Disability

Ekamjit Ghuman, who has cerebral palsy, says it can be difficult for disabled individuals to find jobs. With September being Disability Employment Month in B.C., and October being National Disability Employment Awareness Month in Canada, she wants others to know about the barriers she – and others – still experience in finding gainful employment. (Mandeep Gill/Kello Inclusive)

B .C. woman says employers need to focus on disability employment awareness

‘Searching for employment with a disability is demoralizing and demeaning’

 

Rick Hansen speaks Thursday (July 27, 2023) at the BC SPCA Richmond Animal Shelter after the provincial government announced $5 million in funding for the Rick Hansen Foundation BC Accessibility Grants Program. Eight communities had already received grants, and now two Indigenous communiities and five additional municipalities will also be selected. (Lauren Collins)

Rick Hansen Foundation gets $5M boost from B.C.

2 Indigenous communities, 5 more municipalities will be selected to improve accessibility

 

Disability Without Poverty created bleakmarket.com, a landing page filled with listings meant to “evoke the dark web” to show how some Canadians have had to resort to selling essential items to make ends meet. (bleakmarket.com)

Canadians living with disabilities forced to sell essential items just to survive: Advocacy group

Website highlights lack of awareness, calls on government to pass Canada Disability Benefit Act

 

Jonathan Neufeld (right) and the mobility scooter he donated to Wayne Pavich on March 31, 2023 after finding out Pavich’s scooter was stolen from a shed at his home. (Paul Henderson/ Chilliwack Progress)

VIDEO: Chilliwack man donates mobility scooter to senior who had his stolen

Chilliwack Progress story last week prompted 2 offers to help Wayne Pavich

Jonathan Neufeld (right) and the mobility scooter he donated to Wayne Pavich on March 31, 2023 after finding out Pavich’s scooter was stolen from a shed at his home. (Paul Henderson/ Chilliwack Progress)
Harman Singh Gill is getting trained for every role at Bandra Cafe, where he started working after graduating from a food service assistant program designed for people with diverse abilities. (Sobia Moman photo)

High demand for B.C. food service program for people with diverse abilities

Program that offers individuals cooking and safety skills once each year has a waiting list

Harman Singh Gill is getting trained for every role at Bandra Cafe, where he started working after graduating from a food service assistant program designed for people with diverse abilities. (Sobia Moman photo)
Mechanical engineering professor Nick Dechev talks about a prosthetic limb made from using a 3D-printer and polylactic acid for amputees and kids in Canada and the US part of the Victoria Hand Project in the engineering lab wing at the University of Victoria in Victoria, B.C., on Tuesday, December 3, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

B.C. group lends a helping hand to Ukraine, setting up prosthetic clinics

Victoria Hand Project provides low-cost, fully functioning 3D-printed prosthetic arms

Mechanical engineering professor Nick Dechev talks about a prosthetic limb made from using a 3D-printer and polylactic acid for amputees and kids in Canada and the US part of the Victoria Hand Project in the engineering lab wing at the University of Victoria in Victoria, B.C., on Tuesday, December 3, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
FILE - Judy Heumann, center, is applauded during her swearing-in as U.S. Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Service by Judge Gail Bereola, left, in Berkeley, Calif., on Tuesday, June 29, 1993. Standing at left is Berkeley Mayor Loni Hancock with sign language interpreter Joseph Quinn, and Julie Weissman, right, in attendance with a large audience. Heumann, a renowned disability rights activist who helped secure legislation protecting the rights of disabled people, has died at age 75. The news of her passing on Saturday, March 4, 2023, in Washington, was shared on her website and social media accounts. (AP Photo/Susan Ragan, File)

Judy Heumann, disability rights activist, dies at age 75

Heumann contracted polio at age 2 and lost her ability to walk. She devoted her life to advocacy.

FILE - Judy Heumann, center, is applauded during her swearing-in as U.S. Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Service by Judge Gail Bereola, left, in Berkeley, Calif., on Tuesday, June 29, 1993. Standing at left is Berkeley Mayor Loni Hancock with sign language interpreter Joseph Quinn, and Julie Weissman, right, in attendance with a large audience. Heumann, a renowned disability rights activist who helped secure legislation protecting the rights of disabled people, has died at age 75. The news of her passing on Saturday, March 4, 2023, in Washington, was shared on her website and social media accounts. (AP Photo/Susan Ragan, File)
Carla Qualtrough, minister of employment, workforce development and disability inclusion, speaks during the second reading of the Canada Disability Benefit Act in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill on Tuesday, September 20, 2022 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

New disability benefit would make ‘major difference’ in many Canadians’ lives

The Canada Disability Benefit Act is awaiting Senate approval

  • Feb 7, 2023
Carla Qualtrough, minister of employment, workforce development and disability inclusion, speaks during the second reading of the Canada Disability Benefit Act in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill on Tuesday, September 20, 2022 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion Minister Carla Qualtrough smiles as she speaks to media after tabling a bill in the House of Commons Thursday, June 2, 2022 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Bill to create Canada Disability Benefit reintroduced but with few details

Canada Disability Benefit is to be modelled after the Guaranteed Income Supplement

Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion Minister Carla Qualtrough smiles as she speaks to media after tabling a bill in the House of Commons Thursday, June 2, 2022 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
A report by the B.C. ombudsperson says the province kept federal money for almost three years that should have been passed along to the caregiving grandparents of a disabled girl. (Pixabay photo)

‘Disturbing’ case highlights inequity in disability benefit: B.C. ombudsperson

B.C. acted unjustly, delaying thousands of dollars in federal payments to disabled girl’s caregivers

A report by the B.C. ombudsperson says the province kept federal money for almost three years that should have been passed along to the caregiving grandparents of a disabled girl. (Pixabay photo)
A Vancouver Police Department patch is seen on an officer’s uniform in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, on Saturday, January 9, 2021. The department is searching for witnesses in a March 31 assault on a visually-impaired man. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Visually-impaired 69-year-old punched in Vancouver crosswalk

Police seeking witnesses in unprovoked March 31 assault

A Vancouver Police Department patch is seen on an officer’s uniform in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, on Saturday, January 9, 2021. The department is searching for witnesses in a March 31 assault on a visually-impaired man. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Real estate agent Brian Cyr opens an elevator to the basement of what has been called the gold standard of homes for people with disabilities in St. Albert, Alta., on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

‘About freedom’: A look inside an Alberta home adapted for physical disabilities

‘This is something I’ve never seen before in my 15-year career’

Real estate agent Brian Cyr opens an elevator to the basement of what has been called the gold standard of homes for people with disabilities in St. Albert, Alta., on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson
B.C. minister of children and family development Mitzi Dean announced the new system on Wednesday, Oct. 27. (Arnold Lim/Black Press)

Advocates raise concerns as B.C. moves to new support model for children with disabilities

Individualized funding for autism to be phased out by 2025 and replaced with community service hubs

B.C. minister of children and family development Mitzi Dean announced the new system on Wednesday, Oct. 27. (Arnold Lim/Black Press)
A Beacon with the logo of the CNIB is pictured on a wall in the group’s hub in Toronto’s Yonge and St.Clair neighbourhood, Friday, July 14, 2017. The CNIB says the federal government’s new ArriveCAN app is inaccessible to some Canadians. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

Advocate says ArriveCAN app technology is not accessible for blind Canadians

Travellers to Canada must use the ArriveCAN app or online portal to submit vaccine and test information

A Beacon with the logo of the CNIB is pictured on a wall in the group’s hub in Toronto’s Yonge and St.Clair neighbourhood, Friday, July 14, 2017. The CNIB says the federal government’s new ArriveCAN app is inaccessible to some Canadians. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
Riley Oldford, 16, suffers from cerebral palsy. He was the first youth in the Northwest Territories to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Here he receives the needle from nurse practitioner Janie Neudorf in Yellowknife on Thursday May 6, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Bill Braden

People with disabilities even more alone during pandemic: cerebral palsy spokeswoman

Many people with disabilities are at higher risk, but not always prioritized for vaccines

Riley Oldford, 16, suffers from cerebral palsy. He was the first youth in the Northwest Territories to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Here he receives the needle from nurse practitioner Janie Neudorf in Yellowknife on Thursday May 6, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Bill Braden
Kim Cooper, 53, stands next to her vehicle with a disabled parking pass permit on Wednesday, April 28, in Parksville. (Mandy Moraes photo)

B.C. woman with heart condition verbally accosted over disabled parking stall

‘I just burst into tears… I mean, I was just shaking’

Kim Cooper, 53, stands next to her vehicle with a disabled parking pass permit on Wednesday, April 28, in Parksville. (Mandy Moraes photo)
(File)

B.C. permanently increases disability and income assistance, senior’s supplement

Province says more than 300,000 people will be affected by rate increase

(File)
Kelowna City Hall. (Michael Rodriguez - Capital News)

Kelowna council advocates for increased provincial social assistance payments

Coun. Loyal Wooldridge tabled the motion, says many people on those payments live below the poverty line

Kelowna City Hall. (Michael Rodriguez - Capital News)
Storm clouds pass by the Peace tower and Parliament hill Tuesday August 18, 2020 in Ottawa. The parliamentary budget office says a one-time payment this fall to people with disabilities will cost the federal treasury $792 million. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Pandemic-related disability support to cost feds $792 million, PBO says

Budget office warns there may be potential fiscal impacts in subsequent years

Storm clouds pass by the Peace tower and Parliament hill Tuesday August 18, 2020 in Ottawa. The parliamentary budget office says a one-time payment this fall to people with disabilities will cost the federal treasury $792 million. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Karyn Keith, who receives CPP disabilities benefits, poses for a portrait in her home in Brampton, Ont., Monday, January 27, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

‘Do our lives count for less?’: COVID-19 exposes cracks in disability aid

In July, Parliament approved a $600 payment for people with disabilities facing additional expenses during COVID-19

Karyn Keith, who receives CPP disabilities benefits, poses for a portrait in her home in Brampton, Ont., Monday, January 27, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young