Premier John Horgan has announced a monthly increase of $100 to BC disability and income assistance rates. This change begins September 20^th 2017 (October benefits). The maximum rate for support and shelter for a single person will be:

–           $710 (Income Assistance)

–           $757 (Persons with Persistent Multiple Barriers to Employment – PPMB)

–           $1081 (Persons with Disabilities with a bus pass – PWD)

–           $1133 (Persons with Disabilities without a bus pass – PWD)

Families with two adults who both have the PWD designation will receive a $200 monthly increase. This is the first increase to income assistance rates in a decade despite the rapidly rising cost of living across the province.

Disability Alliance BC applauds the new government’s fast implementation of these much needed increases.

Additional Information

The new Minister responsible for disability benefits and income assistance (Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction) is the Honourable Shane Simpson.

While there has been no formal announcement, Minister Simpson’s mandate letter from the Premier directs him to implement a $200 monthly increase to the earnings exemption for assistance recipients and restore the BC Bus Pass program.

There has also been no announcement about an increase for people receiving Room and Board benefits, or the Comforts Allowance.

We have no further information about these changes at this time.

If you have any questions about this announcement please feel free to contact Sam Turcott, Advocacy Access Program Director at 604-872-1278 or 1-800-663-1278.

AccessNow is all about sharing accessibility information around the world. Our goal is to map as many places as we possibly can, and we invite you to help us! A worldwide community, passionate about change, together we can empower each other to have access now.

As we pin-point the accessibility status of locations, we can start looking at how to turn all the red pins, not accessible, to green pins, accessible. We want to find ways to create access where there currently is none. If you are someone working to remove barriers…we want to hear from you!

We use crowdsourcing to pin-point the accessibility status of locations on an interactive map. Search for specific places or browse to see what is nearby with the accessibility features you need. If info isn’t already on our map, you can add it yourself and contribute to our worldwide community.

Click here for the AccessNow website

The BC Lions and Pacific Autism Family Network are creating a first in the Canadian Football League. The two organizations have joined forces to take steps at providing fans on the Autism Spectrum a more comfortable experience by creating the GAMECHANGERS program. Together, they aim to ensure that families affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder can attend, have a better experience, and cheer on their CFL team at all home games at BC Place.

The program gives families who are a part of the Pacific Autism Family Network the opportunity to request tickets and be seated in a thoughtfully selected reserved area, as well as receive Toolkits for each individual attending with Autism or a related disorder. The Toolkits contain items to make the game more user friendly and include noise cancelling headphones, earplugs, sensory toys, and a visual schedule for game day.

“As anyone in our organization will tell you, football is family,” said Lions VP, Business George Chayka. “We are both proud and honoured to have an opportunity to join with the Pacific Autism Family Network and bring the joy, excitement and fun of BC Lions football to those who would not normally find it possible to attend. Our community is stronger when we go the extra yard to be inclusive and the GAMECHANGER program is a perfect example of what we can do together.”

Families who are a part of Pacific Autism Family Network, will be notified of upcoming BC Lions’ home games and given the opportunity to attend as part of the GAMECHANGERS program. Families who attend will be sent their tickets in advance, along with instructions for arrival, and a separate visual schedule that supports the lead up to game day.

“There are so many families in BC who unfortunately cannot attend stadium events because it can be too overwhelming for our loved ones with Autism or related disorders,” says Pacific Autism Family Network Co-Founder, Wendy Lisogar-Cocchia. “We have such an incredible community partner in the BC Lions; they truly want to ensure an inclusive and fun experience for everyone, and together, we are taking steps to make that happen.”

To learn more and take part in the GAMECHANGERS program join the Pacific Autism Family Network here: http://bit.ly/2urpcHv

The former first lady Michelle Obama presented the Arthur Ashe Courage Award to posthumously honour Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who founded the Special Olympics. “I am here tonight to honour a remarkable woman,” said Obama, and called Shriver a woman who believed “everyone deserves a chance to push themselves and find out what they’re made of.”  The Ashe Award is one of the most prestigious in sports. Recipients reflect the spirit of Arthur Ashe, possessing strength in the face of adversity, courage in the face of peril and the willingness to stand up for their beliefs no matter what the cost.

Special Olympics Chairman Tim Shriver, one of Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s children, accepted the honour on behalf of his mother at The 25th ESPYS on July 12. “My mother was a visionary, but, more importantly, a revolutionary,” said Shriver on behalf of the Shriver family and Special Olympics. “Fueled by love and anger, she used sport to break down the barriers, she used fields of play to bring people together, and she opened the doors of inclusion and equality to the most marginalized on Earth. It is now up to all of us to follow the athletes of Special Olympics who can teach us all to accept and include each other.”

Click here to access the Special Olympics website and watch the acceptance speech

On July 3^rd the Cowichan Adaptive Sailing Program launched their Adaptive Sailing Program in Ladysmith. You can either email [email protected] or call them at 250-466-4773 for more details.

On July 15^th they will be in Duncan Day’s Parade and invite you to come on down, have some fun, and enjoy the festivities.

August 12^th will be their BBQ on the Dock; a chance to get together with all their Members and Volunteers to have some fun, so they welcome you to come on down and see them at the Dock.

They would also like to thank their contributors: Ladysmith Lions, Ladysmith Knights of Columbus, and Lake Cowichan Legion

The Inter-Cultural Association is pleased to provide this Diversity Events Calendar for multicultural and diversity events taking place in the Greater Victoria Region.

Title:            

Canada’s 150 year Celebration

Event:          Celebrate Canada’s 150 year anniversary at this family friendly event.
Date:            Friday June 30 7:00pm – 10:00pm
Location:      Quadra Village Community Centre 950 Kings Road
Cost:            Free
Info:             Email: [email protected] Phone: 250-388-7696 ext 224

July 2017

Title:            Community BBQ Celebrating Canada’s 150+

Event:          Japanese Taiko drummers and Thai youth dancers perform at this family event
Date:            Saturday July 8 11:00am – 2:00pm
Location:      Cook Street Village Activity Centre, 380 Cook Street
Cost:            Free entertainment/ BBQ $5
Info:             Cook Street Village Centre  Email: [email protected] Phone: 250-384-6542

Title:            Festival Mexicano

Event:          Latin dance, live music, mariachi band and folklore dancers plus food.
Date:            Saturday & Sunday July 8 and 9 12noon – 5:00pm
Location:      Centennial Square
Cost:            Free
Info:             Phone: 250-213-9366 or Email: [email protected] 

August 2017
 
Title:           India Mela

Event:         Annual Indian Mela festival with the best of Indian food, arts and culture.
Date:           Friday August 11, Saturday August 12 and Sunday August 13 10:00am-7:00pm
Location:     Centennial Square
Cost:           Free
Info:            India Canada Cultural Association  Phone: 250-883-5571 

Title:           S’TENISTOLW 2017 Indigenous Adult Education Conference

Event:         Conference for educators in Indigenous post-secondary and adult education.
Date:           August 23, 24, 25 2017
Location:     Camosun College Lansdowne Campus and Songhees Wellness Centre
Cost:           Pre-Conference and Dinner ($100.00); Conference Fee ($395.00)
Info:            Indigenous Conference       Email: [email protected]

Performers from West Coast REACH! Association were featured in the news on Friday night and included some familiar faces from Kardel.  They performed at the Oak Bay Tea Party last week and will be performing at Sidney days on June 30.  Click here to see the news clip.

West Coast REACH! Association is a registered non-profit organization newly-founded by Anne-Marie and Peter Brimacombe.  Through the performing and visual arts they nurture, inspire, empower, inform and unite people of all ages, cultures, faiths and abilities.  Click here to view their website with registration information.

Futures Club spent a sunny Friday afternoon at Gorge Kinsmen Park and were featured on Sawatsky Sign Off on CTV.  Click here to view the video

CLBC would like to invite you to provide input on how it can better support individuals and their families to plan.

Background CLBC is currently working on a project to improve its planning support to individuals and their families.  Our research shows that:

• Individuals and families need realistic, accurate and consistent information about CLBC long before they turn 19.
• Individuals and families have different planning needs (i.e. transition, aging, employment, etc.).
• Individuals and families want “ownership” over their planning processes and documents; they want ready access and the ability to adjust plans themselves.
• There is often duplication in planning with service providers.

Based on these findings, CLBC will be testing a new approach to planning that includes a planning profile tool based on the Quality of Life Framework of Dr. Schalock. We are interested in hearing from service providers about how this new profile tool might interface with existing service provider planning approaches, process, and efforts.

You Are Invited The Planning Project Design Team will be visiting 4 locations around the province testing elements of the new planning design, and we will be in Victoria in early June.  In addition to attending the session for service providers, we hope that you will also encourage involvement from individuals and families who you support.  We are interested in hearing from individuals (and their families) who are in high school and may be eligible for services in the future, those who recently transitioned and are receiving CLBC-funded services, and those who recently transitioned and are on CLBC’s Request for Service List.  Here is our schedule:

• Session 1: Service Providers – 1:00-3:00pm, June 5, CLBC, Suite 200-645 Tyee Road, Victoria
• Session 2: Families – 7:00-9:00pm, June 5, Camosun College (Lansdowne Campus, 3100 Foul Bay Rd, Victoria), Young Building, Room 219
• Session 3: Self-Advocates – 7:00-9:00pm, June 5, Camosun College (Lansdowne Campus, 3100 Foul Bay Rd, Victoria), Young Building, Room 217
• Session 4:  CLBC Staff  – 9:00-11:00am, June 6, CLBC, Suite 200-645 Tyee Road, Victoria

If you are interested in joining the service provider session, please RSVP to Lisa Makortoff at [email protected]. Seating is be limited so we encourage you to RSVP as soon as possible.

We look forward to seeing you there!

As of March 22, 2017, nurse practitioners are included on the list of health professionals who can certify the impacts of impairments for the Disability Tax Credit (DTC).

Nurse practitioners can help people who have one or more disabilities that affect vision, speaking, hearing, walking, eliminating, feeding, dressing, and mental functions necessary for everyday life, as well as those who require life-sustaining therapy.

The updated DTC application form can be downloaded from the Canada Revenue Agency website (click here) or requested by calling 1-800-959-8281.

Just a reminder that through the Access RDSP initiative, DABC provides help and support to apply for the DTC to British Columbians who are eligible for the Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP). The DABC are working in partnership with Plan Institute and the BC Aboriginal Network on Disability Society (BCANDS) so that British Columbians with disabilities have the supports they need to open an RDSP.

For more help please call us at 604-872-1278 or 1-800-663-1278, or call the Access RDSP hotline at 1-844-311-7526.

Thank you to the Vancouver Foundation for their generous funding of this work.