February 1st, 2020 – Freya Wasteneys/Capilano Courier
According to Ma, feedback regarding the cut has been overwhelmingly positive. “In my own district of North Vancouver-Lonsdale, there are a surprising amount of families who struggle, and being able to save [the money that once went towards MSP] does actually make a big difference. It’s a huge relief for a lot of people.”
The premium has long been criticized as an unfair tax. Until recently, BC was the only province in Canada to collect fees to allow access to health care. “We found that it was a regressive tax,” said Ma. “It was virtually a blanket cost, which was not properly adjusted according to income. Plus, most people in the upper- or middle-income bracket also had their MSP premiums paid for by their employers, so it was really those who were unemployed or struggling financially who were most negatively impacted.”