"Over 4,300 families have been given new support through the rent supplement program. It will be expanded this year."
2008 Speech from the Throne

The Throne Speech failed to mention that when the rent supplement program was first announced on October 3, 2006, Housing Minister Rich Coleman's news release said: "The Rental Assistance Program, estimated to help up to 15,000 British Columbian families, comes into effect immediately." I guess the key words were "up to" because the program has failed to reach those who need it. In her February 2007 budget, Finance Minister Carole Taylor announced an expansion of the program; her news release said her budget was: "Expanding the Rental Assistance Program by raising the income threshold to $28,000 a year. This means 5,800 additional working families - more than 20,000 in total - will be eligible to receive up to $563 a month to help with their housing costs." By the estimate of the Campbell government, almost 16,000 low-income BC families have not received the benefits they were promised.

The Auditor General recently chastised the Campbell government saying: "more needs to be done if the province hopes to reach its literacy goal of becoming the most literate jurisdiction in North America by 2015." The Auditor noted that: "40% of working age British Columbians lack sufficient literacy skills to fully participate in today's workforce." Perhaps that is one of the reasons the advertising campaign that used ads for rental assistance on bus shelters and in buses didn't reach those who are eligible for the program. Perhaps the Campbell government just didn't try hard enough to reach out to those who have not enjoyed the good times in BC.

The failure of the rent supplement program to reach its intended beneficiaries is typical of the Campbell government; over -state and under-achieve has been the government's method of operation. That should cause a lot of concern for anyone who thinks that the 112 point program announced in Tuesday's Throne Speech will produce measurable results.