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Transportation Supplement
Last updated on September 20, 2024Overview
The Transportation Supplement is provided to recipients with the Persons with Disabilities (PWD) designation to cover the cost of the bus pass issued through the BC Bus Pass Program, or to assist generally with their transportation costs.
Policy
Eligibility
Effective: January 1, 2018
A Transportation Supplement (TS) of $52 is provided to each recipient with the Persons with Disabilities (PWD) Designation in a family unit who is receiving disability assistance or hardship assistance. This includes individuals with the PWD designation receiving Room and Board or a Comforts Allowance. The Transportation Supplement is also provided to ensure continuity of transportation supports in certain situations when the individual with the PWD designation is no longer eligible for disability assistance.
The TS can be provided as cash or as an in-kind bus pass with a value of $52 [see Related Links - BC Bus Pass Program].
TS recipients can switch between the in-kind bus pass or cash payment, but will have to notify the ministry of the change before the 5th of the month. A family unit receives the full amount of TS for the month in which they are eligible.
A transitional transportation support is provided when a recipient leaves disability assistance for the following reasons:
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Reason for leaving disability assistance
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Period of Transitional Transportation Support (TTS)
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A family unit in receipt of disability assistance that ceases to be eligible for disability assistance and transitions to Medical Services Only (MSO) as a result of employment income. |
Recipients who transition to MSO due to exhausting their annual earnings exemption (AEE) receive TTS until they return to disability assistance in the new exemption year. For example, if a recipient exhausts their AEE in June 2017 and transitions to MSO in July 2017, they will receive TTS from July 2017 until February 2018. At the end of February they transition back to disability assistance and receive the TS for the March benefit month. |
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A family unit in receipt of disability assistance that ceases to be eligible for disability assistance and transitions to MSO because a person in the family unit is age 65 or older and must be in receipt of a qualifying federal benefit |
Recipients who leave disability assistance for these reasons may receive TTS as cash until the end of that calendar year. For example, if a recipient transitions to MSO in June 2017, they may receive TTS from June 2017 until December 2017. Recipients who choose a bus pass may keep their bus pass until the end of the calendar year, although the authority for the bus pass switches from TS to the low-income seniors bus pass program (see BC Bus Pass Program). There is no fee for this bus pass in the calendar year in which the recipient turns 65. In the next calendar year, the senior will be eligible for the seniors bus pass for an annual fee of $45. |
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A family unit in receipt of disability assistance that ceases to be eligible for disability assistance and transitions to MSO as a result of a pension or other payment under the Canada Pension Plan (CPP). |
Recipients who leave disability assistance for this reason may receive TTS until the end of that calendar year. |
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A family unit in receipt of disability assistance that ceases to be eligible for disability assistance and transitions to MSO for a reason not listed above. |
Recipients who leave disability assistance for this reason may receive TTS until the end of that calendar year. |
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A family unit ceases to be eligible for disability assistance for other reasons (e.g., non-exempt income or assets that exceed their eligible limit). |
Recipients who leave disability assistance for this reason may receive TTS until the end of that calendar year. |
Reconsideration and Appeals
Effective: January 1, 2018
The transitional transportation support issued after a recipient leaves disability assistance is not provided under the authority of the Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Act. Therefore the reconsideration and appeal provisions of Section 16 of the Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Act do not apply. [For more information, see Related Links – Reconsideration].
Procedures
Issuing the Transitional Transportation Support when a Recipient leaves Disability Assistance
Effective: January 1, 2018
When a recipient leaves disability assistance, the transitional transportation support (TTS) will continue to be provided in the form of the in-kind bus pass or cash payment of $52, whichever the person prefers.
These recipients can switch between the in-kind bus pass or cash payment, but will have to notify the ministry of their choice before the 5th of the month.
EAWs are to submit SRs to record the recipient’s choice and processing will take place through automated batch jobs.
Note: Staff should confirm the TTS end date is February 28 for MSO-AEE exhausted cases, and December 31 for all other scenarios.