Single parents can keep child-support, but little else in budget for families

B.C. Finance Minister Mike de Jong tables the budget in the Legislative Assembly in Victoria, B.C., Tuesday February 17, 2015 as Premier Christy Clark looks on. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito)

VICTORIA - B.C.'s latest budget will allow poor single parents to keep more money from social assistance, but otherwise there are few new measures that will directly benefit families in the province.

Finance Minister Mike de Jong's latest budget once again forgoes splashy spending announcements in favour of balancing the books.

One of the few new measures in the budget is a plan to end the practice of clawing back child-support payments from income-assistance calculations, which will cost the government $32 million over the next three years.

The budget also includes more than $100 million in additional funding for Community Living B.C. over three years, as well as an additional $20 million for income assistance, largely to address the growth in disability payments.

Parents who already claim recreation fees will automatically receive a tax credit for their children's fitness equipment, but that will only translate to a maximum benefit of $12.65 per child.

Health-care premiums are also increasing by four per cent on Jan. 1, 2016, meaning a single person will pay $3 more each month, for a total of $75, and families will pay an extra $6, or $150 per month.