Public Interest Research Project
Investing trends in health care, education, social programs, crown corporations.
The BC Office’s Public Interest Project is a special research desk staffed by economist Iglika Ivanova, who investigates issues and trends in areas such as health care, education, social programs, and crown corporations. She also examines the relationship between taxation and government spending on public services, and the impact of public services on quality of life.
Creating the conditions for businesses and communities to thrive
- A decent minimum wage
- Improvements to seniors’ care
- A poverty reduction plan
- Reducing surgical wait times
- Investigating precarious employment in BC
Our publications are available to all at no cost. Please support the CCPA and help make important research and ideas available to everyone. Make a donation today.
A Poverty Reduction Plan for BC
Download 751.9 KB 65 pages This report lays out a comprehensive poverty reduction plan for BC. In 2009, after the report was published, the CCPA-BC,…
BC government pay raise highlights the growing income gap
The recent steep pay hikes for BC’s senior bureaucrats triggered quite a controversy. Handing out raises in the 20 to 43% range at the top…
BC’s minimum wage should not be a poverty wage
Labour and social justice groups in BC have long urged the provincial government to increase the minimum wage to a level that guarantees a path…
Denying income inequality won’t make it go away
The May release of the 2006 Census data on earnings and incomes sparked a heated debate about inequality in Canada. Media commentators argued whether it…
Afghanistan gas pipeline could impact Canada’s role in Afghanistan: report
READ THE FULL REPORT HERE. OTTAWA – A new report released today by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) raises serious questions about the impact…
From Public Servants to Corporate Employees
The BC Government’s Alternative Service Delivery Plan in Practice Download 1.17 MB 51 pages
Outsourced BC public employees feel contracting out has hurt workplace morale and quality of customer service
READ THE FULL REPORT HERE. Vancouver–Outsourced BC Hydro and Medical Services Plan workers believe an erosion of customer service is occurring, as they are pressured…
When workers’ jobs are shifted from the public service to for-profit corporations, does anything change?
The BC Government’s Alternative Service Delivery Plan in practice When a meter-reader comes to your home to check your monthly electricity consumption, they wear a…
Who Gets What from the 2007 BC Tax Cut?
Download 178.54 KB4 pages A Behind the Numbers report which breaks down just who will benefit from the tax cut in the 2007 provincial budget.…
Fair Fares
Enhancing BC’s Transit Use and Affordability Download 584.74 KB 8 pages This Behind the Numbers report looks at transit reliance in Vancouver and the impact…
Government Not Enforcing Health Laws
The provincial government recently stated that user charges for emergency health care services provided at the new False Creek Urgent Care Centre are legal. Minister…
It’s time to raise BC’s minimum wage above the poverty line
What does it mean to be a minimum wage earner in British Columbia? It means making $8 per hour—or as little as $6 if you’re…
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