Canada Pension Plan (CPP) is a social insurance program. The website has information on how to apply for:

• disability benefits (which include benefits for disabled contributors and benefits for their dependent children);
• retirement pension;
• survivor benefits (which include the death benefit, the survivor's pension and the children's benefit).

Income Assistance for Persons with Disabilities - This website has information on applying for Disability Income Assistance in Manitoba.
Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Fact Sheet - basic assistance, shelter, special needs, medical transportation, special diets, health services and supplies, school supplies, moving costs, child care.
Disability Programs and Employment and Income Assistance Division - Disability Programs, Office of the Vulnerable Persons' Commissioner, Strategic Initiatives and Program Support, Finance/Administration and Program Budgeting.

The Alberta government website publications and forms page has applications and fact sheets on income assistances about seniors', disability, and housing.

BC Ministry of Employment and Income Assistance - Information for Persons with Disabilities- Information on Disability Assistance in BC. In order to recieve Person with Disabilities (PWD) assistance you have to fill in an application form, have a physician report completed by a doctor or medical practitioner and assessor report completed by a health professional of the your choice. PWD also recgonizes mental health as a disability.

• How to Apply for Persons with Disabilities Assistance
• Persons with Disabilities Brochure
• PWD Brochure (in PDF)
• Disability Assistance Rate Table - You can estimate how much you may receive on disability assistance.
• Persons with Disabilities Factsheet
• Persons with Disabilities Factsheet (in PDF)
• Employment Program for Persons with Disabilities
• Workable Solutions - Employment resource set up by the BC government for persons with disabilities and employers.

The Community Advocates Network in Halifax has put together a mini manual for people navigating the income assistance program called Social Assistance and You (in PDF). You can download chapters of the manual below.

Ministry of Family and Community Services - Social Assistance - This is the ministry responsible for welfare in New Brunswick.
Ministère des Services familiaux et communautaires - ça c'est le ministère en charge de l'aide sociale en Nouveau-Brunswick.

• Social Assistance Policy Manual - Manual of rules and regulations for applying and receiving welfare in New Brunswick.
• Directory of Financial Aid for Persons with Disabilities in N.B - A manual published by the Premier's Council on the Status of Disabled Persons with information on housing, rebates, CPP, healthcare, medical expenses, tax credits, and deductions.
  Répertoire d'aide financière pour personnes handicapées au Nouveau-Brunswick - ce guide était préparé par le Conseil du Premier ministre sur la condition des personnes handicapées avec de l'information sur le logement, les remises, le RPC, l'assistance médicale, les crédits de taxe et les déductions.

The website for the Review Tribunals for Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security has information for unsuccessful applicants of a CPP disability benefit.

Le site web des Tribunaux de Révision pour le régime de pensions et les appels de la sécurité de la vieillesse a de l'information pour les applicants qui étaient niés le RPC bénéfice de l'incapacité.

The BC Coalition of People with Disabilities has prepared a series of Help Sheets on disability benefits under the Employment and Assistance Legislation. You can view these sheets online and/or download and print them. They cover applications, appeals, rights, employment and medical benefits.

The Yukon Health and Social Services - Disabilities website provides links to government sites related to disabilities.

• Territorial Supplementary Allowance - if you are receiving Social Assistance in the Yukon, and are found unemployable because of a disability you may be eligible to receive a supplement of $250.00/month.
• Social Assistance Manual - Policy and Procedures (in PDF) - this manual explains welfare legislation, how and where to apply, how to appeal, eligibility, and amount of assistance.

Prepared by Mark Redgwell

The following are a collection of resources for PWD advocacy that was prepared for The Law Centre Clinical Program in Victoria, BC and are reproduced here with The Law Centre's permission. These materials were designed primarily for law students in the clinical program who are new to Persons With Disabilities advocacy. Suggestions as to how to improve the Primer are most welcome and can be directed towards Mark Redgwell.

A Guide to PWD Advocacy

• PWD Advocacy Primer (34 pages, in PDF)

Interview and Drafting Materials

• Client Interview Worksheet (in DOC)
• Physician Report - Section 2 (in PDF)
• Assessor Report -Section 3 (in PDF)

Sample Letters and "Applicant Information" (Section 1)

• Sample letter to doctor (in DOC)
• Sample Applicant Information (Section 1) #1 (in DOC)
• Sample Applicant Information (Section 1) #2 (in DOC)
• Sample Applicant Information (Section 1) #3 (in DOC)

Legislation, Regulations, and Forms

• Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Act 2:
In PDF Format
• Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Regulations 2:
In PDF Format
• Sample Application Form for PWD (23 pages, in PDF)

Two forms: a Diet Allowance Request Form (in PDF), incorporating the latest legislative criteria and making the eligibility requirements clear for doctors and clients and a Short-Term Nutritional Supplementation Request (in PDF). For more information read the Monthly Nutritional Supplement Benefit Suggested Application Guidelines and the Ministry guidelines which are available on this website.

Canada Pension Plan disability benefits information is a resource for those applying for, helping someone apply for or recieving disability benefits.

L'information à propos des Prestations d'invalidité du Régime de pensions du Canada est ressource pour les gens entrain de demander pour une prestation, d'aider une autre person obtenire une prestation ou de recevoir une prestation.

Kettle Friendship Society Advocacy Services has allowed us to put their checklist online. The Disability II Checklist covers health, MSDES, transportation, leisure and housing benefits that someone receiving full Disability Benefits from the Ministry of Social Development and Economic Security may be entitled to.

DISABILITY BENEFITS II CHECKLIST

Checklist courtesy of:
Kettle Friendship Society Advocacy Service
Vancouver, B.C., 2000
advocacy@intergate.bc.ca

If you receive full Disability Benefits from the Ministry of Social Development and Economic Security (MSDES) the following programs may be available to you.

MINISTRY OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC SECURITY BENEFITS:

HEALTH CARE BENEFITS

Call 1-800-665-4347 Health Information Line. Most Health Benefits have to be applied for. MSDES may deny request for health benefits. You have the right to appeal. Often request must be substantiated by doctor. Some items and services must come from an approved supplier.

• Health Care Services - Medical Services Plan Coverage.
• Prescription Drugs - most medication is covered; you can enquire about a medication’s coverage from Pharmacare 604-682-6849.
• Dental Care - $500.00/year; pre- authorized services (including dentures) for special work; there is a six month waiting period from date of eligibility for this extended benefit.
• Certain Medical Supplies - Medical Appliances; eg. Braces, prostheses, orthopaedic shoes, splints, elastic stockings, support devices including stresses and surgical corsets and ileostomy and colostomy supplies.
• Mobility Aids
• Hearing Aids
• Glasses - lens replacements available every four years

MSDES BENEFITS

Benefits received by contacting Financial Assistance Worker (FAW) at your local MSDES office; ask for assistance from an advocate if you have difficulties with your request.

• Diet Allowance - Up to $40.00/month for person’s with special dietary needs; doctor’s or dietitian’s note required.
• Community Volunteer Program (CVP) - May receive $100.00/month for volunteer work. Waiting list is long. Must have a community placement and get on list by contacting one’s FAW.
• Training Initiatives Benefit Program (TIB) - Receives $50.00/month; received for 6 months - can be extended for another 6 months within a 36 month period.
• Monthly Incentives Benefit (MIB) - Receives $50.00/month for 20hrs a month of work, or $100.00/month for 40hrs a month if one has a dependant.
• Earning Exemptions - Earnings exempt up to $200.00/month; after this amount 25% of earnings are kept
• Trust Exemptions - Large sums of money (ie. Inheritances, CICB , and ICBC settlements) can be set up in a special trust, which allows assets and income to be exempted. It is absolutely necessary for a lawyer to arrange the Discretionary Trust.
• Crises Benefits - When unexpected items of need arise, such that can be defined as "life threatening" (ie. no food).

OTHER LOW COST OR SUBSIDIZED SERVICES:

TRANSPORTATION

• Annual Bus Pass - Cost is $45.00/year (with additional replacement costs if lost.) To receive must call 604-682-0391 and get a individualized application.
• HandiDART - Specially equipped transit for people who cannot use regular transit. Advance booking is required. Info.604-591-3346 - Booking 604-591-8234.
• Handipass and Taxisavers call HandiDART Info. 604-591-3346.
• B.C. Disability Ferry Card - For person’s who require an escort to travel they may be eligible for 50% fare reduction. Contact BC Ferry at 1-888-223-3779; must have a doctor’s letter.
• Disability Parking Permit Program - Wheelchair Accessible Parking Decals at SPARC at 604-736 4367.
• I.C.B.C. Driver Discount - call 1-800-663-1466

LEISURE:

• Community Centre Recreation Passes and Discounts - short application form is available at all facilities; reduced rates for people on social assistance.
• B.C. Parks Access Card - Provincial Parks Campgrounds - free camp-site access during camping season; phone 604-924- 2200 for an application.
• Fishing Licence Discounts - an annual fishing permit licence is available to a disabled person a small fee. Contact the Ministry of Environment at 604-582-5200 for information and applications.

HOUSING:

Mental Health Housing (Lower Mainland) - a person with a mental health disability can contact each agency directly, and ask to be put on a waiting lists:

• Canadian Mental Health Association - Richmond
  604-279-7110
• Coast Foundation Housing - Vancouver
  604-872-3502
• Kettle Friendship Society - Vancouver
  604-251-0999
• Lookout Emergency Aid Society - Vancouver
  604-681-9873
• Mental Patients Association - Vancouver
  604-738-2811

• St. James Social Services - Vancouver
  604-606-0300
• Triage Emergency Services and Care Society - Vancouver
  604-255-1190

GENERAL SOCIAL HOUSING INFORMATION:

• B.C. Housing Commission- 1701- 4330 Kingsway, Burnaby.
  Call 604-433-2218
• Greater Vancouver Housing Corporation- 14th Floor 4720 Kingsway, Burnaby.
  Call 604-432-6300
• Co-operative Housing Federation of B.C.
  Phone 604-879-5111 to receive an updated list of co-ops which are accepting applications; once you have a list you must contact each co-op project separately. Only some of the housing units will be affordable for people on social assistance.

TAX REFUNDS AND CREDITS:

Each one of these program’s has their own criteria for eligibility, you must contact each program separately and find out their criteria.

• Federal Disability Tax Credit- This is only useful for people with taxable income, if you are solely on B.C. Disability Benefits you need not apply. If this does apply to you contact Revenue Canada for a T-2201 and have your doctor fill it out.
• Additional Home Owner Grant- This is for home owners and co-op members; you must apply to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs or nearest City Hall, property tax department.
• Annual Property Deferment for Homeowners- Call Enquiry B.C. at 604-660-2421 and ask for the Annual Property Tax Deferment ( calling through Enquiry B.C. is free; or call 250-387-0599).
• Provincial Motor Fuel Tax Rebate- Call the Provincial Government Consumer Taxation Branch (Blue Pages of the Telephone Directory).
• Federal Gasoline Tax Refund- This is for personal automobile use only; phone Consumer Taxation 604-660-4500.

by Sheila Puga, Community Law Clinic

The following is a series of articles that will appear in Community Law Matters over the next year. (to order Community Law Matters, contact Legal Services Society).

Four main topics will be covered:

• The Appeal System;
• Contribution Requirements;
• The Definition of "Severe;"
• The Definition of "Prolonged."