Decreasing the cost of living and increase minimum wage.

Decreasing the cost of living and increase minimum wage.

Decreasing the cost of living MUST be the NDP's primary economic push if they want any hope of being taken seriously.

FIRST decrease the cost of living inflated by speculation.

Decreasing the cost of property inflated speculation will also allow farmers to pay for their land from its productivity rather than just holding by re-mortgaging, and waiting for a land speculator to buy them out.

Increasing minimum wage does help people in retail service industry which is 11% of the population. The bigger problem is 20% of the work force is over 55 near retirement. And 50 to 70 makes almost 30% of the population.

As you can clearly see decreasing the cost of living is the only solution. Increasing minimum wage helps, but it only helps a few and does not help those in most critical need. Increased minimum wage does not help the intern or homeless/jobless person looking to gain job experience. Both of these are examples where working below minimum wage can open opportunities for a much better life.

https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/as-sa/99-012-x/99-012-x2011002-eng.cfm
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/labor21a-eng.htm

The increased housing cost is forcing people further from jobs and services. This increased cost is about $5 / hr. The effect is about the same as increasing the minimum wage from $10 / hr to $15 / hr and would attract business rather than driving it away.


THE ONLY SOLUTION IS TO REMOVE SPECULATION DRIVING UP PRICES!!!!

Sadly the Canadian Economy has grown dependent on inflating home prices driven by property speculation. And it is a DEPT SINK HOLE sucking money out of the economy away from productive investments that create jobs through providing products and services.
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At the provincial level subdivided home lots are too small for redevelopment into mid / high rise buildings and provide no opportunity for community parks to replace peoples back yards.

City / suburb blocks owned by the home / property owners will eliminate the need for speculators inflating home prices to gather connected property required for redevelopment. This should be extended further such that city / suburb block owners RETAINS some MONEY from sales which it can use for improvement. The cultural effect of using joint money to improve the community will lead the home / property owners into realizing that they can benefit from being share holders of city block redevelopment.

A land value tax has been suggested to encourage redevelopment, by making empty houses an expensive tax liabilities. But that is NOT the problem. The problem is neighbourhoods blocking redevelopment that they see no benefit from. This is why I have provided the above solution.

http://www.straight.com/news/725366/opposition-leader-john-horgan-says-bc-ndp-government-will-raise-minimum-wage-15-hour