DABC holiday office closure and year-end fundraising update

Heart drawn in the condensation on a window, in front of bokeh lights.

Dear DABC community,

Happy Holidays!

Please note that Disability Alliance BC will be closed for the holidays from Monday, December 23rd, 2024 – Friday, January 3rd, 2025. Our office will reopen on Monday, January 6th. During this time, we will only be responding to very urgent messages. All other messages will receive a response as soon as possible after we reopen.

Year-End Fundraising Update

Between the spirit of holiday gifting and annual tax planning, December is THE top month for charitable giving each year, accounting for more than a quarter of donations annually to all nonprofits. With the postal strike having put a hold on donations by mail during this usually busiest time for philanthropy, we’re calling on you, our online supporters, to help us bridge this gap with a strong fundraising finish to 2024.

So far this year, thanks to your support DABC has raised $26,647.25 from 263 individual donations. That’s an awesome groundswell of goodwill that has us within reach of a record-breaking $30,000 from 300 donors!

Will you join us now in making this DABC’s best fundraising year ever? No donation is too large or too small to make a difference for people living with disabilities. You can donate herehttps://give-can.keela.co/dabc.

With the new Canada Disability Benefit looming on the horizon in 2025, our advocacy is reaching new heights of urgency and impact as the disability community grows and policies strain to meet increasing needs.

Some accomplishments we couldn’t have achieved without your support this year include: updating our online tool for those applying for the Disability Tax Credit, advocating for the removal of the spousal cap for those on provincial disability assistance (and the Province agreeing to work on this as noted in their 2024 Poverty Reduction Strategy), and translating our Help Sheets and CPP-D Guides into four other languages: Arabic, Persian, Punjabi and Spanish.

We send our heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you for being a part of our movement, and appreciate any and all financial support at this important time for the disability community and movement for inclusion and equity across BC.

From all of us here at DABC, wishing you and yours a happy and peaceful holiday season!

Article: Will the CDB Address Core Concerns for Indigenous Peoples?

Headshot of Evelyn Huntjens. She has dark brown hair slightly past her shoulders and dark brown eyes. She is smiling. This article was written by Evelyn Huntjens.  It originally appeared in the edition of DABC’s Transition magazine, Canada Disability Benefit: What protection does it actually offer? (Fall/Winter 2024).

Read the full edition in PDF format here and in text-only format here.

If you’re interested in contributing to Transition as an individual or an organization, please email transition@dabc.ca.


The upcoming Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) has brought both hope and concern for individuals and their families who may qualify. Indigenous people, especially those with disabilities, routinely find many barriers in accessing the supports they need. The CDB could help solve some of these issues, but only if it recognizes and addresses the complex problems Indigenous people face.

Barriers in the DTC

One of the biggest barriers Indigenous people and communities face is the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) for which people must qualify to access the CDB. The DTC can be very inaccessible, due to confusing and challenging barriers that keep eligible people from accessing it.

In many Indigenous communities, and in rural and northern areas, there can be delays in accessing medical appointments. If you don’t have a doctor, getting the DTC becomes almost impossible which delays or blocks access to this benefit, and therefore the CDB.

Because many Indigenous people with disability live in poverty, tax credits like the DTC don’t help. The DTC offers a reduction in income taxes, but not a refund. It is only valuable because of its link to other benefits such as the Registered Disability Savings Plan. But, the potential financial benefits of the RDSP are years away, as it can only be accessed without penalty after age 60.

All of these factors make applying for the DTC either too difficult or a low priority. This is even though 55% of people with severe and very severe disabilities are potentially eligible for the DTC. Given the trends in statistics, the percentage of Indigenous peoples who are not accessing the DTC is likely higher. Additional resources are needed to support access to the DTC and therefore to the CDB.

On top of these issues, approval for the DTC doesn’t guarantee re-approval. Even if you have a lifelong condition, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) requires you to reapply every 3-5 years. This is a huge barrier, especially for those with “invisible disabilities” that are harder to “prove,” but significantly impact daily life.

Ableism and racism in our healthcare system is rampant for Indigenous people with these disabilities. People have been intimidated and shamed, and told they don’t qualify. It is not the healthcare practitioner’s role to approve the DTC, but they are often the gatekeepers to access.

Gaps in the CDB Regulations

The CDB has the potential to offer direct financial support to people with disabilities, but there are many gaps in the rules that need to be fixed. There’s a risk that, without specific steps to include Indigenous communities, the CDB could create the same barriers as the DTC.

The CDB needs to take into account that Indigenous people living with disability in rural or remote communities often require direct supports to access benefits. The application process for the CDB should be simple, so people who don’t have reliable healthcare can still navigate the application process and be approved. And, people who receive disability income assistance should have an automatic approval process for the CDB.

Another hurdle is the doctor’s fee for completing the DTC. An individual or family living on disability income assistance cannot be out of pocket as much as $250 in a month and still put food on the table. Many Indigenous communities’ programs and services do not provide resources to cover this application cost or travel to have the form completed. This will perpetuate poverty for those who live with disability, whether they qualify or not.

It seems contradictory to make commitments to inclusive communities and full participation for all citizens and then create a new program with processes that have substantial barriers.

Without addressing these issues, Indigenous people with disabilities could be left out again.

Empowering Indigenous People with Disabilities

One important step in developing a truly inclusive process is to ensure Indigenous people are involved in making decisions about accessing the CDB in their communities. Community-based navigation programs should also be available to support Indigenous people with disabilities.

Allyship with Indigenous people with disabilities should go beyond government policies.

There should be public campaigns to raise awareness about the unique challenges faced by Indigenous people with disabilities. And, Indigenous people with disability should also have leadership roles to build stronger networks of support.

The Canada Disability Benefit has the potential to provide much-needed support, but it’s crucial that the federal government addresses the current gaps. Then, the CDB can become a tool that truly empowers and supports Indigenous people with disabilities.

Learn more at BC Aboriginal Network on Disability Society and DAWN Canada.

Evelyn Huntjens joins DAWN Canada as the Director of Indigenous Initiatives to lead the organization in amplifying the voices of Indigenous women, girls and gender-diverse people living with disabilities. Evelyn resides on Vancouver Island, BC within the ancestral territory of the Quw’utsun People and is a member of the Xeni Gwet’in First Nation.

Federal Internship Program for Canadians with Disabilities

We have received the following information from the Public Service Commission:


The Public Service Commission (PSC) is launching Cohort 5 of the Federal Internship Program for Canadians with Disabilities (FIPCD).

Supported Employment Agencies are encouraged to consider and refer candidates with a diverse range of profiles and backgrounds, including those who may typically be facing systemic barriers to employment related to key intersecting socio-demographic factors.

What is FIPCD?

Since 2019, the Public Service Commission (PSC) has managed FIPCD, a national recruitment program providing internship opportunities in the federal public service to persons with disabilities. So far, a total of 126 interns have participated in the program through 39 federal organizations.

This national program aims to increase the economic inclusion of persons with disabilities by developing key skills for future employment. It also seeks to increase public service representation and retention of persons with disabilities. The internships offered are entry-level and developmental, requiring little to no previous job experience, 18 months in duration at a minimum, and are located in cities across the country.

Next employment opportunities?

A fifth cohort has been launched this fall! Internship offers are now available. These include positions in human resources, administration, information technology, accessibility, and more.

Show your interest!

We’re excited to hear from you and your clients! Simply fill out the form linked below to express your interest. Submissions are open until December 18, 2024. The FIPCD team will carefully match your clients with the roles that best suit their interests. They can expect to hear back from us in January. We can’t wait to discover their talents! Your clients can submit their interest here: Intake Form.

For any additional questions, we invite you to consult this document: Questions and Answers or contact us at the coordinates below.

Federal Internship Program for Canadians with Disabilities

Public Service Commission of Canada / Government of Canada

cfp.diversitedetalent-talentdiversity.psc@cfp-psc.gc.ca

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La Commission de la fonction publique (CFP) lance la cinquième cohorte du Programme fédéral de stages pour les Canadiens en situation de handicap (PFSCH).

 Les agences de soutien à l’emploi sont encouragées à prendre en considération et à recommander des candidats ayant des profils et des antécédents divers, y compris ceux qui peuvent être confrontés à des obstacles systémiques à l’emploi liés à des facteurs sociodémographiques clés qui se recoupent.

Qu’est-ce que le PFSCH?

Depuis 2019, la Commission de la fonction publique (CFP) gère le PFSCH, un programme de recrutement national offrant des possibilités de stage dans la fonction publique fédérale. Au total, 126 stagiaires auront participé au programme par le biais de 39 organisations fédérales.

Ce programme national vise à accroître l’inclusion économique des personnes en situation de handicap en leur permettant d’acquérir des compétences clés en vue d’un emploi futur. Il vise également à accroître la représentation et le maintien des personnes en situation de handicap dans la fonction publique. Les stages offerts sont de niveau débutant et de perfectionnement nécessitant peu ou pas d’expérience professionnelle antérieure, d’une durée minimale de 18 mois, et se dérouler dans des villes de l’ensemble du pays.

Prochaines opportunités d’emploi?

Une cinquième cohorte a été lancée cet automne! Les offres de stages sont maintenant disponibles. Il s’agit notamment de postes dans les domaines des ressources humaines, de l’administration, des technologies de l’information, de l’accessibilité, etc.

Démontrez votre intérêt!

Nous sommes enthousiastes d’entendre parler de vous et de vos clients! Il vous suffit de remplir le formulaire ci-dessous pour exprimer votre intérêt. Les candidatures sont ouvertes jusqu’au 18 décembre 2024. L’équipe du PFSCH s’efforcera d’associer vos clients aux fonctions qui correspondent le mieux à leurs intérêts. Ils peuvent s’attendre à recevoir une réponse de notre part en janvier. Nous sommes avons hâte de découvrir leurs talents! Vos clients peuvent démontrer leur intérêt ici : Formulaire d’intérêt.

 

Pour toutes questions additionnelles, on vous invite à consulter ce document : Questions et réponses ou à nous contacter aux coordonnées ci-dessous.

Programme fédéral de stages pour les Canadiens en situation de handicap

Commission de la fonction publique du Canada / Gouvernement du Canada

cfp.diversitedetalent-talentdiversity.psc@cfp-psc.gc.ca