The federal government announced on November 21st its plans to alleviate higher costs-of-living by providing a $250 rebate to all working Canadians with net incomes below $150,000, to be delivered Spring 2025.  This rebate is called the Working Canadians rebate.  Assuming the legislation needed to create this benefit is passed as-is, it will target individuals who are working,  and this proposed rebate will leave many people with disabilities behind.

The Working Canadians Rebate was one of several new measures announced to relieve higher costs of living that many have endured. The other is a holiday tax break (Bill C-78) that will make some goods and services GST/HST free from December 14, 2024 – February 15, 2025. The federal government announced that these measures will “give Canadians more money in their pockets” and help people “buy the things they need and save for the things they want”. Disappointingly, the rebate excludes many people with disabilities and seniors most affected by inflation, high prices, and other economic pressures, who currently struggle to afford basic needs.

Disability Alliance BC (DABC) disagrees with the restrictive parameters of the proposed rebate.

Specifically, we note that:

• Limiting the rebate to working-age adults inherently discriminates against people with disabilities, particularly those who are not working (e.g., Canada Pension Plan – Disability and Disability Assistance recipients who are not working) and seniors. Given the myriad barriers that prevent many people with disabilities from participating in mainstream work structures, this rebate only perpetuates ableist systems.
• This rebate does not actively support those living in poverty in our country, who would benefit the most from a $250 rebate. A majority (69%) of people accessing social assistance in BC are those who receive Disability Assistance (colloquially known as PWD).[1] In BC, assistance rates are not indexed for inflation which means that many people face rising costs for basic necessities, and not enough money to afford them.

• This rebate only serves to deepen the income gap in our society

• This rebate continues a long list of measures that do not adequately support the exorbitant costs that people with disabilities face. Many tax benefits, including the medical expense tax credit, are non-refundable, which means that they only benefit those with taxable income. Where people eligible for the Working Canadians Benefit could also benefit from available non-refundable tax benefits, those who are not working continue to get left behind. While we recognize that the federal government will be rolling out the monthly Canada Disability Benefit in July 2025, which will offer financial support for working age adults with low income, this benefit is just too little, and still excludes those outside of working ages.

This rebate is a stark reminder that our government still values working adults above all else, which sends a callous message to those who cannot work.

DABC calls on the federal government to broaden this benefit, to provide an equitable Canadian cost-of-living benefit that not only supports working Canadians, but also those who are unable to work, unable to save, and who often have higher costs associated with their health. These people need “more money in their pockets” the most.

[1] https://maytree.com/changing-systems/data-measuring/social-assistance-summaries/british-columbia/

Today is International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD)—and this year’s theme is “amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future.”

DABC has been advocating for the abolition of the Annual earning exemption limit for PWD recipients. “Scrapping the cap” is one action that could help advance the goal set out by this year’s IDPD theme.

Read our op-ed, published in July 2024 by The Tyee: https://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2024/07/04/Disability-Earnings-Cap-Holding-People-Back/.

As DABC’s Executive Director Helaine Boyd states in the op-ed, “If I want to lift my staff’s wages to keep pace with the living wage, then I may have to cut their hours so they don’t reach the earnings limit set by the ministry.

It is a form of discrimination and ableism that people receiving disability assistance won’t be able to access the benefits of a living wage or be promoted into higher positions.”

Learn more about IDPD here: https://www.un.org/en/observances/day-of-persons-with-disabilities.

Want to support our advocacy? Today is also #GivingTuesday – the biggest global day for generosity. Contributions of any size are greatly appreciated: https://give-can.keela.co/dabc.

-For Immediate Release-

Vancouver, BC –December 2, 2024

In honour of December 3, International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Disability Alliance BC (DABC) has announced the recipients of the 2024/2025 Accessibility Projects Grants. These grants support year-long projects that promote better access to cultural, recreational, emergency planning, educational and community participation opportunities for people with disabilities across the province.

This year, the Provincial Government provided $450,000 to be distributed by Disability Alliance BC (DABC) to non-profits throughout British Columbia. Since 2018, DABC has distributed over $3 million to more than 90 non-profit organizations through funding from the Province.

“To help people live good lives and fully participate in their communities, we’re funding new accessibility projects,” said Sheila Malcolmson, Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. “Through our partnership with DABC, accessibility projects are clearing the path, removing barriers and creating opportunities for people with disabilities. A more inclusive and accessible B.C. is possible when we work together.”

In late summer 2024, organizations were invited to apply for up to $40,000 for projects that will support lasting change for the more than 900,000 people (24.7% of the population over age 15)[1] in BC living with disabilities. After an extensive review process by representatives from the disability and community sectors, 14 projects were funded in total this year.

“This funding is so important for so many people. The heart-work and passion within every application is evident,” said Accessibility Projects Grants Review Committee member Lise Gillies, who identifies as a Cree/Métis neurodivergent mom to a neurodivergent daughter with complex support needs. “There is incredible thoughtfulness in these submissions by organizations who have identified huge needs, and design projects that are aligned to meet those needs through true inclusion, creativity, and innovation.”

Last year, 12 projects were funded including Kettle Society’s Art Against Stigma project. Kettle Society, located in Vancouver, empowers people living with mental illness, substance use, poverty and/or homelessness by providing housing, employment, community services and enrichment programs. Its art-based programs paused at the beginning of the pandemic, and they applied for an Accessibility Projects Grant to pilot their relaunching. Art Against Stigma’s purpose was to help individuals who are living with mental health diagnoses rediscover their voices through artistic expression. Programs included group art therapy, creative writing, choir practice, art scholarships and public performances.

“I was nervous to participate, I didn’t think I had a creative bone,” said one of Art Against Stigma’s participants. “Turns out I do and spending time making art is healing for me.”

DABC is proud to work with the Province of B.C. to remove barriers and celebrate the contributions of people with disabilities to their communities. The Accessibility Projects Grants are an important step in this direction.

A backgrounder can be found below with the list of the 2024/25 grant recipients.

Media Contact:
Helaine Boyd
Executive Director
helaine@dabc.ca

Learn More:

To learn more about Disability Alliance BC: https://disabilityalliancebc.org/

To get up to date about Government’s work on accessibility: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/about-the-bc-government/accessibility/news

To give feedback on barriers people with disabilities face when accessing government services: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/about-the-bc-government/accessibility/feedback

Backgrounder:

DABC invited eligible organizations to apply for funding for projects that will take place in 2025. The list of grant recipients was announced today:

• Sunshine Coast Community Services Society – Sunshine Coast: $29,311.96 for the Accessible Emergency Response for All Project. Empowering people with mental health disabilities to have equitable access to emergency response planning.
• Pride in Art Society – Vancouver: $35,950.32 for the ASL Interpretation and Translation of Exhibits and Community Programs Project. Increasing the accessibility of Queer Arts Festival programming for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing.
• BC Wheelchair Sports Association – Richmond and Victoria: $8,700 for the Junior WC Rugby Program Expansion Project. Expanding the junior wheelchair rugby program.
• Opportunities Career and Legal Advocacy Services Society – Campbell River, Port McNeil and Port Hardy: $37,248 for the Regional Disability Benefits Navigator Pilot Project. Fostering financial empowerment and equitable access to benefits for individuals with disabilities within the North Vancouver Island region.
• Mayday Club Youth Choir for Autism Advocacy Society – Abbotsford: $23,158.90 for the Radio Broadcasting, Voice Acting, Sound Engineering Project. Supporting neurodivergent and disabled youth in the Fraser Valley area to learn sound engineering, voice acting, and radio broadcasting.
• Periods For All – Vancouver: $38,500 for the Menstrual Matters: Understanding Menstrual Health in ASL Project. Providing accessible and informative content on menstrual health using ASL.
• Employ to Empower Foundation – Vancouver: $40,000 for the Leave No Entrepreneur Behind: Empowering Low-Income Entrepreneurs with Disability Project. Supporting low-income entrepreneurs who live with disabilities to progress their business.
• Salt Spring and Southern Gulf Islands Community Services Society – Salt Spring Island: $25,545 for the (ART) Art and Recreation Together Project. Providing a dynamic and inclusive activity-based program for developmentally disabled children and adults, focusing on expressive arts, sports and celebration.
• Prince George Sexual Assault Centre Society – Prince George/Northern BC: $40,000 for the Together We Can Project. Providing a peer-led all-gender support group for survivors of gender-based and sexual abuse/violence.
• Women Transforming Cities International Society – Provincial: $16,280 for the Civic education workshops for accessible participation in local government Project. Providing civic education workshops to demystify local government processes so that folks with disabilities can shape their hometowns into inclusive communities where they feel a strong sense of belonging.
• VIDEA – Provincial: $40,000 for the Leaders of Today Project. Enhancing the leadership capacity of youth and young adults ages 16-35 with disabilities across BC.
• Mental Health Recovery Partners Society – South Vancouver Island: $40,000 for the Training by and for Lived Experts Project. Offering accessible Peer Support Training and upskilling for current or aspiring peer supporters.
• Crimson Coast Dance Society – Nanaimo: $40,000 for the Mixed Abilities: DanceAble Project. Providing accessible dance and creative movement programming for people with disabilities and collaborating in presenting a group performance at a public theatre.
• OneAbility Foundation- Provincial: $40,000 for the OneAbility Games (OAG) Community Project Resource Kit Project. Co-creating an open-source program resource kit that participants can access leading up to the inaugural OneAbility Games in May 2026.

To learn more please visit: Accessibility Projects Grants | DABC (disabilityalliancebc.org).

Download this press release here.

[1]https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1310037401&pickMembers%5B0%5D=1.13