The BC Budget for the 2023/2024 fiscal year was announced at the legislative assembly in Victoria on February 28, 2023. The Budget revealed that there would be an increase to 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. 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.

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). These changes take effect as of August 1st, 2023 (and will appear starting with the July 19th 2023 cheque issue).

The provincial government recently released a rate table, detailing current rates as well as the new rates. You can view this rate table here: https://tinyurl.com/5xxh5527.

If you have questions about any of these changes, you can email us at advocacy@disabilityalliancebc.org or call us at 604-872-1278 (Toll-free: 1-800-663-1278). Please be advised that we receive a high volume of inquiries and it will likely take some time to hear back from an advocate.

To read our original response to the 2023/2024 BC Budget, from which some of the information in this Community Update has been taken, please visit our blog: https://disabilityalliancebc.org/dabcs-response-to-2023-bc-budget/.

On June 20^th, 2023 Bill C-22 was passed by the Senate! The Bill proposes to create a federal income supplement for low-income, working-age people with disabilities, modelled after the Guaranteed Income Supplement. As of June 22^nd, Bill C-22 has now received Royal Assent and becomes law by “written declaration” by the Governor General.

We applaud everyone—from the disability community (individuals and organizations) to those in Government—who tirelessly advocated for the passage of this Bill.

Prior to its passing of the Bill, the Senate had recommended 4 amendments[1], and the Bill was sent back to the House of Commons for re-consideration. The House approved 3 of the 4 amendments. The amendment the House rejected would have protected the Benefit from potential private insurance claw backs; the reason given for the rejection was due to “concerns over provincial jurisdiction over the regulation of the insurance industry.”[2] DABC has concerns over the omission of this amendment and will continue to advocate for a Canada Disability Benefit that safeguards against any clawbacks to a disabled person’s income.

We know that this work isn’t done. There is a 12 month deadline to develop the new Act’s regulations. DABC looks forward to working collaboratively to help develop these regulations over the next months. We will continue to provide updates through social media, email and our newsletter when possible. 

[1] https://archdisabilitylaw.ca/tell-the-senate-to-pass-a-stronger-bill-c-22/

[2] https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/canada-disability-benefit-bill-passes-parliament-1.6448999

Big news: Bill C-22 has just been passed! Soon the Bill will receive Royal Assent as the Canada Disability Benefit Act.

We applaud everyone—from the disability community (individuals and organizations) to those in Government—who tirelessly advocated for the passage of this Bill.

This work isn’t done, and DABC looks forward to working collaboratively to help develop the new Act’s regulations over the next months.