Image: Supplied by Jason Lum / Chilliwack Councillor and FVRD board chair advocated for a significant increase in the PWD rates at Thursday night's FVRD board meeting, saying persons with disabilities can't be expected to live off $1,358 a month in an expensive province like B.C.

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Persons with Disabilities

FVRD board passes motion to support 32% increase in PWD rates

Nov 25, 2022 | 8:20 AM

CHILLIWACK — As expensive as housing in British Columbia is, try living off $1,358 per month as a person with a disability and finding decent housing within that allotment from the provincial government.

The Fraser Valley Regional District passed a motion at its meeting Thursday night (Nov. 24) that urges the provincial government to immediately increase monthly funding for Persons with Disabilities from the current $1,358 per month to $1,800 a month.

The motion in question will be submitted to the Lower Mainland Local Government Association (LMLGA) for consideration.

The motion reads, “Whereas Persons with Disabilities rates are currently $1,358 per month and were last raised in March 2021, and whereas the already modest Persons with Disabilities rates are quickly being outpaced by inflation, with no clear pathway for review and updating, be it resolved that the Ministry for Social Development and Poverty Reduction be asked to immediately increase the rates to $1,800 per month and institute a policy by which Persons with Disabilities rates will be routinely reviewed and indexed to inflation.”

FVRD board member Jason Lum, who was named chair of the FVRD Thursday night for yet another year, argued that this was a necessary measure given how expensive it is to live in British Columbia.

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“This is obviously not a new issue,” said Lum, who was elected to his fourth term on Chilliwack City Council in October. “Expecting someone to live currently in British Columbia, when your annual income is $16,000 and change, by any measure, you’re $10,000 to $15,000 below the poverty level. I’m not sure there are very many places where you’d be able to find housing for that amount. I already know this issue is a hot topic. With a new premier (David Eby) coming in, I think it’s a timely issue for sure that requires a little bit of advocacy.”

FVRD board members learned Thursday night that prior to the most recent increase in March 2021, the last raise occurred four years prior to that.

Abbotsford Mayor Ross Siemens, a member of the FVRD board, wondered how the provincial government fell behind in indexing PWD rates to inflation.

“I’m just wondering, how did they find themselves that far behind?”

by Mike Vanden Bosch

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FVRD board passes motion to support 32% increase in PWD rates

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