Advancing Income Security: More to do…

Income security is foundational to the well-being, independence, and inclusion of all people. Inclusion BC’s Position Statement on Income Security for Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities was adopted just over one year ago, in October 2024. This position statement supports our systemic advocacy towards a more equitable and inclusive province, where all people have the income required for an adequate standard of living for themselves and their families. This is not only an aspiration, but a right protected under Article 28 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which Canada agreed to follow in 2010.

Our position statement includes calls to action that will help ensure federal and provincial income supports, and other resources necessary for maintaining a dignified standard of living, are equitable, inclusive, and accessible. In the year following the release of our position statement and after sharing it with MLAs, MPs, and Ministers, we are pleased to see key changes being made in alignment with our calls to action:

• In October 2025, the federal government announced it will make tax filing automatic for low-income Canadians, improving access to critical benefits like the Disability Tax Credit and the Canada Disability Benefit.
• Budget 2025 includes a proposal to reduce barriers to the Canada Disability Tax Credit by providing a $150 reimbursement for the medical practitioner fees required to complete an application.
• On November 13, 2025, the provincial government announced improvements for couples receiving Persons with Disability (PWD) benefits. The changes will provide couples who both receive PWD the same support allowance they would get as two individuals. For couples where one person receives PWD, the Annual Earnings Exemption will increase from $19,440 to $23,400.

While these are welcome steps towards greater income security for people with disabilities, they do not go far enough to meaningfully address existing gaps. For example, current PWD rates in BC leave people living approximately 35% below the poverty line. We need benefit rates that guarantee an adequate income —starting at $2,400 per month, indexed to inflation. It is also critical that benefits are fully individualized, meaning they are attached to the person, not the household.

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities need and deserve access to the income supports required to live a good quality of life and fully participate in all aspects of their communities. We look forward the year ahead, in which we will continue to advocate for meaningful and decisive actions across all levels of government to ensure people’s rights are upheld and that income supports are fulsome, equitable, and accessible.

We welcome you to read and share our Position Statement on Income Security for Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, to help support a more inclusive and equitable future for all.