Have all of your tax slips ready? If you are a person with a disability living in Vancouver and your tax situation is simple, you can now drop off your tax information to our advocates for faster support.
Bring your ID and tax slips to our office and pick up your package once your taxes have been completed.
DABC’s office is located at 1450-605 Robson Street, Vancouver.
Open: March 3, 2023
Closes: March 17, 2023
Location: Vancouver, BC
Category: Community and Social Services Job
Type: Full Time (4 days/week), Maternity Leave Cover, for a 12-month period
Salary: $48,000/year (prorated to $38,400/year)
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: to support people, with all disabilities, to live with dignity, independence and as equal and full participants in the community.
Program Description
Access RDSP is a DABC program in partnership with Plan Institute and the BC Aboriginal Network on Disability Society (BCANDS). This program is part of the financial literacy arm of our Advocacy Access Program.
Building on the work of our collaborative partnership, the objective of this program is to promote the Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) and the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) across BC, and to assist people with disabilities to access the DTC and open an RDSP.
Job Description
DABC is seeking a Community Advocate for our Access RDSP program. Under the supervision of the Program Manager, the Advocate will work one-on-one to help people with disabilities apply for the DTC and learn about the RDSP. The Advocate will also help raise awareness about the RDSP through the development of strategic partnerships and community outreach. The successful applicant will also have administrative responsibilities associated with the day-to-day operation of the program.
The position will be based out of DABC’s Vancouver office but requires occasional travel to other BC communities.
This position is to cover a maternity leave for a 12-month period and may be extended; it is for 4 days per week (pro-rated to $38,400 annual salary) with the possibility of increasing to 5 days per week ($48,000 annual salary).
The successful applicant must:
The following are strong assets for this position:
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 encouraged to apply.
To Apply:
Please submit a resume and brief cover letter addressed to Cynthia Minh, Director—Tax AID& Access RDSP at cynthia@disabilityalliancebc.org using the subject heading “Job Application: Community Advocate”. No phone calls or faxes please.
Applications are due no later than 4:30 p.m. on March 17, 2023. DABC welcomes all applications, however, only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for an interview. Interviews will be conducted at the end of March and the position start date will be at the start of April.
March 1, 2023
The BC Budget for the 2023/2024 fiscal year was announced at the legislative assembly in Victoria on February 28, 2023. Helaine Boyd, Disability Alliance BC (DABC)’s Executive Director, was invited to attend the announcement and review the budget materials.
On reviewing the 2023 Budget, DABC is relieved to see an increase in the shelter rate for people on income assistance and disability assistance; an increase that has been long overdue. The shelter rate, which hasn’t changed since 2007, will increase from $375 per month to $500 per month for single individuals. For a single person on PWD (the disability assistance program for people designated as Persons With Disabilities), this means their rate will go from $1,358 to $1,483 per month.
We also know that people living in subsidized housing won’t see this rate increase at all – it will just be for those who are renting or otherwise paying for housing or shelter costs.
Undoubtedly, rent prices have increased by much more than $125 since 2007, so while we recognize that this shelter rate increase is a step in the right direction, it fails to meaningfully address systemic poverty in our province.
The poverty line for the majority of the province is roughly $2100 per month for a single individual[1], and so this rate increase still will not meet the poverty line. This will continue to have further impacts on the quality of life, health and well being of low-income people with disabilities.
Alongside the shelter rate increase, DABC is pleased to see that there are also increases to most income and disability assistance supplements, including diet supplements (increased by 50%) and the monthly nutritional supplement (increased from $165 to $180 per month). All of these increases under income and disability assistance will come into effect in July 2023.
DABC recognizes that the BC Government has also included other forms of support in this budget to combat rising costs through another upcoming installment of the BC Affordability Credit, the new Renter’s Tax Credit and increases to the BC Family Credit and Climate Action Tax Credit. DABC has confirmed with the BC Government that income received from these credits will not claw back a person’s income or disability assistance payments.
But these types of credits are not sustainable and they are not reliable sources of monthly income. These are credits that maybe happen every quarter or once a year, which means addressing daily living costs and planning for the future remains incredibly difficult. The BC Government’s choice to invest in credits like this also inadvertently creates barriers for people who do not file their taxes, particularly people with no fixed address, no technological means to register with the CRA, or difficulties accessing government-issued identification. We hope that the BC Government can find a way to increase access to these benefits and credits to the people who most need them.
DABC understands that this slight increase in PWD rates will have an effect on people who receive Canada Pension Plan Disability (CPPD). Prior to this rate increase announcement, the maximum amount a single person on CPPD could receive is $1,457.45. If someone were to receive the maximum amount of CPPD, this would make them ineligible to apply for PWD, as they would not meet the income testing threshold of receiving income that is less than $1,358. With this new rate increase bringing the PWD rate for single individuals to $1,483, it looks like people receiving the maximum CPPD amount may now be eligible to apply for PWD (if they have no other sources of income which bring them above this $1,483 threshold). This is good news for people with disabilities who cannot work because it will mean that they can access the benefits and supports associated with the PWD system, like extended health care and medical supplements.
DABC notes that earnings exemptions have increased in this BC Budget 2023 announcement, bringing the annual earnings exemption limit from $15,000 per year to $16,200 per year for a single individual. If a person on PWD is able to utilize their whole earnings exemption limit, they can then receive a total income of over $33,000 per year. However, many people on PWD cannot work, and for those who cannot work, the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction’s practice is to require PWD clients to apply for CPPD. Once they are approved for CPPD, their PWD gets clawed back dollar for dollar. In comparison to the supports provided to people on PWD who can work, the treatment of clawing back CPPD payments by the Ministry is extremely unfair for people with disabilities who cannot work. DABC continues to advocate for the exemption of CPPD payments.
DABC notes that there has been no specific announcements to supporting further implementation of the Accessible BC Act in this budget. By September 1, 2023, 750 public sector organizations will be required under Part 3 of the Accessible BC Act to create an accessibility committee, accessibility plan and public feedback mechanism. There is currently no funding specifically allocated to support public sector organizations in covering the costs to implement accessibility initiatives that arise from their accessibility plans. Without funding for this, the implementation of the Accessibility BC Act will fall short of bringing meaningful change for people with disabilities in our province.
DABC notes further related announcements in the budget:
After years and years of advocating for increased funding to support people with disabilities, DABC views this increase as incremental, but it does not represent a top tier investment in people with disabilities. Many people with disabilities, not just PWD recipients, have higher daily living expenses, such as extra healthcare costs including medical equipment, caregiving and home support, education and employment costs including assistive technology. We will continue to advocate for a more dignified level of income support that will make more significant progress in lifting people out of poverty in BC.
[1] This figure is calculated from Statistics Canada’s market basket measure (MBM) for 2021. The MBM is considered to be Canada’s poverty line. Statistic’s Canada presents the MBM for a family of four, so to calculate for a single individual, it is suggested to be half the amount presented on this website here: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1110006601
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Since 1977, Disability Alliance BC has been a provincial, cross-disability voice in British Columbia. 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.
We acknowledge and have deep gratitude to work together on the unceded traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓ əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and Selíl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations of the Coast Salish people. We honour the many territorial keepers of the lands.
DABC is a proud member of the Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD)and BC Poverty Reduction Coalition.
DABC is proud to be certified as a Living Wage Employer by Living Wage for Families BC! We are glad to be able to support our staff to feel valued in their roles and provide them with the opportunity to thrive in their communities.
