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March “Fit In Fitness” at BeConnected

April 1, 2016

Back by popular demand! BeConnected’s Strategic Planning Committee is once again promoting fitness as part of healthy lifestyle. “Fit in Fitness” next month with the Regional May Recreational Pass: Unlimited access to 15 Regional Recreation Centres drop-in programs in and around Victoria. Participating recreational centres include:

Archie Browning Sports Centre
Cedar Hill Recreation Centre
Crystal Pool & Fitness Centre
Esquimalt Recreation Centre
Greenglade Community Centre
Gordon Head Recreation Centre
Henderson Recreation Centre
Juan de Fuca Recreation Centre
Oak Bay Recreation Centre
Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence
Panorama Recreation
Pearkes Recreation Centre
Saanich Commonwealth Place
SEAPARC Leisure Complex
YMCA-YWCA Downtown

Activities include swimming, skating, weight room, land aerobics, aquafit classes. Some centres include such activities as basketball, badminton, and yoga. You can also use the cost of your pass as a deduction towards the cost of an annual pass at the end of the month.

BeConnected will reimburse staff and residents who purchase the $25 May pass and Fit in Fitness next month! You must provide an original receipt to your Home Coordinator by May 15th, 2015, in order for your pass to be paid for. Passes are available for purchase starting today!

BeConnected’s Annual Easter Party!

March 8, 2016

Hoppy Easter! Join us on March 24th to hunt for goodies, meet the Easter Bunny, and enjoy dinner with friends!

March Calendar

March 1, 2016

Check out what’s happening this month at BeConnected!

Rally for Raise the Rates: Leave our Bus Pass Alone

February 26, 2016

On Wednesday, March 2nd join the community in a rally at the legislature to bring back the annual bus pass while keeping the new PWD increase for people with diversabilities.

This issue is an important one and affects many people and families. Please share far and wide and join us at this grass roots advocacy movement! This issue has received significant attention: at last count over 10,000 individuals have signed the petition and there has been loads of coverage in the media. Find out more information about this movement here.

Raise the rates, leave our buss pass alone!

February 24, 2016

We want Premier Christy Clark and Minister Michelle Stilwell to raise the rates and leave our bus pass alone!

Bring back the $45 per year bus pass for people with disabilities.
Eliminate the new $52/month bus pass fee.
Let everyone receiving PWD benefits keep the $77/month increase.
Raise the PWD benefit rate to $1200 per month by October 1, 2016 to reflect the cost of living.

Background:

On February 16, 2016, the Province of BC tabled its budget.

People with disabilities received a small increase to their disability benefits but there was a catch. The $77 per month increase was tied to the cost of a person’s transportation. These are the changes, effective September 1st, 2016:

People with disabilities will receive a $77 per month increase to their benefits.
People receiving PWD benefits will no longer be able to purchase an annual bus pass for a $45 annual fee.
The cost of the bus pass will go up from $0 to $52 per month, plus an annual $45 administration fee.
For people with a bus pass, the new change means a $25/month PWD benefit rate increase. After a nine-year rate freeze, this is an insult.

Why we need a rate increase:

Having increased by only $120 since 2001, BC disability benefit rates of $906/month are among the lowest in the country; yet we live in one of the most expensive provinces. People with disabilities struggle with impossible pressures, including whether to get a bit of extra money to buy food or take the bus. We are falling behind and desperately need a rate increase that reflects the cost of living in BC.

As our provincial government tabled its budget, it touted BC as having the best financial outlook in the country. The government was finally in a position to announce an increase in benefits to catch up to the rapidly rising cost of living.

To finally give people an increase only to claw it back for something as essential as transportation is mean-spirited and out-of-touch.

Click here to sign the petition!

Photo and Information provided by Inclusion BC

New legislation streamlines access to disability assistance

February 24, 2016

The Government of B.C. has proposed legislation will allow the government to prescribe groups of people as Persons with Disabilities (PWD) without them having to complete the 28-page application or additional assessments by medical practitioners. Initially, about 1,000 people each year will benefit from the change, most of whom will be youth transitioning into CLBC services.

Read more about the proposed legislation here.

February Calendar

January 29, 2016

Check out what’s happening in February at BeConnected!

2016 Hampton Little League Challenger Baseball is coming soon!

January 22, 2016

Register now for Hampton Little League Challenger’s 2016 season. Hampton Little League is excited to be the host of 2016’s BC-wide Challenger Jamboree this season – stay tuned for more information.

BeConnected Support Services is a proud sponsor of Hampton Little League.