All of us at Disability Alliance BC are incredibly saddened by the passing of Dan Coulter, BC’s former Parliamentary Secretary for Accessibility, Minister of State for Infrastructure and Transit and MLA for Chilliwack. Dan was a tireless advocate for the rights of persons with disabilities and was always guided in his efforts by the disability community’s motto of “Nothing about us, without us.” His work on the development of the Accessible BC Act during his time in government led the way for countless sectors, municipalities and organizations to implement accessibility plans across BC. DABC is incredibly grateful for Dan’s support of our organization in ensuring that part three of the Accessible BC Act was done in a meaningful and inclusive way. We were also heartened by his efforts to highlight the work of the Right Fit program during his time as Parliamentary Secretary. Dan’s dedicated public service and passion for building a more barrier-free, inclusive, welcoming province for everyone has been an inspiration to us all. We send our deepest condolences to his family in this most difficult of times.

The DABC Board of Directors
Julia Lamb, Jake Anthony, Liss Cairns, Pam Horton, Odette Dempsey-Caputo, Elizabeth Lalonde, Sarah Cheung, Sarina Mawji and Alyssa Vincent

The ongoing postal strike may impact the delivery of benefits and services from various governmental bodies. Below, we’ve compiled information about what these governmental bodies are doing and the actions clients can take to minimize disruptions.

Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction (MSDPR) Clients:

DABC has received the following information from MSDPR, regarding options for Ministry clients during the ongoing postal strike:

“Clients whose address is in the community of the ministry/Service BC office:

• The cheque can be picked up at the office with photo identification that matches the name and address on the envelope.
• If the client does not have photo identification, we can confirm identity using the in-office identity verification process.
• If a client is not able to attend an office in-person, we can arrange for the cheque to be delivered by staff (where appropriate).

Clients who are in a different community than where they have normally received their “mail” cheque, whether permanently (e.g., just moved) or temporarily, can go into any ministry/SBC office to get their monthly “mail” cheque. If the “mail” cheque is in another community, it will be cancelled and re-issued in the office that the client attends.

This is a regular process provided to clients who find themselves in a community other than their home community during the distribution of monthly payments.”

If you encounter any issues, please reach out to DABC at 604-872-1278/1-800-663-1278 or advocacy@dabc.ca.

Service Canada

Employment and Social Development Canada and Service Canada have measures in place to ensure that clients continue to receive services and benefits during a disruption of Canada Post services. More information: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/corporate/portfolio/service-canada/postal-disruption.html

If you encounter any issues, please reach out to DABC at 604-872-1278/1-800-663-1278 or advocacy@dabc.ca.

Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) Clients:

The CRA has provided information about delays to benefit payments: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/news/newsroom/canada-post-mail-service-disruption-impact-cra.html

The CRA has also posted on its website that clients needing to get time-sensitive info to the CRA may be able to do so using drop-boxes. More information is available here: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/corporate/contact-information/office-locations.html.

If you encounter any issues, please reach out to Tax AID DABC at 236-477-1717/1-877-940-7797 or taxaid@dabc.ca.

Open: December 9, 2024
Closes: January 13, 2025
Location: Vancouver, BC
Category: Community and Social Services Job
Type: Full-time
Salary: $54,000

Who We Are

Since 1977, Disability Alliance BC (DABC) has been a provincial, cross-disability voice in British Columbia. We champion issues impacting the lives of people with disabilities through our direct services, community partnerships, advocacy, research and publications.

Our mission is to promote a more inclusive and equitable society for people with all disabilities through direct services, community partnerships, systemic advocacy, research, and publications.

Job Description

DABC is seeking a Community Advocate to join our Advocacy Access Team. The Advocate will be responsible for individual and community advocacy relating to provincial disability benefits (known as PWD).

Responsibilities:

• Assist people with disabilities with applications and appeals relating to provincial disability (Persons with Disabilities and Persons with Persistent and Multiple Barriers)
• Conduct workshops/webinars about provincial disability benefits for community organizations, people with disabilities, healthcare professionals, and other interested individuals and groups
• Be a provincial resource for community advocates and individuals on policy and legislation governing PWD/PPMB

Working hours and location

This position is full-time for 5 days per week at 8 hours a day (including 1 hour as a paid lunch break) and is a hybrid work opportunity; the successful candidate may be required to work at the Downtown Vancouver office two or three days a week, and at home the rest of the time. The position may also require occasional travel to other BC communities. During your initial training, you will be required to be in the office 5 days a week until successful completion of training.

The position is located in downtown Vancouver, on the traditional, ancestral and stolen lands of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples.

The successful applicant must:

• Have a minimum 2 years combined post-secondary education and/or applicable work experience
• Have strong verbal and written communication skills and ability to communicate complex concepts in plain language
• Be able to work effectively with people with disabilities from a client-centered approach
• Be self-motivated, adaptable, and able to work effectively with a team
• Have strong analytical and research skills
• Have excellent organizational skills
• Be computer literate and proficient with word-processing software including the Microsoft Office Suite
• Maintain the integrity and confidentiality of sensitive client information

The following are strong assets for this position:

• Experience with provincial disability benefits (PWD/PPMB)
• Experience in the non-profit sector
• Background in law, social work, or a related field
• Lived experience with a disability and/or supporting people with disabilities
• Experience with legal research
• Understanding of anti-oppression principles

Salary: $54,000 per year

This position offers the following benefits after a three-month probationary period:

• 15 days of paid vacation annually
• 18 days of paid sick leave annually
• 100% of the cost of extended health and dental care benefit premiums
• 2 weeks of paid time off during DABC’s annual holiday office closure in December
• Generous health spending account

DABC is an open and diverse organization that promotes inclusive hiring practices. We encourage applications from qualified applicants who identify as visible minorities, Indigenous persons, and of all sexual orientations, gender expressions and identities. People with disabilities are especially encouraged to apply.

Importantly, we are looking for people who want to make a long-term commitment to our organization and have a strong desire to uphold the rights and dignities of people with disabilities.

To Apply:

Please submit a resume and brief covering letter addressed to Sharareh Saremi, Program Manager of Advocacy Access at sharareh@dabc.ca – no phone calls please.

Applications are due no later than midnight on January 13, 2025. DABC welcomes all applications, however, only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for an interview.