Update: March 10, 2021 – The government announced that it plans to extend the benefits discussed in this page. The plan is to increase the maximum number of weeks of benefits to:
The Community Legal Assistance Society wants to know how the parties in the upcoming BC election will address the issues that matter most to our clients. We are asking questions about our five core areas of practice:
1. Housing Security
2. Income […]
The government has created a new Canada Emergency Response Benefit (“CERB”) to help workers impacted by COVID-19. There have also been changes to Employment Insurance (“EI”). […]
Hon. Shane Simpson
Minister of Social Development & Poverty Reduction
PO Box 9933 Stn Prov Govt
Victoria BC V8W 9R2
[email protected]
April 7, 2020
Dear Minister Simpson:
RE: Follow-up Concerning COVID-19 Supports for PWD and Income Assistance
We are so pleased to see that the Ministry of Social Development […]
Vancouver, Coast Salish Territories
The Community Legal Assistance Society (CLAS) supports the new, encouraging COVID-19 income and disability measures to help British Columbians announced by the provincial Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction (“the Ministry”).
March 27, 2020 – For Immediate Release
Vancouver and Victoria – Legal advocacy groups are urgently calling for the provincial government to make legislative changes that would allow British Columbians who both work and receive disability or income assistance cheques to keep the […]
Hon. Shane Simpson
Minister of Social Development & Poverty Reduction
PO Box 9933 Stn Prov Govt
Victoria BC V8W 9R2
[email protected]
March 24, 2020
Dear Minister Simpson:
RE: COVID-19 & Income Assistance and Disability Assistance
We write to you in light of the evolving public health emergency concerning Covid-19 […]
The Community Legal Assistance Society, Pivot Legal Society, West Coast LEAF, and the BC Civil Liberties Association have released a set of priorities that would improve and strengthen the justice system, advance human rights and ensure the principles […]
Vancouver, Coast Salish Territories
In response to a human rights complaint, the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation announced yesterday that it will end the practice of clawing back Employment Insurance (EI) maternity and […]
Vancouver, Coast Salish Territories
The Community Legal Assistance Society has filed a human rights complaint on behalf of a BC woman who had her Employment Insurance (EI) maternity and parental benefits taken away because her partner receives […]