REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING - APRIL 30, 2002
MOTION B.1

1. Provincial Changes to Income Assistance and Disability Benefits (File: 1263)

At the Council meeting of April 23, 2002, Councillor Louis submitted the following Notice of Motion which was recognized by the Chair:

MOVED by Councillor Louis
SECONDED by Councillor Bass

WHEREAS, the government of British Columbia has tabled Bill 26 Employment and Assistance Act and Bill 27 Employment and Assistance For Person's with Disabilities, radically changing eligibility requirements for British Columbians needing income assistance and disability benefits;

AND WHEREAS, the proposed changes in Bills 26 and 27 will mean as many as 25,000 British Columbians will no longer be eligible for disability benefits;

AND WHEREAS, Bills 26 and 27 were tabled in the BC legislature without any study or broad public input;

AND WHEREAS, the changes to disability benefits narrowly define mental illness, excluding mental-health disabilities such as clinical depression and anxiety disorders, which will dangerously destabilize the lives of thousands of people with mental illness;

AND WHEREAS, following the significant reduction in social-housing units funded by the provincial government, the changes in eligibility requirements will result in a dramatic increase in homelessness on Vancouver streets;

AND WHEREAS, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities states that for Vancouver "any strategy for further reductions in the crime rate needs to also take into consideration the income levels of residents";

AND WHEREAS, the earnings exemption has now been eliminated, forbidding recipients from seeking part-time work, and hurting community economic development, such as the Vancouver Agreement-supported United We Can bottle depot in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside;

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AND WHEREAS, the provincial government's attack on the most vulnerable in our society will pose significant barriers to those trying to escape addiction;

AND WHEREAS, increased crime, homelessness, and substance misuse will place significantly greater stress on city services, and will negatively effect Vancouver's livability and health;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT, the City of Vancouver ask the government of British Columbia to not enact Bill 26 - Employment and Assistance Act and Bill 27 - Employment and Assistance For Person's with Disabilities.

Referred

The Chair noted the receipt of correspondence, dated April 29, 2002, requesting to speak. Council agreed to refer consideration of the Motion on Notice to a future Standing Committee meeting to hear from speakers.

(c) 1998 City of Vancouver