Liberals stand pat, raise price of bus passes for disabled riders
By Nelson Daily Staff
On the NDP website, Nelson/Creston MLA Michelle Mungall said despite protests across the province, the B.C. Liberals have raised the price of bus passes for people with disabilities from $45 a year to $624 a year.
“By raising the cost of bus passes for people with disabilities the Christy Clark government is forcing many people with disabilities to choose between food and other basics and the ability to get around,” said New Democrat social development spokesperson Michelle Mungall.
“Raising the cost of bus passes for people with disabilities is wrong, it’s mean, and shows that the Christy Clark government has the wrong priorities.”
According to the Nelson Committee on Homelessness (NCOH) disability assistance rates in BC are among the lowest in Canada and BC is also the only province to have no poverty-reduction plan.
Despite growing issues with homelessness and poverty in both Nelson and the province as a whole, assistance rates have remained at $610/month for an individual without disabilities and $906/month for a person with a disability since 2007. This amount of money has to cover a variety of costs, including housing, utility, food, health, and clothing costs.
Mungall said that while people on disability are being asked to pay more for transportation, Premier Christy Clark is spending tax dollars on flying her personal photographer around the world, and on private jets for herself.
“It’s outrageous for Christy Clark to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on private jets and personal photographers while hiking the cost of bus passes for people with disabilities,” said Mungall.
“While the premier’s tastes become more and more extravagant, life keeps getting less and less affordable for ordinary British Columbians.”
