As part of the Province’s goal to improve accessibility for people with disabilities in BC, Disability Alliance BC (DABC) was selected by the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction (SDPR) to distribute funding to community based “Accessibility Projects” beginning in 2018. Since then, over 95 projects have been funded.

This year the grants have reopened again with a total of $450,000 available. BC-based not-for-profit organizations may apply for up to $40,000 for year-long community engagement projects that will support lasting change for people in BC living with disability. Projects will focus on one of the following objectives:

• Accessible employment;
• Accessible emergency planning and response;
• Accessible arts, culture and tourism;
• Accessible sports and recreation;
• Accessible education and learning;
• Accessible community participation.

The deadline to submit applications is September 12^th, 2025, at 12pm Pacific Time. Successful applicants will receive funding in December 2025 in order to implement their project in January 2026.

Eligibility criteria includes:

• Projects must be focused on community engagement rather than large capital costs such as accessibility improvements to buildings and outdoor spaces.
• Eligible organizations must be not-for-profit organizations with a volunteer Board chosen by its membership, based in BC or with a base of operations in and sufficient capacity to deliver services in BC. They must operate primarily for community benefit and have services open to the public rather than restricted to their membership.
• If an organization has received a grant in the past, they can reapply 5 years after their application was submitted (for example, if an organization applied in 2020 for a grant and did their project in 2021, they can reapply in 2025 to do a project in 2026).
• Conflicts of interest with DABC must be declared on the application form to be considered on a case-by-case basis. For more information, please see our Conflict of Interest Protocol here.

For more information about eligibility please see the Call for Proposals, which can be found here: Accessibility Projects Grants | DABC (dabc.ca)

Online information sessions will occur on Thursday August 21st at 1:00pm-2:00pm and Wednesday September 3rd at 11:30am-12:30pm. At these sessions, potential applicants will be invited to learn about the application process and ask questions. Live captioning will be available. With two weeks advanced notice, ASL interpretation can be booked on request and other accessibility requests will be accommodated whenever possible.

To register for the August 21^st session, please click here.
To register for the September 3^rd session, please click here.

To learn more and download the Call for Proposals (CFP) and application forms please visit: Accessibility Projects Grants | DABC (dabc.ca). Screen reader friendly versions of the document and ASL interpretations explaining the application process are also available.

If you have any questions, please contact the Accessibility Projects Grants Coordinator at ap@dabc.ca

Download the press release here.

Recent tax cuts in BC and across Canada were meant to ease financial pressure for Canadians. However, for many low-income individuals, particularly for people with disabilities, these policy changes are having the opposite effect.  

Earlier this year, the provincial government removed the BC consumer carbon tax which meant the end of the BC Climate Action Tax Credit (BCCATC). In July, the federal government reduced the lowest personal income tax rate to 14%, further altering the tax landscape. While these actions were intended to offer relief, they end up removing vital financial supports from those who need it the most.  

The negative impacts of tax policy changes on marginalized groups are not new; in December, DABC published an article in the Osgoode Hall Law Journal about the “Compounding Barriers to Access” that women with disabilities face within the tax system.  The tax system is meant be a tool for redistributing wealth in a way that supports fairness and equity. For people with disabilities, who frequently face barriers to full participation in the workforce, social programs funded through taxes are essential. 

Losing the BC Climate Action Tax Credit 

When it was in place, the BCCATC was one of these tax measures, offering meaningful support in quarterly payments for people on low-to-modest incomes. A single person making $41,071 or less per year received up to $504. Families making up to $57,288 annually would be eligible for the full credit of $504 for an individual, $252 for their spouse and $126 per child. Now, people who rely on that support are left without alternatives. This hits especially hard for individuals who do not drive and would not benefit from a carbon tax cut.  

Lowered Tax Rates Will Reduce Tax Credit Amounts 

In July, the federal government lowered the lowest marginal tax rate from 15% to 14% (Bill C-4). While this may sound like good news, it also decreases the value of non-refundable tax credits—such as the Disability Tax Credit, the Canada Caregiver Amount, and the Medical Expense Tax Credit. This reduction means smaller refunds or reduced tax relief for people who rely on these credits to help with essential costs. 

For many of our clients, decreased tax amounts are not insignificant— but can go towards urgent health, food, and shelter costs. These new policy changes are unintentionally burdensome for individuals and families who struggle to afford basic needs and are in most need of financial relief.  

DABC continues to support actions that call for greater consideration for low-income populations: 

• We ask that the provincial government create a new tax credit to replace the financial support lost from the elimination of the BCCATC.

• We call for tax credit amounts to be decoupled from the marginal personal tax rate so that individuals can expect a consistent refund, regardless of tax rate changes.  

Accessibility and diversity need to be at the forefront of any policy change. Tax systems should be designed to lift people up—not leave them behind. As governments seek to provide relief and balance their budgets, they must ensure that those already facing the greatest barriers aren’t pushed further into poverty.