DABC has prepared a document that aims to highlight key election issues within the disability community and advocates for a provincial government that actively includes people with disabilities in shaping the future of our province. You can download it here: https://disabilityalliancebc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/DABC-Key-Election-Priorities.docx.

Within the document, we have identified our election asks and categorized them into 5 key priority areas. The election priorities have been distributed to each political party. DABC will publish to our network any party responses we may receive.

In addition to our election asks, as a member of the BC Poverty Reduction Coalition (BC PRC), Disability Alliance BC supports the election advocacy presented by the BC PRC in their factsheet, which can be found here.

When first announced in September 2020’s throne speech, the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) held the promise of lifting people with disabilities out of poverty.

The CDB as proposed underdelivers on this promise; people with disabilities will only be able to receive a maximum of $2,400 a year. For most, this is not enough to cover higher costs of living or exorbitant medical costs associated with living with a disability.

Regulations published in June 2024 reveal restrictive policies around eligibility criteria, income thresholds, and earning caps that may further entrench people with disabilities in cycles of poverty. DABC has published an in depth review of the proposed regulations, with 20 recommendations for change. This review has been submitted to the federal government during the consultation period.

You can read our review here:
https://disabilityalliancebc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Canada-Disability-Benefit-In-Depth-Review-by-DABC.docx.