Protect and Strengthen CSIL

We are building a provincial movement for better funding, fairer assessement of hours, and real independence. Together, our voices make a difference

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Advocacy Priorities

Our current campaign

ACE’s Provincial CSIL Campaign brings CSIL Employers across British Columbia together to advocate for a stronger and more sustainable CSIL program. We are calling on Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and the Minister of Health to address challenges that are affecting Employers’ ability to access the support they need and live independently. Our campaign focuses on two urgent priorities: a sustainable CSIL funding rate and an assessment process that accurately reflects people’s support needs. We are also calling for the voices of CSIL Employers to be meaningfully included in decisions about the future of the program.

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The CSIL Hourly Rate Is Falling Behind. The CSIL hourly rate has not increased since April 2024, while negotiated Health Authority wage increases have added 3% in 2025 and another 3% in 2026. A 6% increase would help begin to close this gap—but it would not fully resolve the problem. CSIL Employers would still be competing with hospitals, long-term care facilities, agencies and other health-care employers that can offer benefits, pensions, paid sick time and other forms of compensation that are generally unavailable through CSIL. Because the current funding rate does not reflect the true cost of employing support workers, many CSIL Employers are struggling to recruit and retain the people they depend on. Unfilled shifts can mean missed care, increased pressure on families and reduced independence for people with disabilities.. Our ask: Increase the CSIL hourly rate as an immediate first step, then establish a fair and transparent funding model that reflects labour-market conditions, mandatory employer costs and the need for sustainable recruitment and retention. CSIL Employers should not have to compete in today’s health-care labour market with yesterday’s funding.

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Assessments Must Reflect Real Needs. CSIL CSIL funding is based on an assessment of each person’s individual support needs. However, assessments and reassessments can break those needs into individual tasks, such as showering, taking medication or completing a transfer, and calculate how much time each should take. This can overlook how support is actually needed throughout a person’s day and life. This minute-by-minute approach does not always reflect the realities of independent living. Support workers may not be available in short, disconnected intervals, and people may need support for transitions, unexpected needs, health monitoring, communication, appointments, work, education, relationships and community life. CSIL Employers want what everyone else wants: the opportunity to fully live their lives, not simply complete a series of essential tasks. An assessment process should recognize the whole person and the life their support makes possible. For people who use ventilators or have complex medical needs, assessments must also recognize the need for continuous trained support and supervision when required. A ventilator alarm, aspiration event or other medical emergency can occur without warning and require an immediate response. When funded hours do not reflect these realities, the consequences can include gaps in essential support, unsafe situations, increased reliance on family members, reduced participation in everyday life and greater risk of hospitalization or institutional care. Our ask: The Ministry of Health should work with the Association of CSIL Employers (ACE), CSIL Employers and people who use CSIL through a formal process to improve assessments and reassessments. Funded hours should reflect each person’s complete, individual support needs, including essential support, health and safety risks, continuity of staffing, fluctuating needs and participation in everyday life. Assessments should also be transparent and accessible, with clear information about how decisions are made. ACE is seeking a more person-centred and outcomes-based approach, developed collaboratively with the Ministry of Health. The goal is not an automatic increase in hours for everyone, but a fair, transparent and individualized process that accurately reflects the support each person requires to live safely, independently and fully in their community.

Our recommendation to the Ministry of Health

The Ministry of Health must act now to increase the CSIL hourly rate and work with ACE to develop a sustainable funding model, followed by a meaningful reform of the assessment process so that support hours reflect the real needs of CSIL users.

Read our recommendation

ACTION ITEMS

How to get involved with the Campaign

New to ACE? There are several ways to get involved: - Join our email list to receive campaign updates and invitations to ACE Community Meetings on Zoom. - Take action in the Provincial CSIL Campaign by sending a personalized letter and ACE’s Briefing Note to your MLA. - Advocate together. Email us with the name of your MLA, and we may be able to connect you with other CSIL Employers in your constituency so you can reach out as a group. Whether you are ready to send a letter, meet your MLA, or simply stay connected, there is a place for you at ACE.

VOICE CHOICE CHANGE

Checklist to Help the Campaign

1) Email ACE the name of your MLA if you would like to be connected with other CSIL Employers in your constituency. 2) Personalize the template letter by adding one paragraph about your experience with CSIL and why these issues matter to you. 3) Email the letter to your MLA, pasting it directly into the body of your email. CC acecsilemployers@gmail.com and HLTH.Health@gov.bc.ca. 4) Attach ACE’s Briefing Note to provide additional information about the campaign and our asks. 5) Follow up with your MLA’s office after a few days. If you feel comfortable, call to confirm they received your letter and request a meeting with your MLA. Ready to take action?

Get involved Templates

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ESSENTIAL TOOLS

Campaign Templates & Resources

Find everything you need to support the campaign and help spread the word about CSIL. Access our campaign letter templates, download flyers and Take Action materials to raise awareness, and use our fact sheets and PowerPoint presentations to start conversations with allies, community members, organizations, and decision-makers.

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Current Campaign Templates

Use these templates to email your MLA and share your experience with CSIL. Not sure who your MLA is? Enter your postal code using the Find My MLA tool to find your representative and their contact information. Letter (goes in the email body): Important Letter to MLA ACE Briefing Note (goes attached as a pdf): ACE Note

Campaign Templates Link

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Flyers & Take Action Materials

Find our current campaign letter templates to help you contact your MLA and other decision-makers about the challenges facing CSIL. Personalize the template with your own experience and help bring the voices of CSIL Employers directly to government.

Flyers link

Presentation Templates

Use our PowerPoint presentation templates to introduce CSIL and the campaign to organizations, community groups, allies, and decision-makers. Adapt the slides to your audience and use them to help start conversations, build understanding, and grow support for a stronger CSIL program.

Presentation Templates Link

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Fact-sheets

Download clear, shareable fact sheets about CSIL, the challenges facing the program, and the changes ACE is advocating for. These can be used in conversations with community organizations, allies, elected representatives, and anyone interested in learning more about CSIL.

Fact-sheets Link

EMPLOYER's VOICES

Understand the Impact CSIl has on people's lives

I have been on CSIL for 28 years. If not for this, I would have been in an institution and would not have lived this long.

Tom Cretain

CSIL Employer

I was able to graduate from law school, get married, and work full time while having my care needs consistently met. If my care needs were dependent on inconsistent home support services, I doubt my quality of life would be so high.

CSIL Employer

Allowed me to come home from hospital. Provides better nutrition with a specialized diet. Helps my mental well-being. Helps me get to health care and dental care and oral surgeon.

CSIL Employer

Advocacy works when you're in it. We need you.

Don't just hope for change. Join the movement. Your voice, your choice, your independence. That's what ACE fights for.

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