Supporting clients with disability rights law at Disability Alliance BC
How financial institutions can contribute to social impact
Accessing legal advice and support is a challenge faced by many in this province. People with disabilities often face additional barriers – both with finding accessible services in the first place and with identifying service providers experienced in acting for clients with disabilities. Disability Alliance BC (DABC), a Law Foundation of BC grantee partner, is a non-profit that works to address some of these challenges, with the aim of creating a more inclusive and equitable society for people with disabilities. Their work spans advocacy on systemic issues, research and publications, and providing direct services to people with disabilities.
“A lot of our direct services with clients touch on income security,” says Helaine Boyd, the Executive Director of DABC. Income security and financial empowerment make up almost half of the service demand that DABC sees each year, and the demand is growing. “We support clients in the broad areas of taxes and benefits, both federal and provincial. Sometimes, that includes supporting them with opening a registered disability savings plan at a participating financial institution.”
Helain Boyd, Executive Director of DABC
The majority of banks and credit unions in Canada engage with the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) framework. Under the Social principle, financial institutions can create positive community impact through financial inclusion and a commitment to supporting human rights and diversity.
“Financial empowerment speaks to their ESG commitments,” says Boyd. In addition to directing clients to various participating banks and credit unions, “we have provided training in the past to financial institutions on how to work with clients with disabilities, to give better service and reduce barriers in the client experience.”
DABC has several legal service programs including the Advocacy Access Program and the Disability Law Clinic, both funded by the Law Foundation. The Advocacy Access Program helps clients navigate provincial disability benefits, CPP-Disability, and other programs and services. The Disability Law Clinic is one of only two clinics in Canada that offer free and confidential legal services that specialize in disability rights law. “The Law Foundation has been instrumental with these two programs,” says Boyd, “and our strategic goal is to expand our services to be able to meet demand.” Boyd notes that demand for their services is high, resulting in a long wait list and delays in people getting the help that they need. In 2025, the Law Foundation expanded its funding to add an additional lawyer, in order to provide more service to more people.
How financial institutions can contribute to social impact
The Law Foundation is an independent grant-making organization. By statute, the Law Foundation receives the interest from lawyers’ pooled trust accounts and grants that money out to support legal aid, research, education and other activities under our mandate. Many financial institutions have committed to competitive interest rate agreements with the Law Foundation, helping the foundation ensure long-term and sustainable funding of legal programs and services.
In 2025, the Law Foundation received over $120 million from the pooled trust accounts and approved more than $109 million in grants. Almost $64 million of the approved grants went to direct legal services providing similar work to DABC.
When financial institutions commit to offering competitive interest rates on lawyers’ pooled trust accounts, they are contributing to direct legal services like those provided by DABC. It is a commitment that also aligns with their ESG goals and contributes to a thriving society where everyone can participate with dignity and inclusion.
The Law Foundation of BC extends its sincere appreciation to the legal professionals who choose to hold their pooled trust accounts with Preferred Financial Institutions, and to the dedicated legal advocates and staff who deliver these essential services across the province every day.
View the full list of Preferred Financial Institutions and learn more about our work and how lawyers can support access to justice in BC by visiting our website.
