Last year Revelstoke City Council put forward a motion about food security to the Union of BC Municipalities.
It was supported by other municipal leaders at the annual convention and put forward to the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction.
The original motion read:
“Whereas more than one in ten households in BC, [1 in 7 households in the Interior Health region], experience household food insecurity and are more vulnerable to chronic conditions leading to health care costs that are two times higher than food secure households;
And whereas rates of household food insecurity are not reduced by food programs because they cannot address the root cause of household food insecurity, being lack of income and extreme material deprivation:
Therefore be it resolved that UBCM frame household food insecurity as an income-based problem and advocate to provincial and federal governments for evidence-based income policy solutions to food insecurity.”
READ MORE: Revelstoke City Council wants to talk about food insecurity at UBCM
The ministry’s response to the city, dated March 27, 2020, said that their program, TogetherBC includes several initiatives to address a lack of affordability for goods and services for people living on low income.
The provincial government has also established an independent committee that is researching the feasibility of basic income in B.C. and how to apply basic income principles to help find ways to improve the system of income supports.
“Addressing food security and income insecurity require comprehensive policy solutions from all levels of government, business, and within the community. Government welcomes collaboration from local governments in developing these solutions,” read the letter from the ministry.
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jocelyn.doll@revelstokereview.com
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