The rise and fall of welfare time limits in BC

When the newly elected Liberal government of British Columbia announced in 2001 that it was developing policies to impose time limits to welfare, they were announcing changes that were unprecedented in Canada. In September of 2002, these changes became law and beginning in April 2004 certain classes of recipients would have their monthly benefits reduced or eliminated if they remained on income assistance for more than 24 months in a 60 month period. This legislation was the first of its kind in Canadian history and was part of a wider program of punitive welfare reforms aimed at reducing the welfare budget and welfare caseloads by thirty percent…