Budget 2027 consultation

Good morning. Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you today.

My name is Amy Mullis, and I am here on behalf of the Federation of Community Social Services of BC.

The Federation is a provincial association representing more than 170 community social service organizations that deliver essential supports in every region of British Columbia, in urban centres, rural communities and remote areas alike. Our members support children, youth, families, seniors and people navigating some of life’s most complex challenges. They deliver services that people living in British Columbia rely on every day, including child care, family support, counselling, housing supports, services for people with disabilities and seniors’ programs.

For decades, the community social services sector has been part of the social fabric that keeps communities strong. We provide prevention, care and stabilization long before challenges become emergencies and long before they become far more expensive for government systems to address.

Today, our sector is facing growing demand, increasing complexity and mounting operational pressures.

The evidence is clear.

A 2023 provincewide survey by the Social Planning and Research Council of British Columbia found that:

• more than 43 per cent of people living in British Columbia struggle to pay for basics like food, housing and heating
• more than 20 per cent report significant anxiety
• 14 per cent fear losing their housing
• and 72 per cent of people living in British Columbia have used a community social service at some point in their lives

These are not isolated pressures anymore. They are becoming normalized realities for families across this province.

And as demand rises, the sector is being asked to do more with systems and contracts that no longer reflect operational reality.

That is why our recommendations today focus on three priorities:

• modernizing contracts
• building a more responsive and preventative community social services sector
• and strengthening the workforce

First, we need to modernize contracts and administrative funding formulas.

Current funding models do not reflect the true cost of delivering care in 2026. Organizations are absorbing rising costs tied to cybersecurity, insurance, digital infrastructure, records management and compliance requirements without corresponding increases in administrative funding.

Many agencies are effectively fundraising for core operational infrastructure just to remain compliant and secure.

The current administrative framework is outdated. It was not designed for today’s digital and cybersecurity realities.

At the same time, wage inequities continue to destabilize the workforce.

Non-union workers in the community social services sector still earn, on average, less than workers doing comparable work in unionized settings. That gap affects recruitment, retention and continuity of care across the province.

We are asking the government to modernize contracts, so they reflect:

• real operational costs
• equitable compensation
• modern technology and cybersecurity obligations
• and sustainable cash-flow realities for service providers

Second, we need to build a more responsive and flexible community social services sector that moves from crisis response to prevention and care.

Community organizations are often the first place people turn before challenges escalate into emergency-room visits, justice-system involvement or homelessness.

We see this across the sector, including in child care. Today, approximately 55,000 children in British Columbia are on child care waitlists. Families cannot fully participate in the workforce when they cannot access care, and children miss opportunities for early learning and development.

Child care is not only an economic issue. It is a social determinant of health and a critical piece of community well-being.

When we invest upstream in community-based supports, we reduce downstream pressure on health care, policing and other public systems.

Third, we need a workforce strategy that matches the scale of the challenge we face.

Organizations across B.C. are struggling to recruit and retain workers, while young people are having difficulty finding stable, meaningful employment after graduation.

The government has an opportunity to solve two problems at once.

We are asking the province to invest in targeted workforce training, paid practicums and early-career pathways into community social services for recent graduates and young workers.

This is a practical, high-impact investment because the jobs already exist.

The need already exists.

What is missing is a coordinated strategy to connect people to the sector and provide the training, mentorship and support they need to succeed.

And unlike many sectors currently facing disruption, these are jobs rooted in human relationships, trust and care. They cannot be automated away. Artificial intelligence will not replace frontline workers supporting youth in crisis, helping seniors age with dignity or assisting families navigating poverty, mental health challenges and housing instability.

These are resilient, future-focused careers that strengthen communities while building economic participation.

A strong community social services sector helps build healthier communities, a stronger workforce and a more resilient province.

This is also an easy win for the government because the infrastructure already exists.

The sector is already provincewide.

The employers are already in place.

The demand is already urgent.

What we need now is investment that matches the realities on the ground.

British Columbia cannot build healthy and resilient communities without a strong community social services sector.

And the sector cannot meet growing demand without sustainable funding, modernized contracts and a stable workforce.

We look forward to working with the government to build a stronger, more connected and more resilient B.C.

Thank you for your time.