DABC Community Update: Changes to Canada Pension Plan Disability (CPP-D) Benefits

Disability Alliance BC (DABC) is writing to let you know that Service Canada has begun reaching out to people who had previously been denied Canada Pension Plan Disability (CPP-D) benefits because they had either been on CPP Early Retirement benefits for greater than 15 months, or their disability began after they started collecting CPP Early Retirement benefits. Service Canada is currently in the process of introducing a Post Retirement Disability Benefit (PRDB) that people who fall into those two groups may be able to collect if they can show they meet all the other CPP-D eligibility rules.

People interested in collecting the PRDB who have been included in the mail-out simply need to reply indicating their interest, and Service Canada will process an application for this new benefit using the same information from their application for CPP-D benefits.  For people who fall outside of this group who – for example – may have not applied in the past because they knew about the Early Retirement rules, there is currently no separate or different application forms for the PRDB that have been released. For more information, please contact our CPP- Disability program at 604-872-1278 or 1-800-663-1278 (toll-free), or by email at feedback@disabilityalliancebc.therightfitbc.org.

Government of Canada improves accessibility for people with disabilities

Yesterday, Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility Carla Qualtrough announced that the Government of Canada, through its Enabling Accessibility Fund, is supporting nearly 400 organizations working to implement projects that will improve accessibility in Canada.

To learn more, please read the Government of Canada’s news release:
https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/news/2019/01/government-of-canada-improves-accessibility-for-persons-with-disabilities.html

Change of Date: Access RDSP's workshop at PIRS' Parenting and Disability: An EAL course for parents and caregivers of children and adults with disabilities

TOPIC: Pacific Immigrant Resources Society’s Parenting And Disability: An EAL course for parents and caregivers of children and adults with disabilities.
 
SHORT DESCRIPTION: Access RDSP will be joining Pacific Immigrant Resource Society’s EAL course on Parenting and Disability to discuss the Disability Tax Credit and Registered Disability Savings Plan. The course will take place from January 17th – March 7th, 2019. Access RDSP’s workshop will now take place on February 21, 2019 (previously listed as January 31st).
 
Classes are free and childcare will be provided.
OPTIONAL: To register, please contact Valerie at Pacific Immigrant Resources Society at vlai@pirs.bc.ca. For more information about the DTC/RDSP or to host a potential workshop, please contact Cynthia at cynthia@disabilityalliancebc.therightfitbc.org.