On February 10th, the Province of BC announced the phasing in of a new B.C. Children and Youth Disability Benefit program and B.C. Children and Youth Disability Supplement, replacing the current autism funding program. With these changes, which were developed in consultation with families, service providers and experts, the Province aims to reach thousands more children and youth with a range of disabilities. 

Details of the new Benefit and Supplement, as reported in the Province’s news release: 

• Over the course of 2026 and 2027, the new B.C. Children and Youth Disability Benefit will launch to provide families of children with significant disabilities with $6,500 or $17,000 per year based on their individual needs. 

• Starting July 2027, a new income-tested B.C. Children and Youth Disability Supplement will also become available to families with any child under age 18 who is eligible for the federal Disability Tax Credit. The supplement will provide up to $6,000 per year (based on the level of family net income), which families can use to pay for therapies, supports and services they believe are most helpful. The new supplement is designed to support families with middle and low incomes. 

DABC is very heartened by the opportunity for a wider diversity of children with disabilities and their families to receive key supports, and applaud the Province for taking these steps toward equitable access to financial support.  

We also recognize that some families receiving current autism supports may feel uneasy about these changes. We hope that these families will continue to receive the supports they need.  

This article was written by Robin Loxton, and originally appeared in the edition of DABC’s Transition magazine, Following Their Path: How disability trailblazers are guiding today’s advocacy (Fall/Winter 2025).

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.

This edition of Transition Magazine is dedicated to the late Pamela Horton. Pam served on DABC’s board of directors for close to thirty years. If you’d like to support Transition, we have set up a fund in Pam’s name. We so appreciate any contributions.

The Advocacy Access program of Disability Alliance BC (DABC) officially opened in 1989, at then-BC Coalition of the Disabled. I was one of the first two advocates to be hired and I continued to work with the program until 2016.

Over those 27 years, there were many victories, setbacks, happy moments and frustrations. I don’t feel comfortable calling myself a “trailblazer,” but here are some reflections on our advocacy work back then and what I think is still important today.

My reasons for becoming a disability advocate had a lot to do with understanding that the onset of disability is most often life-changing. We face loss of income, the need to repeatedly “prove” we have a disability to qualify for benefits, and a confusing muddle of information about programs that may or may not help us. All this, on top of living with a disability, can become overwhelming.

Today, technology has opened doors for many of us in the disability community. With a smartphone or laptop, some of us can get the information we need in minutes. But with the good news there are a number of concerns. Navigating the internet can be a headache, especially if we are not familiar with computers. Misinformation can send us in the wrong direction because we cannot tell the difference between the real and the fake. And we still don’t know whether Artificial Intelligence will save or doom the world in years to come.

Back when I first started with Advocacy Access, there was no internet, if you can imagine. Personal computers were expensive and not widely used. We recognized the importance of accessible, community-based information on benefits programs, so we created help sheets on key programs. The help sheets are still being updated and expanded by the program, and can be downloaded free from the DABC website.

Our program was concerned when more applications went online. We began to hear about access issues from people with disabilities, including applications for disability benefits. For many people, these forms were not any easier to fill out or send in. Too often, I heard reports of people believing they had submitted an online application only to find out it was never received. And, yes, I agree with those who would rather talk to a person than a computer when you’re looking for help.

One thing that has become much worse since I was with DABC is the availability of family doctors. There is a shocking number of us who don’t have a doctor at all or don’t have one who knows us. Maybe you’re one of them.

This is not only a a huge problem because our health needs are not being met, but it also means we have no one to fill out the forms to get health-related benefits and services. Accessing telehealth is better than nothing, but this is not the same as having a doctor who knows you and your history. For those of us who have a family doctor, one of the last things a doctor wants to do is spend time filling out lengthy forms. Government needs to do a better job of streamlining application processes and information requests.

My greatest concern as a disability advocate is the threat of poverty that continues to face our community. Over the years, we advocated more or less constantly for the government to increase the disability benefit rates.

Yes, there has been some progress. There are higher earnings and asset exemptions, and we have the new federal Canada Disability Benefit, the Registered Disability Savings Plan and sporadic increases in provincial disability benefits. But the reality is, for many of us, our incomes do not come close to keeping up with the rising costs of living and living with a disability.

The gap between income and daily living costs becomes more obvious each year because of the high cost of housing in British Columbia. The maximum shelter allowance for a single person on disability assistance is $500 per month. The average rent in September 2025 for a studio apartment in BC is $1,784.

No wonder so many of us are fearful of homelessness.

Now more than ever we need organizations like DABC to follow the path the community has been building over the last few decades. We also need DABC as a provincial cross-disability voice at the provincial level. Individuals continue to need information, advice and help around disability programs. And organizations and individuals are forging paths to expand disability advocacy into social justice arenas and intersectional work.

The job of an advocate is never done.

After leaving DABC in 2016, Robin moved to the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island. Living in a small town, after many years of city life, has been an adjustment. But I have come to love the vitality of this community, and appreciate and support the many people who advocate for social justice. 

Open: February 3, 2026
Closes: February 27, 2026
Location: Vancouver
Category: Non-Profit Legal Job
Type: Full-time
Salary: $65,000

Who We Are

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

Program Description

The Disability Law Clinic (DLC) provides free, confidential legal services to people with disabilities across BC. We provide summary advice and representation on certain disability-related areas of law, including:

• Human rights and discrimination, including disability-related complaints to the BC Human Rights Tribunal (BCHRT) and federal human rights agencies
• Disputes about income support for people with disabilities, especially disability assistance from BC’s Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. The DLC works with DABC’s Advocacy Access program on appeals of Ministry decisions. The DLC also represents clients in applications for judicial review of certain administrative decisions
• Questions or disputes related to decision-making rights, especially in cases where BC’s Public Guardian and Trustee or a court-appointed committee make decisions on behalf of a person
• Questions about private long-term disability insurance benefits.

You can find more information about our services on our website, at https://disabilityalliancebc.org/program/disability-law-clinic/

The DLC currently consists of three lawyers, a full-time legal advocate, a part-time intake worker and a part-time legal assistant. We are seeking a new articling student for 1 year, ideally starting in May 2026.

Job Description

Duties of the articling student position include:

• representing clients in disability-related human rights complaints to the BC Human Rights Tribunal (BCHRT) and federal human rights agencies
• representing clients in appeals to BC’s Employment and Assistance Appeal Tribunal (EAAT), in cases involving disputes about provincial government disability benefits
• providing research support and helping the DLC’s staff lawyers to prepare applications for judicial review applications
• providing summary advice to clients on a variety of legal issues
• preparing research and briefing notes to support DABC’s ongoing systemic policy advocacy on behalf of people with disabilities
• delivering public legal education sessions, workshops, and materials for people with disabilities and disability-related organizations.
• Reviewing DABC’s helpsheets and other publications about government disability benefits, to ensure they are accurate and up to date, and developing new helpsheets in cooperation with DABC staff
• Assisting with the intake process, including: responding to inquiries from the public, going through the intake process with prospective clients, triaging requests for assistance, and ascertaining what information is needed in order to determine if a potential claim has merit
• Attending DABC staff meetings and community events.

The successful applicant must:

• Have completed and graduated from law school before May 2026, and be eligible to article as per the requirements of the Law Society of British Columbia.
• Have experience providing services to people with disabilities and/or advocating for disability justice and/or have lived experience with a disability
• Have demonstrated alignment with DABC’s vision, mission and values, including DABC’s values of accountability, mutual support, reconciliation, accessibility and intersectionality: https://disabilityalliancebc.org/about-dabc/what-we-do/
• Be technologically proficient with computers and computer programs, including Microsoft Office software specifically Excel, Word and Outlook.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with clients, members and staff across many diverse backgrounds
• Have up-to-date internet infrastructure and dedicated internet access
• Be legally allowed to work in Canada

The following are strong assets for this position:

• Knowledge of administrative law and judicial review processes, including federal and provincial human rights law
• Experience representing clients in administrative tribunals
• You may be expected to work at home on two or three days per week, so the ability to work independently is important.
• Experience working with people in crisis and familiarity with trauma-informed practice
• Experience with Clio or other legal services or data file management software

Wages and Benefits

Salary: $65,000

DABC pays the student’s salary for the 12-month Law Society Admission Program as well as the cost of the mandatory Professional Legal Training Course (PLTC). 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
• Employee wellness benefit

Working hours and location:

This position is a [hybrid/remote] position at 5 days a week, 8 hours per day (with a one-hour paid lunch break). The successful candidate may be required to work at the Downtown Vancouver office two to three days a week, and at home the rest of the time.

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.

Commitment to Equity

DABC is committed to fostering a respectful, inclusive and equitable workplace which is representative of the community we serve. We welcome those who have demonstrated a commitment to upholding the values of inclusion, anti-ableism, anti-racism and reconciliation. Applications are encouraged from members of groups that are historically disadvantaged and underrepresented, including Indigenous persons, people of colour, and people of all sexual orientations, gender expressions and identities. People with disabilities are especially encouraged to apply. Accommodations are available during the hiring process, upon request.

To Apply:

Please submit your application to Margery Pazdor, managing lawyer, Disability Law Clinic, margery@dabc.ca using the subject heading “Job Application Articling Position” and please include the following:

• Resume
• Cover letter
• Law school transcripts
• Contact for two references
• Legal writing sample – max five pages (excerpt is fine)

Applications are due no later than 4:30 p.m. on February 27, 2026. DABC welcomes all applications, however, only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for an interview. No phone calls, please.