Community Update: Requirement for Ministry Clients to Apply for CPP Early Retirement Benefits Removed

The Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction (MSDPR) has sent out a letter to their clients that as of January 1, 2020 the Ministry will no longer require clients between the ages of 60 and 64 to apply for federal early Canada Pension Plan (CPP) retirement benefits in order to be eligible for income or disability assistance or to avoid a reduction in the amount of their assistance.

If you will be under 65 years of age as of January 1, 2020, you may be able to cancel your early CPP retirement benefits if it has been within six months since the first payment. You also may be able to withdraw your CPP early retirement application if you have not yet received a payment.

Please be aware that if you cancel your early CPP retirement benefits you will have to repay the federal government for any amounts you have received and the MSDPR will not give you the money back.

DABC Video Project: Injury and Impacts: Stories of Disability and Road Safety

DABC has created a series of 4 short videos that raise awareness about the impacts of road accidents on people’s lives through the personal stories of people with disabilities who acquired their disability because of a road accident. Meet Johanna, Andrea, Julie and Kam and hear about their personal journeys of how they have adapted, and how they continue to be active, contributing members in their communities.

To view the videos, visit DABC’s Youtube Channel (click here).

These videos were produced with the support from ICBC’s Community Grants Program.

DABC Project Resources: Sexual Assault Reporting Options: Increasing Access for Women with Disabilities

The resources DABC created for this project are now available on our website and our YouTube channel:

A plain language, information help sheet on the sexual assault reporting options in BC, I’ve Been Sexually Assaulted: Who Can I Tell?

A sign language and captioned video for people who are deaf on sexual assault reporting options in BC, I’ve Been Sexually Assaulted: Who Can I Tell?

A resource for community-based victim services, and other victim-serving organizations, Inclusive Communication, Outreach, and Engagement: A checklist for anti-violence services supporting Indigenous women living with disabilities and a diversity of women with disabilities.

To view the plain language help sheet and the checklist for service providers visit our publications page. To view the sign language video, please click here.

We will be introducing these new resources at a workshop for service providers at the Ending Violence Association of BC annual training forum on the 28^th of November.

DABC collaborated with Ending Violence Association of BC and the Community Coordination for Women’s Safety Third Party Reporting Work Team on the content of the video and information help sheet for this project. We also worked with Indigenous consultant, Chastity Davis, on the creation of the checklist for community-based victim services and victim-serving organizations.

We thank the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General, Civil Forfeiture Crime Prevention and Remediation Grant Program – Civil Forfeiture Grant, for their generous support.