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BCANDS Receives the 2019 Essl Foundation’s Zero Project International Award!

In February, 2019, BCANDS programs, including the Access RDSP Program, was honoured to receive the Essl Foundation’s Zero Project International Award! The award was presented to the Society for our work within Indigenous Disability across Canada!

In June 2018, the Access RDSP Program was honoured to receive the Doctors of BC’s 2018 Excellence in Health Promotion Provincial Award for our work across British Columbia! Thank you to the Doctors of BC, the Vancouver Foundation and to our partners, Disability Alliance BC and the Plan Institute!

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In October 2016, during Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) Awareness Month, British Columbia saw the official launch of a new inter-sectoral partnership and the creation of the Access RDSP Program.

This ground-breaking and award winning collaboration between the British Columbia Aboriginal Network on Disability Society (BCANDS), the Plan Institute and the Disability Alliance of BC (DABC) is the first of its kind in British Columbia and was made possible through the support of the Vancouver Foundation.

What is the Registered Disability Savings Plan? Click on the picture below to be taken to an awesome video!

The Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) is a Canada-wide registered matched savings plan specific for people with disabilities.

Anyone can contribute to an RDSP- family, friends, neighbours… it gives people who want to help a way to do so! The money can be invested to grow- we have heard that it is the best return on Investment available. Depending on someone’s income, money saved can increase significantly with government grants and RDSP growth. Once investment decisions are made, it can really start to grow!

The RDSP is exempt from British Columbia’s provincial disability and income assistance benefits. It does not get clawed back and it does not reduce disability benefits payments.

People with disabilities can choose what to do with the money when it comes out- there are no restrictions on how the money can be spent!

Access RDSP’s mandate is to increase the number of British Columbians who have a Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) through various supports and services provided by the partnership. These include:

RDSP information sessions for communities and organizations;
One-to-one support with the Disability Tax Credit;
A toll-free RDSP & disability planning hotline;
BCANDS RDSP navigation for Indigenous individuals and families living with disabilities;
BCANDS assistance with tax filing for Indigenous Individuals and families living with disabilities who are interested and eligible to open a RDSP.

The BCANDS RDSP Navigators work with Indigenous individuals and families living with disabilities to complete the requirements necessary to enroll in the RDSP and provides supports as needed with financials institutions once the RDSP is opened Requirements to open a RDSP are:

Be a Canadian citizen;
Be eligible to obtain the Disability Tax Credit;
Have taxes filed and up-to date;
Have a social insurance number.

Once you open and RDSP you may be eligible for the Endowment 150 Grant as well! Endowment 150 grants are available for individuals and families with low-incomes who are residents of BC and have an RDSP.

Left: Craig Oliver and BCANDS Former Senior Indigenous RDSP Navigator Evelyn Huntjens from the Xeni Gwet’in Nation, during an interview on the BCANDS Indigenous RDSP services and the Access RDSP Partnership

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Contact the IDC/BCANDS Indigenous RDSP Navigators

RDSP Navigator Program: Toll Free – 1-888-815-5511 ext. 215 or Capital Region (250) 381 7303 ext. 215 dcm2@bcands.bc.ca

By mail at: #6 – 1610 Island Highway – Victoria, British Columbia – V9B 1H8

Not sure which Access RDSP partner to contact in relation to your RDSP needs?

Just call the RDSP INFO-LINE, they’ll get you to the right place!