Shane Simpson, Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, has made the following statement regarding Disability Employment Month:

This September marks the fourth annual Disability Employment Month in British Columbia and provides an opportunity to celebrate the contributions of people with disabilities in the workforce, and the employers and communities who support their success.

On Friday, Sept. 1, 2017, the Province will increase funding by $6 million annually for the BC Healthy Kids Program, bringing the current investment in the program to almost $30 million a year.

The British Columbia government is eliminating tuition fees on Adult Basic Education (ABE) and English Language Learning (ELL) programs, opening the door for tens of thousands of people to upgrade their education and skills every year.

The John Horgan government is taking swift action to reduce poverty in British Columbia by lifting income assistance and disability assistance by $100 a month.

Twenty-three of British Columbia’s top business leaders have come together to achieve one common goal – to support and encourage meaningful employment opportunities for people with disabilities throughout the province.

In the decades it has taken for Paul Horgen’s sight to decline, he’s had a successful 35-year teaching career at the University of Toronto, travelled abroad and authored a book.

The Province is providing CanAssist at the University of Victoria (UVic) with $4.5 million to expand its services for seniors living with dementia, and children and youth with special needs, building on government’s ongoing efforts to ensure people can access unique technologies that help increase their independence and quality of life.

More than 109,000 British Columbians have found jobs with the help of the Employment Program of BC (EPBC), which marks its fifth anniversary on April 2, 2017.