MoveUP union pleased as Enhanced Care launches at ICBC

May 1, 2021

After over two years of advocacy and engaging with British Columbians across the province, MoveUP – the union representing over 5,000 front-line workers at the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) – is pleased to see the official launch of Enhanced Care today.

“We heard from British Columbians all across the province that while costs were obviously a major concern, what was an even more pressing matter was knowing you would be taken care of after you are in an accident,” said Annette Toth, MoveUP Vice-President. “As Enhanced Care becomes officially implemented, our members who deal directly with motorists are thrilled that their main purpose will be to connect people who have been in accidents with the care and treatment they require.”

The launch of Enhanced Care, which is modeled after similar car insurance systems in Manitoba and Saskatchewan where they enjoy the lowest rates in Canada, has already had the effect of dramatically lowering insurance renewal rates for drivers across the province and will provide superior care for those injured in car crashes.

The adjacent legislations that have been brought in by the BC NDP government work to ensure that no future government can take dividends out of ICBC at the expense of the ratepayers as the BC Liberals did during their time in government from 2001 to 2017.

“It is easy to forget now but in the early 2000s, BC had among the cheapest – if not the cheapest – rates in Canada. Then the BC Liberals started raiding ICBC and used it as their own piggy bank to make it seem like they were balancing the books,” said Toth. “Since then, we’ve learned the BC Liberals hid recommendations from the public when they knew there were financial concerns, literally tried to give away public property to private interest groups and, to top it all off, voted against the changes that will save British Columbians money and put the public insurer back on solid financial ground.”