Recommendations:

1. Develop a sister initiative to the Single Parents Employment Initiative (SPEI program), such as the Single Parent's and Women's Employment Initiative (SPWEI). Such an initiative would form the basis of a feminist pandemic response retraining and reskilling initiative available to all women. The initiative would target the significant income and job losses lower-waged women in the hospitality, food and other female-dominated sectors have experienced due to the COVID-19 pandemic. SPWEI to provide subsidized education and training, childcare, transportation, plus the suite of SPEI supports for women economically disadvantaged by the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure their re-entry to the labour market. SPWEI program not conditional on accessing income assistance or disability assistance, but a preventative program for those who are on ministry supports or about to onboard due to the impact of COVID-19 job loss.  All enhanced aspects of the new initiative to be available to those who accessed IA or PWD throughout the COVID-19 pandemic as well.

2. Expand the Single Parents Employment Initiative (SPEI) to include access to all higher education and programs and expand the program to all on income or disability assistance. 

3. Introduce a distinct stream of both the SPEI program and the new SPWEI stream that is trauma-informed, culturally appropriate and in line with the implementation of BC’s UNDRIP legislation and (draft) action plan to meet the unique needs of off-reserve Indigenous lone-mothers accessing income or disability assistance. 

4. Address the gender pay gap and implement stand-alone pay equity legislation. 

5. Raise the income and disability assistance rates 10% above the poverty line. 

6. Increase the earnings exemption 50%.

7. Provide an initial lump sum payment equivalent to four months of income assistance for all those escaping gender-based family violence when if apply for assistance, and exempt them from the Expected to Work category for one year as recommended in the Expert Panel on Basic Income report. #FamilyJusticeNotViolence

8. Eliminate the asset test for income assistance. 

9. Combine the shelter and support allowance into one payment that is not conditional on having shelter costs. 

10. Lower the benefit reduction rate for earnings while on income and disability assistance from 100% to 50%.