Legal Advocacy Program

What to bring:

• Social Insurance Number (yours, spouse, children)

• Proof of all source(s) of income

• Any communication you have received from the Government regarding CPP

• If you don’t have the needed documents, or don’t know what to bring, please come in anyway

What to expect:

• An advocate will help you complete the necessary forms and fill out your application. We can also assist with reconsideration processes.

• If we need to speak to the CRA over the phone, we may book an appointment for you to come back as hold times can be long.

• Once the application is complete, we can mail it on your behalf.

What to bring:

• Social Insurance Number (yours, spouse, children)

• Proof of all source(s) of income

• Any communication you have received from the Government regarding OAS

• If you don’t have the needed documents, or don’t know what to bring, please come in anyway

What to expect:

• An advocate will help you complete the necessary forms and fill out your application.

• If we need to speak to the CRA over the phone, we may book an appointment for you to come back as hold times can be long.

• Once the application is complete, we can mail it on your behalf.

• We may also request that you sign a Release of Information (ROI) so that we can communicate with government agencie(s) on your behalf.

What to bring:

• Social Insurance Number (yours, spouse, children)

• Proof of all source(s) of income

• Any communication you have received from the Government regarding GIS

• If you don’t have the needed documents, or don’t know what to bring, please come in anyway

What to expect:

• An advocate will help you complete the necessary forms and fill out your application.

• If we need to speak to the CRA over the phone, we may book an appointment for you to come back as hold times can be long.

• Once the application is complete, we can mail it on your behalf.

• We may also request that you sign a Release of Information (ROI) so that we can communicate with government agencies on your behalf.

What to bring:

• ID for you and your family

• Social Insurance Number

• Rent and utilities amounts

• Bank account balance (60 days)

• If you have a vehicle, if and how much you owe

• Proof of EI or WCB benefits

• If you don’t have the needed documents, or don’t know what to bring, please come in anyway

What to expect:

• The process to apply for IA is generally straightforward and can be done using The Ministry’s website. An advocate will help you during your intake to apply for IA.

What to bring:

• Bring in any documents or evidence to support your need for a crisis supplement. Examples may include a letter from your doctor, a support worker or a hydro bill

• If you don’t have the needed documents, or don’t know what to bring, please come in anyway

What to expect:

• There are many different types of crisis supplements provided by the ministry, and what to expect varies depending on what you are requesting. We will listen to your issue and advocate for your eligibility of a crisis supplement based on your need(s).

What to bring:

• Medical Records – Documentation from a licensed medical practitioner detailing health conditions and relevant history( if available)

• Pharmacy Printout – A comprehensive list of current and past medications (if available)

• Diagnostic Summary – A written list of medical diagnoses and/or symptoms that materially impact your ability to perform daily living activities

What to expect:

• To receive assistance from our Advocates, the following criteria must be met:

  • Already receiving assistance from MSDPR of BC

  • Have physical and/or mental health impairments that are affecting your daily living activities

  • Have a medical professional (general practitioner, specialist or nurse practitioner) who is willing to support you with the application.

• During your dedicated appointment, we may ask you detailed questions to assess how your disabilities affect your daily living and appointments can range from 1 to 2 hours.

• We are equipped to assist with Section 1 of the application and can support with Section 1 in collaboration with your medical practitioner. For Section 3, we can connect you with qualified assessors

• We may also request that you sign a Release of Information (ROI) so that we can communicate with government agencie(s) on your behalf.

Note: Fees and Billing Practices

Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, and other prescribed professionals are compensated by the Medical Services Plan (MSP) or the Ministry of Health for completing Sections 2 and 3 of the Persons with Disabilities (PWD) Designation Application. As such, medical practitioners are not permitted to charge patients any additional fees for completing these sections of the application.

If a medical practitioner attempts to collect a fee for this service, patients should be advised that this constitutes a billing irregularity. In such cases, the practitioner should be reminded that they are already remunerated by the Ministry for this work. Concerns regarding improper billing practices may be directed to the Billing Integrity Program, which investigates and addresses inappropriate MSP claims.

What to bring:

• Social Insurance Number (yours, spouse, children)

• Proof of all source(s) of income

• Any communication you have received from the Government regarding CPP

• If you don’t have the needed documents, or don’t know what to bring, please come in anyway

What to expect:

• Applicant must be under the age of 65

• Applicant must be unable to engage in substantially meaningful employment from a medical standpoint

• Have a medical professional (general practitioner, specialist or nurse practitioner) who is willing to support you with the application.

The Disability Tax Credit (DTC) is a non-refundable tax credit available to individuals of any age, income level, or asset value who have a severe and prolonged impairment in physical or mental functions. Eligibility is determined by a medical practitioner and is based on the impact of the impairment on the individual's ability to perform basic activities of daily living—not solely on the diagnosis.

To qualify, the impairment must meet one of the following criteria:

Marked Restriction: The individual is significantly restricted in at least one of the following categories:

• Vision

• Speaking

• Hearing

• Walking

• Feeding (including eating or preparing food)

• Dressing

• Eliminating (bowel or bladder functions)

• Mental

• functioning

A marked restriction means the individual is either unable to perform the activity or it takes them three times longer than someone of similar age without the impairment, even with appropriate therapy, medication, or assistive devices. The restriction must be present at least 90% of the time and must have lasted or be expected to last for a continuous period of at least 12 months.

Cumulative Effect of Significant Limitations: The combined impact of two or more impairments may qualify if, together, they result in a level of restriction equivalent to a marked restriction in one category.

Life-Sustaining Therapy: Individuals may also qualify if they require therapy to support a vital function for at least 14 hours per week, and this therapy has lasted or is expected to last for a minimum of 12 consecutive months.

The Disability Tax Credit (DTC) is a non-refundable tax credit that reduces the amount of income tax you owe. The credit can go back up to 10 years, and unused credit amounts can be transferred to eligible caregivers. Even if someone doesn’t pay income tax, the DTC may be worth applying for because it acts as a gateway to other benefits or financial programs, like the Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP),  Canada Disability Benefit,Canada Workers Benefit Disability Supplement, Child Disability Benefit, and more.  

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