St. John’s, NL (June 24, 2025) – Tony Wakeham, Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party and MHA for Stephenville – Port au Port, today issued the following statement on Government’s Poverty Reduction Plan update:

“The Liberal government still has no real poverty reduction and prevention plan – only a patchwork of ad-hoc initiatives.  A meaningful plan must include measurable and actionable targets. It should provide people with the skills, tools and supports required to lift them out of poverty.  This is not the case with the Liberal plan.

While today’s changes to the Income Support Program are a step in the right direction, they fall far short of what’s really needed in our province. Letting people keep more of their benefits is important—but it won’t solve the growing crisis of affordability.

One-time supports, like the new $100 back-to-school payment, are not enough when nearly 40 per cent of children in this province live in food-insecure households. These children and their families need reliable, year-round support.  That is why, as Premier, I would extend the NL Child Benefit so more children and families qualify for this support. No child in our province should go without the basics.

In 2024, Stats Canada reported that over 30 per cent of people in Newfoundland and Labrador lived in a food-insecure household. This is unacceptable. The lack of a fulsome poverty reduction and prevention plan by the Liberals is leaving people behind. This will not happen under a PC government.

A PC government under my leadership would launch a responsive Poverty Reduction and Prevention Strategy with the goal of making Newfoundland and Labrador’s poverty rate the lowest in the country. Ours will be a 10-year plan with measurable targets, led through a cross-government approach and built in consultation with stakeholders and experts.  It would focus on workforce development, education and skills training, job search assistance, direct financial support, stronger social safety nets, literacy and early intervention for children and youth, and increased support for community-based organizations. We will provide people with the tools and opportunities they need to break the cycle of poverty and build a better and brighter future.”