverse and varied as British Columbia there aren’t a lot of universal daily experiences.
However, over the last few years one has grown increasingly common — we are all shocked and stressed at how expensive life has become.
Nearly everyday I talk to a constituent, friend, or family member about how much we just paid for a tank of gas, how expensive butter is at the grocery store, or how much housing prices have increased. No matter where you live in B.C., bare necessities cost more than ever, and it is having a serious impact on people.
A recent report from MNP confirms this. They found that 52 per cent of British Columbians are just $200 or less away from insolvency at the end of the month, meaning more than half of people in our province are living paycheque to paycheque, barely hanging on as costs continue to rise.
This is made more frustrating by the fact the NDP government came to power promising to make life more affordable.
I truly don’t think there’s anyone in B.C. who can say their life has become more affordable in the last six years. From housing, to food, to transportation, everything is more expensive, despite the many NDP photo-ops trying to convince people otherwise.
But just because this government hasn’t introduced any real measures to address the cost-of-living crisis, doesn’t mean that none are possible.
Our BC United Leader Kevin Falcon has suggested a temporary suspension of provincial gas taxes for over a year now. This could immediately make life just a little easier for everyone in B.C., and it would impact every part of the supply chain, as the price of gas impacts the cost of everything from groceries to construction.
No one measure will solve affordability, but there are innovative steps government could take to help people right now.
British Columbians genuinely cannot afford to wait any longer for this NDP government to take real action on affordability.
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