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COVID-19 Pandemic
To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, protect our staff, clients, communities and avoid overwhelming our health care system, BCANDS has restricted in person visits and access to clients and the general public. We are asking that anyone requiring our services call first to arrange an appointment and not come to the office. If you are feeling sick please do not come to the BCANDS office and obtain medical assistance as warranted. If you are scheduled for an appointment at the BCANDS office you will be required to wear a mask (provided), follow social distancing and other requirements as outlined in our Society’s COVID Plan below (click on link to open). Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
Please contact us via telephone or email through the contact information listed below:
Toll Free: 1-888-815 -5511 (*Please leave message on the general mailbox)
BC Capital Region: (250) 381 – 7303 (*Please leave message on the general mailbox)
General Inquires – Please email: bcands@bcands.bc.ca
Support for Indigenous Student Learning Program (SISLP) – Please email: sislp@bcands.bc.ca
Persons with Disabilities / Monthly Nutritional Supplement Benefit Adjudication Program – Please email: pwd@bcands.bc.ca
Indigenous Disability Case Management Program – Please email: dcm3@bcands.bc.ca
Indigenous Registered Disability Saving Plan Navigator Program – Please email: rdsp2@bcands.bc.ca
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) Monitoring – Please email: crpd@bcands.bc.ca
Indigenous Federal Accessibility Consultation / Research Program – Please email: researcher2@bcands.bc.ca
BCANDS 2024 National Indigenous Disability and Wellness Gathering – Please email: gathering@bcands.bc.ca
Who we are:
The British Columbia Aboriginal Network on Disability Society, or as more commonly known, BCANDS, is an award winning, Indigenous not for profit, charitable Society serving the unique and diverse disability and health resource / support service needs of Indigenous peoples across Canada. BCANDS is a “stand alone” organization and is one of the only organizations of its type in Canada. BCANDS is in Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. In 2021, BCANDS will celebrate its 30th year of successfully delivering Indigenous disability and health programs and services across Canada.
Indigenous persons residing across Canada continue to deal with the generational effects that European contact has had on all aspects of our lives. It is well documented that the health and disability status of Indigenous people in Canada, is significantly lower than that of our non-Indigenous population. The Indigenous population of Canada experience a disability rate much higher than that of the general population, at approximately 30% to 35%.
Additionally, many Indigenous communities are affected by minimal economical and employment opportunities, remoteness, accessibility barriers, transportation issues, limited access to necessary disability, health and social services and their associated professionals, limited community amenities and so forth, all of which impact their memberships ability to reach their full social and economic inclusion.
Demands and expectations placed on Indigenous communities and organizational leadership are high from their membership, with their membership identifying multiple priorities within the community or organization, all of which compete for any available financial resources. Understanding this, leadership within Indigenous communities and organizations across Canada are often forced to make difficult decisions in regard to the delivery of programs, services and specific funding allocations made available.
Due to these competing and ever increasing community and organizational needs, specialized disability and health support services available may be minimal, with only limited resources provided to the membership. This situation often leaves the individual requiring services / support, their family and their support system(s) with feelings of isolation, frustration and hopelessness.
BCANDS may be able to help.
BCANDS provides a vast array of services to eligible individuals, families and organizations, both within Indigenous communities and urban and rural centres. If you are an Indigenous person living with a disability, or a community or organization requiring disability or health information and support services, BCANDS may be able to assist. Please click on the links below to be taken to the relevant program / service.
Click to be redirected to our on-line Request for Disability Services Page
Click to be redirected to our Persons with Disabilities (PWD) Page
Click to be redirected to our Monthly Nutritional Supplements (MNS) Page
Click to be redirected to our Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) Page
Click to be redirected to our Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) Page
Click to be redirected to our Support for Indigenous Students Learning Program (SSLP) Page
Click to be redirected to Indigenous Accessibility Page
Click to be redirected to our BCANDS 2022 Indigenous Disability and Wellness Gathering Page
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“BCANDS wishes to respectfully acknowledge the traditional territory of the Coast Salish people on which our main office is located. We further wish to acknowledge those individuals, organizations and communities across Canada, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, who assist us in our work.”
