Bill C-22 for the Canada Disability Benefit passed Parliament!

Just in time for Canada Day, Bill C-22 has passed parliament and received Royal Assent on June 22, 2023. This historic event means that the Canada Disability Benefit is now law! The next step is for the government to create regulations in collaboration with the disability community for the benefit to get money in the pockets of Canadians with disabilities.

Inclusion BC in The Community

• Our Executive Director, Karla Verschoor, and Director of Public Policy and Programs, Erika Cedillo will be meeting with the Honourable Rachna Singh, BC's Minister of Education and Child Care to discuss inclusive education.

• Challenging Misconceptions Project Lead Galen Exo will be in Vancouver filming for a documentary about Sky, who his friends describe as an “East Van celebrity,” and has been a key figure in the community bike shop scene in Vancouver for over 20 years.

• We will be hosting an information session for Service Providers of people with support needs in Kamloops on July 12 to introduce and detail the community engagement sessions as part of the Community-Led Collaboration Project.

• Inclusion BC is excited to be joining the Canadian Accessibility Network. We look forward to learning and working together to advance accessibility across Canada.

• Our Inclusive Housing Project will be in Nanaimo on July 25 for an interactive open house. All community members interested in mapping the housing needs of their community are welcome. For more event details, click here. 

Feature Campaign

Inclusive Employment at the PNE with Ready Willing and Able

The Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) and Ready, Willing and Able (RWA) joined forces for inclusion as part of our Employer Outreach Project that builds awareness of inclusive employment.

Self Advocate Feature

Michael McLellan and the BC Self Advocate Leadership Network

"We are a network of leaders...we can team up and work on things together...there is strength in numbers”

We met with one of the founders of the BC Self Advocate Leadership Network (BCSALN)to share with us how they advocate for people with disabilities, their history, what they're working on now, and their goals for the future.

The BCSALN is one of our 65 organizational members that work with us for a future where everybody belongs.

Community Partnerships

Community Conversations for Better Supports and Services

We recently co-hosted community conversations in Campbell River and Gold River to help build stronger communities and enhance the lives of children and youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.

We created spaces for dialogue to explore what is working, what is missing, and what these communities would like to see happening for children and youth with support needs to thrive. 

Your support makes all of Inclusion BC’s work possible. Thanks to you, we can support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families when they need it most:

Your ongoing support means we can continue to advocate for the rights and opportunities of people and their families.

Canadian Best Practice Guidance for Quality Community Supports and Care for Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and Dementia and Their Caregivers

This survey is for organizations/services working in Disability, Health, and Seniors sectors in the four provinces of British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario to collect information on what guides the dementia-related practice of organizations in four Canadian provinces who are currently providing or anticipate providing supports or services to individuals with IDD living in the community who may be experiencing dementia.

• Inclusion Canada
• Parliament Approves Pioneering Disability Benefit Legislation
• The Globe and Mail
• A significant milestone in lifting people with disabilities out of poverty
• The Tyee
• For Medically Complex Kids, a Call for Better Care
• Disability Alliance BC
• Accessibility Projects Grants
• Government of Canada
• Government of Canada launches new call for proposals for youth-driven accessibility projects

You may have noticed we changed the format of our newsletter…we want to know what you think! Give us feedback about the new format here

If you know someone who would be interested in the work of Inclusion BC, please spread the word, share this email, and ask them to sign up for Inclusion in Action here

Inclusion BC is a non-profit federation working with partners to build community and enhance the lives of children, youth, and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and their families. They do this by supporting people’s abilities, promoting positive action, and advocating for rights, responsibilities, and social justice. Inclusion BC is supported by a membership of individuals, families, and 65-member organizations who are working together to build inclusive communities across the province of British Columbia.