{"id":3347,"date":"2023-12-04T21:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-12-05T02:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stillcoviding.ca\/en\/?p=3347"},"modified":"2024-02-26T23:27:05","modified_gmt":"2024-02-27T04:27:05","slug":"renew-pandemic-support-in-bcs-2024-budget","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stillcoviding.ca\/en\/take-action\/renew-pandemic-support-in-bcs-2024-budget\/","title":{"rendered":"Renew pandemic support in BC\u2019s 2024 Budget"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"BC\u2019s<\/figure>\n\n\n

B.C. funding for COVID-related initiatives\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>ends after 2023<\/span><\/strong><\/a>. This means losing capacity for economic recovery, supporting vulnerable British Columbians, and vital health management like vaccination, testing, and protective equipment for healthcare workers.<\/p>\n

As we head into 2024, we call on the B.C. government to recommit to funding these essential programs<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 and to harness lessons learned so far from COVID-19 and climate emergencies, and make forward-thinking investments in public health:<\/p>\n

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  1. Renew a three year-plan<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0for economic recovery, sustainable health management of communicable diseases, and resilience against future pandemics;<\/li>\n
  2. Establish a\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>Clean Indoor Air Act<\/span><\/strong><\/a>\u00a0with an Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) advisory council;<\/li>\n
  3. Support a comprehensive building retrofit strategy<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0including cooling and IAQ improvements in the BC Building Code;<\/li>\n
  4. Provide a tax credit<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0of $5 million\/year to offset PPE<\/abbr> costs for low-income seniors and persons with disabilities (bolstered by expanded medical equipment coverage, and raising rates of income and disability assistance indexed to inflation);<\/li>\n
  5. Include Long COVID care<\/span><\/strong> in improved support for complex chronic illnesses;<\/li>\n
  6. Invest in improved digital health solutions<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0including better usability and interoperability between health authorities.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n
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    Send an email to your MLA<\/abbr><\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Enter your address to find your local representative. Then use our email wording, or write your own!<\/p>\n

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    Find our full budget recommendations here<\/span><\/strong> (including some of the government spending recommendations they\u2019re based on):<\/p>\n\n

    GET FULL RECOMMENDATIONS<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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    \ud83d\udce3<\/span> More ways to take action<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Make your voice heard ASAP<\/abbr>! The final budget will be announced on February 22.<\/span><\/strong>
    Already sent an email and     shared this campaign<\/a><\/strong>?
    Get your     MLA\u2019s contact info here<\/strong><\/a>, then take further action!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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    \n\ud83d\udcde<\/span> Leave a phone message<\/a><\/div>
    \n\ud83d\udce0<\/span> Send a free fax<\/a><\/div>
    \n\ud83d\udc8c<\/span> Send postcards<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n
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    Why does this matter?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n