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Plan Institute Empowering people with disabilities to lead a good life.

🔔 Update: Did you receive a lower Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) payment than expected? Payments to correct miscalculat...
12/12/2025

🔔 Update: Did you receive a lower Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) payment than expected? Payments to correct miscalculations of the working income exemption start in December!

Earlier this year, Service Canada discovered some people’s monthly CDB payments were miscalculated because the working income exemption may not have been applied. 🔍

🗓️ If your CDB payment was affected by this miscalculation, Service Canada has confirmed that these payments will be corrected starting in December.

✍️ If you are affected, your December payment should include:
✅ Your Corrected Monthly Amount: The accurate benefit amount you will receive moving forward.
✅ Backdated Funds: A lump sum covering all the money you were owed from previous months.

✍️ You do not need to apply for this correction. You are likely included if:
📩 You received an initial letter about the error in August.
📩 You received a second letter confirming your new amount.

If you are unsure if this applies to you or if you have questions about your upcoming December payment, please contact Service Canada directly. ☎️

🔗 Learn more about CDB payments and reconsiderations at bit.ly/4aajrRy

11/12/2025

Last week, our Executive Director Sarah Stern addressed the Senate of Canada - Sénat du Canada Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, sharing critical insights on the urgent crisis of in Canada.

Sarah emphasized a powerful truth: food insecurity is not a food problem — it’s a money problem. With 10 million Canadians struggling to buy the food they need, bold policy action and a whole-of-government approach are essential to drive change.

We’re calling for a national target to reduce food insecurity by 50%, aligning efforts across sectors and ministries, to ensure the charitable sector isn't responding to the crisis alone.

Thank you to the Committee for this opportunity to elevate the conversation and advocate for structural solutions.

Read Sarah’s full remarks here: https://bit.ly/3KKHbkO

Everyone deserves to be surrounded by people who care. Learn how to turn isolation into connection for the people you su...
11/12/2025

Everyone deserves to be surrounded by people who care. Learn how to turn isolation into connection for the people you support.

Gain the practical strategies needed to support people in re-charting a life of isolation towards a life at the centre of an active and caring personal support network. 🫂

Whether you are a professional, family member, or a community advocate, this course will equip you with the skills to facilitate meaningful relationships as a Personal Network Facilitator.

🗓️ Register for the upcoming session: January 26 until March 8,2026

🔗 Learn about the Personal Support Network Facilitation course and register at planinstitute.ca/learning-centre/personal-support-network-facilitation/

Your Experience is Essential to Our Advocacy: Complete Our Survey on the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) 📣 There are man...
09/12/2025

Your Experience is Essential to Our Advocacy: Complete Our Survey on the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) 📣

There are many challenges around the CDB, and we’re gathering the information we need for effective change through our CDB survey. We’re committed to thoroughly tracking and collecting the barriers and concerns you share. By completing our CDB survey, you provide us with important information that will shape Plan Institute’s actions and advocacy.

🔗 Please share your experience by completing our survey today at CanadaDisabilityBenefit.ca/Survey.

On International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we recognize that policy change is driven by lived experience. We hon...
03/12/2025

On International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we recognize that policy change is driven by lived experience. We honor four incredible disabled Canadian activists who didn't just advocate for inclusion—they secured legal and legislative wins that benefit everyone in Canada today. 💚 Swipe through our carousel to celebrate these powerful leaders and the rights we have today because of their efforts:

📣 Vivian Barbot: Secured Direct Funding for self-managed care, shifting power from institutions to disabled people.

📣 Maria Barile: Established the need for intersectional policy, forcing government frameworks to address the unique discrimination faced by disabled people.

📣 Wendy Porch: Helped lead the campaign that resulted in the Accessible Canada Act, mandating federal accessibility standards.

📣 Hélène C. Côté: Her Supreme Court case strengthened employers’ Duty to Accommodate, setting a higher legal standard for workplace equity.

Inclusion is an action. 🤝 Their leadership inspires us at Plan Institute to champion equitable policy and push for the realization of disability rights! 🔗 Learn more about our programs and services at planinstitute.ca.

This , you can invest in disabled futures by donating to Plan Institute. Disabled lives are good lives. We empower dis...
02/12/2025

This , you can invest in disabled futures by donating to Plan Institute.

Disabled lives are good lives. We empower disabled people and their families with the tools— one-on-one support, information for benefits navigation, and other community resources—needed to lead good and secure lives. Your gift supports our vital programs, advocacy, and community connection.

🎁 Donate today at planinstitute.ca

This December, attend a webinar to learn how you can secure your financial future! 💚 Register to access free resources, ...
25/11/2025

This December, attend a webinar to learn how you can secure your financial future! 💚

Register to access free resources, live expert guidance, and essential knowledge. Join us for a beginner webinar about the Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP), an advanced webinar to deepen your understanding of the RDSP, or a webinar about wills, trusts, and estate planning!

📒 Level 1: Intro to the RDSP 🗓️ Tuesday, December 2, 10 am – 11:30 am PT
🏠 Wills, Trusts & Estate Planning in BC 🗓️ Thursday, December 4, 10 am to 11:30 am PT
📒 Level 2: Advanced RDSP 🗓️ Wednesday, December 10, 10 am – 11:45 am PT

🔗 Find our upcoming webinars at planinstitute.ca/events.

24/11/2025

For National Housing Day, we are very pleased to see this critical call to action from Marie-Josée Houle, Federal Housing Advocate and Christopher T. Sutton, Accessibility Commissioner. Their calls here are the same calls all members of the Accessible Housing Network and our many allies have been making for years—that affordability and accessibility are not a tradeoff or opposed, but instead two goals all disabled people on these territories need and demand.

As they say here, we have the tools we need to make housing accessible and affordable—but we need the Building Code to catch up fast and for Build Canada Homes to ensure that funds for affordable housing are held to the highest standard of accessible housing construction.

And if we fail to build accessible housing now? “History offers a warning... We need homes that are permanently affordable and that meet people's needs now, and for generations to come.”

Link in bio or https://www.chrc-ccdp.gc.ca/resources/newsroom/canadas-new-homes-can-be-both-affordable-and-accessible

Alt: a blue background with a prominent title in yellow and white text at the top reading, "Landmark Statement on Accessible Housing." Below the title are two circular, blue-bordered portraits. The left portrait shows a person with short hair and glasses, labeled "Marie-Josée Houle, Federal Housing Advocate." The right portrait depicts another person with glasses and a beard, labeled "Christopher T. Sutton, Accessibility Commissioner." Below the portraits is a white, torn-texture graphic with text: "“History offers a warning. Many of us can still see wartime houses built in the 1940s to address a national housing crisis. They provided affordable homes, but were not designed to meet the diverse and changing needs of Canadians, including veterans returning from combat with disabilities. Eighty-five years later, we cannot make the same mistake. That's why the solution cannot focus solely on the number of new units built. We need homes that are permanently affordable and that meet people's needs now, and for generations to come.”

During National Financial Literacy Month, we’re encouraging our communities to seek support in securing your financial f...
24/11/2025

During National Financial Literacy Month, we’re encouraging our communities to seek support in securing your financial futures! The Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) can be a great way to start. 🌱

If your family income is below $114,750, every $1 you put in your RDSP account will be matched with up to $3 by the federal government. 💰 Anyone can contribute to an RDSP—family members, friends, individuals themselves. 💵

We’re committed to supporting you on your journey to a secure financial future! The advisors of our Disability Planning Helpline can guide you in setting up and navigating your RDSP, regardless of your income. 💚

💌 Access free one-on-one support by calling our national toll-free number at 1-844-311-7526, or by emailing us at helpline@planinstitute.ca.

🔗 Learn more about the RDSP at RDSP.com/about

🔔 All provinces and territories except Alberta will not be clawing back the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB). We’re glad ...
19/11/2025

🔔 All provinces and territories except Alberta will not be clawing back the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB).

We’re glad to see that most provinces are making sure that disabled people can maximize the benefits of the CDB. While we do not support Alberta’s clawbacks of the benefit, we are committed to providing information and supporting affected Albertans. 💚

🫂 If you live in Alberta and need support with provincial or federal benefits, you can contact our Disability Planning Helpline. Call our national toll-free number at 1-844-311-7526 or email helpline@PlanInstitute.ca.

🔗 Learn more about the CDB at planinstitute.ca/CDB-Clawbacks.

BC Disability Assistance: What’s Changing for Couples? 📣 The BC government has announced some positive changes to the sp...
18/11/2025

BC Disability Assistance: What’s Changing for Couples? 📣

The BC government has announced some positive changes to the spousal rules for people on the provincial disability assistance, Persons with Disabilities (PWD). ▶️ Swipe for a full breakdown on the recent changes for couples on PWD.

Changes you need to know about:

✅ Effective on December 1, the monthly rate for a couple where both partners receive PWD will increase from $2,548.50 to $2,662. The monthly rate is made up of two parts: the support allowance and the shelter allowance.

✅ The support allowance for a couple who both receive PWD has increased to $983.50 per person. This means that support allowance for a couple is now the same as for two single people receiving PWD.

✅ However, the shelter allowance for a couple is only $695, compared to $500 per person for two single people on PWD. This means that the overall monthly rate for a couple receiving PWD ($2,662) is still $305 less than for two single people ($1,483.50 each or $2,967 combined).

✅ Additionally, effective on January 1, 2026, the Annual Earnings Exemption for couples where one partner has PWD will increase from $19,440 to $23,400, meaning they can keep more of the money they earn.

🔔 Changes will be automatic. Eligible families do not need to apply.

We’re glad to see the provincial government’s efforts in improving PWD for our communities. However, the reality is that the remaining spousal clawbacks and the social assistance amount keep many disabled people below the poverty line. Plan Institute will continue to advocate for adequate disability assistance for our communities! 💚

🔗 See the full release from the BC government at news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2025SDPR0017-001110

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Support for People with Disabilities & Their Families.

Plan Institute is a non-profit organization located in beautiful Vancouver, BC. Through community collaboration, education and advocacy, we seek to improve the lives of people with disabilities and their families!