This month we are proud to feature Spectrum Society For Community Living! Spectrum Society for Community Living is a Vancouver-based registered non-profit society and charitable organization. Established in 1987, it emerged from the vision of a small group of friends and family members who were passionate about creating community-based services for people with disabilities. Over the years, Spectrum has grown and evolved, expanding its reach and impact across British Columbia.  Our Mission and ApproachAt Spectrum, we believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to lea ..read more

This month we are proud to feature our partnering organization, DABC! Since 1977, Disability Alliance BC (DABC) has been a provincial, cross-disability voice in British Columbia. Our mission is to support people, with all disabilities, to live with dignity, independence and as equal and full participants in the community. We champion issues impacting the lives of people with disabilities through our direct services, community partnerships, advocacy, research and publications. The latest at DABC: We’ve just released the Spring 2024 edition of our flagship magazine, Transition! This edit ..read more

Disability community underwhelmed and disappointed by investments in Budget 2024 April 18, 2024 Today, the National Disability Network expresses its disappointment in Budget 2024’s underwhelming investment of $6 a day for people with disabilities. Tuesday’s budget announced funding for the Canada Disability Benefit—a maximum annual amount of $2,400 or $200 per month. The National Disability Network had advocated for an adequate investment to the Canada Disability Benefit based on the recommendations proposed by the Parliamentary Budget Office. Reaction from the disability community has been un ..read more

For Immediate Release Media Advisory April 16, 2024 Disability Without Poverty recognizes historic federal disability benefit in the Budget Canada Disability Benefit will transform the lives of a few disabled Canadians while many disabled Canadians lose hope (Ottawa): Disability Without Poverty (DWP) witnesses the historic decision to fund the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) in today’s federal budget — at long last. But it’s too little for too few.  The federal budget outlines a number of key features of the CDB – a maximum annual benefit of $2400 and a process of eligibility through the ..read more

The government is feeling the pressure. We can’t let up now. On March 25, over 60 Liberal MPs signed an open letter demanding a fully funded Canada Disability Benefit be a part of the Spring Federal Budget, due to be released on April 16. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland must take into consideration what it will take to leave no one behind in her affordability-themed budget – this is a chance to make our voices heard. Minister Freeland talks about “Canada (being) stronger when everyone has an equal chance to succeed”. Disability poverty is an emergency, and people with disabilities can’t wai ..read more

What we learned from disabled people across Canada on Shaping the Canada Disability Benefit. Join us to learn about highlights from the Shape the CDB project. We heard from close to 5,000 people with disabilities from across the country, and held peer-to-peer conversations with 200 people. What these many voices tell us will be crucial in ensuring the Canada Disability Benefits lifts as many people with disability out of poverty. WHEN: Monday, April 15 TIME: 9am-10am PT / 12pm-1pm ET ASL, LSQ, English & French closed captioning, as well as Simultaneous French trans ..read more

27% of the population of Canada are disabled.  40% of the people who live in poverty are disabled.  Nothing accounts for this disparity but our society’s attitudes towards disabled people. We can change this.  These are the words we took with us into our advocacy in Victoria in March. We went to deliver the message that Disability With Possibility can happen with a Canada Disability Benefit that has provincial support on eligibility and no provincial clawbacks.  Michelle began the week on Tuesday by attending Question Period. She was introduced with Leo, her service dog, by ..read more

In our National survey, which is Phase 1 of this report, BC represented 20% of the respondents, even though BC only accounts for 13.5% of the population of Canada. This indicates just how keenly disability poverty is felt in BC, where the poverty level currently sits at $2,322 in Vancouver, and $2,249 in cities like Victoria and Kelowna, while the provincial monthly Disability Assistance payment is $1483.50 (all figures for single individuals).  We are only at the start of analyzing our BC data, but we already see strong messages that we think are important for the Government of BC to kno ..read more

9,000 people shared their primary care experience with OurCare. OurCare has created one of the largest ever data sets on the experience and attitudes of people living in Canada towards primary care. Read the report here. And check out the question-by-question data here ..read more

This month we are proud to feature our partnering organization, Kinsight! Kinsight is celebrating 70 years of service. Founded in 1954 by parents who wanted something different for their children, their families and their community, “Kin” reflects those families, extended family and community members and “sight” emphasizes their vision – a world where Everyone’s welcome. Everyone belongs. Everywhere. Kinsight is proud to be one of seven founding members who came together in 1955 to form what is known today as Inclusion BC, our provincial federation. Together with them, our partn ..read more