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Provincial budget garners praise from Vernon-Monashee MLA

The budget calls for $673 million in additional support for children, families and individuals in need

Vernon-Monahee's MLA says prudent financial planning will benefit necessary social services.

The provincial government introduced its latest budget in the Legislature Tuesday.

"I am pleased to see us putting money into a whole lot of things," said Eric Foster.

"Extra money will go into the ministries of children and families and social development. If there is any place we can put it, I an pleased to see it there. We've been struggling there."

The budget calls for $673 million in additional support for children, families and individuals  in need over three years, including $217 million for the Ministry of Children and Family Development to support vulnerable youth and their  families, and $456 million for the Ministry of Social Development and to support those in need and to increase monthly  disability income assistance rates.

However, the official opposition is not impressed with the budget.

“The premier could have made this budget about tax fairness, but she chose to just tinker around the edges of the MSP tax, which amounts to little more than a shell game,” said John Horgan, NDP leader, in a release.

"This is not a budget for B.C. families. This budget continues the billion-dollar tax break for millionaires, and dings everyone else so Christy Clark can make a deposit to her slush fund to pay for her photo-ops.”

The budget calls for a Prosperity Fund, but Horgan says 25 per cent of it will be for core government priorities and that, "looks like code for a slush fund."