Vancouver City Council |
REPORT TO COUNCIL
Date:
March 11, 2004
Author:
Jill Stainsby/Susana Cogan
c/oTina HildebrandtPhone No.:
604.873.7268
RTS No.:
4107
CC File No.:
3053-1
Meeting Date:
May 4, 2004
TO:
Vancouver City Council
FROM:
The Special Advisory Committee on Disability Issues
SUBJECT:
Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefits Advocacy Program
RECOMMENDATION
WHEREAS the Special Advisory Committee on Disability Issues (SACDI) strongly supports the Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefits Advocacy Program provided by the BC Coalition of People with Disabilities, as it is the only comprehensive, free, Canada Pension Plan advocacy service in BC for persons with disabilities.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED
THAT the Special Advisory Committee on Disability Issues recommends Council ask that the Ministry of Human Resources continue to fund this unique and crucially important service.
CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The City Manager acknowledges that the CPP Disability Benefits Advocacy Program performs an important and useful service in the community, and submits the matter for Council's CONSIDERATION.
PURPOSE
This report recommends that Council ask the Ministry of Human Resources to continue funding the Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefits Advocacy Program provided by the BC Coalition of People with Disabilities.
BACKGROUND
The Canada Pension Plan Disability (CPPD) benefits program is a federal pension for persons with disabilities. The BC Coalition of People with Disabilities, provides CPPD advocacy service from the application level right through to the Pension Appeals Board.
The BC Coalition of People with Disabilities is the only organization that provides a comprehensive, free, CPPD advocacy service to persons with all disabilities. It is a unique and crucially important service to the disability community.
DISCUSSION
SACDI, at its meeting on March 4, 2004, received an update from Tom McGregor, Program Director - Advocacy Access, BC Coalition of People with Disabilities, regarding the Ministry of Human Resources' decision to terminate funding to the Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefits Advocacy Program provided by the Coalition. Consequently, this service will be forced to stop on April 30, 2004.
Regulations and application processes to CPPD are difficult; often persons with disabilities need assistance to navigate through the system. As a result of having to close the advocacy program many persons with disabilities will be unable to access legitimate CPPD funds. An additional effect will be that federal funding will be lost and people will have to fall back onto provincial assistance.
Members agreed that this is a unique and crucial service for the disabled community and put forward a recommendation that Council ask the Ministry of Human Resources to maintain access to Canada Pension Plan Disability benefits by fully funding this advocacy service.
CONCLUSION
The continuation of the Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefits Advocacy Program provided by the BC Coalition of People with Disabilities is crucial as it is the only comprehensive, free, advocacy service in BC for the community of persons with disabilities. Therefore, the Special Advisory Committee on Disability Issues recommends that Council ask the Ministry of Human Resources to continue fully funding this program.
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