See full poster here.

There’s a petition out there asking BC Premier Christy Clark to abolish the monthly MSP fees.

British Columbia stands alone — the only Canadian province to charge head-tax-like premiums for health care coverage.

It seems clear that B.C. should follow the lead of other provinces in eliminating its flat-rate MSP premiums!

Since MSP premiums are a form of tax, they should be assessed by thestandard criteria for taxation policy.

Given that 90 per cent of public health care costs already come from general revenues, B.C. has ample precedent for replacing its head tax with broader sources, and not becoming a Canadian outlier.

 It is time for British Columbia to follow the rest of the country and Abolish the MSP Premiums!!

At the end of 2015, the Province announced that MSP rates were going up. MSP rates will be going up from from $144 to $150 for a family of three or more, and incomes more than $30,000. Premium assistance rates will stay at 2015 rates.

For a while, three Canadian provinces required health care premiums: Ontario, Alberta and BC. In 2009, Alberta eliminated premiums. Ontario collects health premiums through provincial income tax. BC is currently the only province that bills individuals monthly. Under the Canada Health Act, however, health services cannot be denied due to financial inability to pay premiums.

According to this calculator, a family of four in Victoria needs an annual income of $45,887.28 excluding rent. MSP premiums (“discounts”) exist up until a family achieves an annual income of $30,000.

Resources

• To access the petition, click here
• Provincial increases in costs of living balanced by federal tax cuts (SPN)
• Costs of living calculator, Victoria
• CBC article: B.C. rates up in 2016, but ‘vast majority’ will pay less tax
• CBC article: Food prices set to rise in 2016 as weak loonie takes a bigger bite
• Petition urging Premier Christy Clark to “Freeze the MSP Tax.”
• MSP Rates