Message from the Minister and
Accountability Statement

As Minister of Employment and Income Assistance, it is my responsibility to provide an income assistance system that is fair, caring and sustainable — an effective system of supports that will be there for British Columbians if they need it. Our government also continues to be committed to helping people who are able to work to find and keep jobs, and providing assistance that makes a real difference in people’s lives.

One of our government’s Great Goals for a Golden Decade is to build the best system of support in Canada for persons with disabilities, special needs, children at risk and seniors. The Ministry of Employment and Income Assistance will continue to provide the greatest level of supports to improve the quality of life for British Columbians with disabilities. We are also committed to ensuring B.C. seniors benefit from our stronger economy with greater income support.

Through the Minister’s Council on Employment for Persons with Disabilities, we are also supporting government’s Great Goal of creating more jobs per capita than anywhere else in Canada. By bringing together business and community leaders to remove barriers to employment and promote people with disabilities as highly skilled and motivated employees, we are creating new opportunities for people with disabilities — and B.C. businesses. For persons with disabilities for whom employment is not a possibility, we will continue to provide our highest levels of assistance and support.

In addition to providing assistance to those most in need, we continue to help people who are able to work to achieve sustainable employment. We will help British Columbians with barriers to employment to overcome those barriers and find good jobs. By helping our clients achieve independence, we are assisting them to build brighter futures for themselves and their families.

The Ministry of Employment and Income Assistance will also support this government’s Great Goal to lead the way in North America in healthy living and physical fitness. We have improved our programs so that children, women and people with special needs have better access to dental, optical and nutritional supports. And we will continue to provide programs to meet the changing needs of our clients so they can develop the lifestyle and employment skills they need to take advantage of all the opportunities our province presents.

I look forward to working with ministry staff and partner agencies to reach new levels of service to British Columbians, and to thank them for their ongoing dedication and professionalism.

The Ministry of Employment and Income Assistance 2005/06 – 2007/08 Service Plan Update September 2005 was prepared under my direction in accordance with the Budget Transparency and Accountability Act. I am accountable for the basis on which the plan has been prepared. All material fiscal assumptions and policy decisions as of August 31, 2005, have been considered in preparing the plan and I am accountable for achieving the specific objectives in the plan.

Honourable Claude Richmond
Minister of Employment and Income Assistance

September 14, 2005