Government Relations

Ministry of Employment and Income Assistance

The Ministry of Employment and Income Assistance is responsible for income support programs for

  • people with disabilities, under the Persons with Disabilities (PWD) program
  • people who have significant barriers to employment, under the Persons with Persistent and Multiple Barriers to Employment (PPMB) program
  • employable people, under the Income Assistance (IA) program

The Ministry also provides

  • Employment programs to assist clients to find and maintain employment, including some programs for people with disabilities
  • Supplementary assistance to clients with disabilities, children, seniors and clients requiring medical services
  • Emergency social services and community based support services

For more information about disability related programs provided by the Ministry of Employment and Income Assistance, click here.

What are BCACL's key concerns?

  • Increasing the shelter allowance of $325 per month to enable people to live in decent housing
  • Access to benefits for 18-year-olds
  • Increasing employment supports for people with developmental disabilities

For more information see Income Support, or contact Cindy Chapman.

Update on MEIA-CLBC's Customized Employment Demonstration Project -February 2008

Community Living BC has posted information on their website regarding their $1.1 million partnership with the Ministry of Employment and Income Assistance. The information comes in advance of a procurement process scheduled to open by the end of the month. Organizations interested in applying for funding or providing further feedback on the initiative should review the information at CLBC's webpage on the Customized Employment Demonstration Project.

For more information, visit BCACL's Employment Updates.

Update – May 8, 2007

To mark World Red Cross Day, the B.C. government has provided the Canadian Red Cross with a $2-million, one-time grant for their Medical Equipment Loan Service. Click here to read the press release about this grant.

Update - Brief on Medical & Dental Coverage submitted to Minister, March 2007

On February 5 BCACL met with Minister Claude Richmond. BCACL representatives included board members Tim Stainton and Jerry Laidlaw along with staff members Laney Bryenton and Sue Scott. In summary, we asked the Minister to address the issues of employment supports, the inadequacy of medical and dental allowances for people on PWD benefits, and service quality issues. We presented him with our brief, "Nothing to Smile About - a brief addressing the inadequate levels of dental and medical coverage for people with disabilities receiving income assistance”. The Minister was also asked for government's support of the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities and to take the lead in encouraging Canada to sign on by the end of March. While there were no promises made, the Minister said the ministry would look into all the issues and that steps are underway to address employment supports for people with developmental disabilities.

A letter was sent to the Minister on February 23 addressing the outcome of the provincial budget, the need for a federal/provincial disability strategy and to follow up on the meeting.