Notice of MSD Office Changes- Vancouver Coastal Region

The BC Coalition of People with Disabilities has received the notification below from the Ministry of Social Development about an office closure in the Vancouver Coastal Region:

                                               Vancouver Coastal Region
                                                 Service Delivery Change

As a result of Service Delivery changes in the Vancouver Coastal Region, the Fairview Employment and Assistance office located at:

                                                201 – 828 West 8th Avenue,
                                                           Vancouver, BC

will no longer be providing face to face services to the public effective February 4, 2013. Current clients of the Fairview office will be assigned to other offices as follows:

Clients living in the following postal codes: V6J, V6K, V6L, V6R, V6S, V6T

The new office is:
China Creek Employment and Assistance Centre
201-475 East Broadway, Vancouver BC, V5T 1W9
1-866-866-0800

Clients living in the following postal codes: V5Y, V5Z, V6H, V6M, V6N

The new office is:
Mountainview Employment and Assistance Centre
300-5550 Fraser Street, Vancouver BC, V5W 3Z4
1-866-866-0800

In order to further equalize distribution of files
Clients living in the V5P, currently Mountainview postal code:

The new office is:
Killarney Employment and Income Assistance Office
2280 Kingsway, Vancouver BC, V5N 5M9
1-866-866-0800

All clients with these postal codes will be notified of this change by letter and telephone. Posters regarding the change are visible in the transferring offices. If you have any questions, please contact:

Jean Lofthouse, Manager
Community Relations & Service Quality
Vancouver Coastal Region
604-660-2212 Jean.lofthouse@gov.bc.ca

Vernon Mayor and Council voice support for raising disability benefit rates

In today’s edition of the Vernon Morning Star, Vernon City Council spoke out in support of the Disability Without Poverty Network’s proposal for an increase to $1200 a month for people receiving provincial disability benefits.

We congratulate and thank Vernon City Council for their support of the BC Coalition of People with Disabilities and community partners in the Disability Without Poverty Network’s proposal . The increase in overall funding the Minister refers to in the article is very different from the increase that individuals have received ($120 over the last 11 years). $300 million is a fraction of BC’s total budget. Moreover, people who cannot afford safe housing, healthy food and other essentials end up costing the province more in health care and other costs.

To read the full article, visit the following link: http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/news/183428621.html

Community Update: New PWD Earnings Exemption

On November 21, 2012, the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) announced the first phase of annualized earnings exemptions for people who are receiving the Persons with Disabilities (PWD) benefit. The idea of an annualized earnings exemption was proposed by a number of disability groups. The BC Coalition of People with Disabilities is pleased that MSD has acted on this recommendation.

The annual earnings exemptions will be phased in over the next year. In the first phase, which goes from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2013, 5,000 people receiving PWD will be invited to participate. In the second phase, starting in January 2014, the annual earnings exemptions will be available to everyone receiving PWD.

As noted, only about 5,000 people will be part of the first phase of the new annualized earnings exemption. They will be receiving a letter from MSD in the near future, inviting them to participate in the new program. Participation is optional. According to MSD, participants in the first phase must have:

  • Had the PWD designation for at least the past 12 months
  • Received PWD in at least the past two consecutive months
  • In at least one of the past 12 months, had earnings over $500 for families with one adult receiving PWD and $750 for families where both adults are receiving PWD.

These are the annualized earnings exemptions maximums, announced by MSD for the period of January 1st to December 31st:

  • $9,600 for one-adult families, where the adult is receiving PWD
  • $12,000 for two-adult families, where only one adult is receiving PWD
  • $19,200 for two-adult families, where both adults are receiving PWD

For more information:

The link to the provincial government’s news release on the annualized earnings exemption is: http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2009-2013/2012SD0029-001829.htm

You can also contact Advocacy Access at 604-872-1278 or toll free 1-800-663-1278