People with disabilities deserve better from the Canada Disability Benefit 

The International Day of Persons with Disabilities is celebrated annually on Dec 3. This year, Canada’s unions are marking this important date by sounding the alarm on the disproportionate levels of poverty faced by people with disabilities in Canada.  

“It’s no secret that Canada’s affordability crisis is hurting those at the margins the most. The proposed roll out for the new Canada Disability Benefit is only $200 per month, which doesn’t even begin to cover the complex needs, materials and resources people living with disabilities in Canada require but often can’t afford.  And that’s not even factoring in other necessities like groceries, medication and rent,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “It’s completely unsustainable.”  

Recent statistics estimate that 1.5 million people living with disabilities in Canada are below the poverty line. This is roughly 16.5 percent of all people living with disabilities in Canada, which is two times higher than the national average of 8.6 percent of people without disabilities that are living below the poverty line. The numbers are even worse for women with disabilities. 

For years, union activists fought hard alongside disability rights organizations for a comprehensive national disability benefit poverty program to lift people with disabilities in Canada out of poverty. Finally, in 2023 the Canada Disability Benefit Act was unanimously adopted. However, the proposed roll out for the benefit in 2025 falls very short of the recommendations made by unions and advocates to truly address the drastically rising levels of disability poverty.  

Currently, the benefit is proposed to be only a $200 per month or $2400 per year maximum payment. And there is currently no guarantee that provincial or territorial programs won’t impose claw backs for recipients of the CDB. This means that someone receiving CDB benefits could see their provincial benefits reduced by $200 per month.  It’s worth noting that none of the provincial or territorial disability support payment programs lift their recipients above the poverty line. Further, the benefit is only accessible through the existing National Disability Tax Credit Program which experts have rightfully pointed out is an exclusionary practice that means that the people who need access to this benefit the most will once again be left out.  

“The situation is dire. We need federal politicians of all political stripes to put partisanship aside and budget a better benefit in 2025 that will lift people with disabilities out of poverty in Canada,” adds Bruske 

The CLC supports calls from disability justice organizations like Disability Without Poverty who have recommended concrete actions to improve the Canada Disability Benefit in its regulations and roll out. This includes increasing the base amount, individualizing the benefit to family income, and simplifying the application process so that it is accessible to those who need it the most.  

“It’s almost 2025, people living with disabilities in Canada should not be living in poverty simply because they cannot afford the materials and resources they need to live a dignified life, let alone pursue employment and participate in our communities. Enough is enough: it’s past time to improve the Canada Disability benefit,” concluded Lily Chang, Secretary Treasurer of the CLC. 

Here are two ways you can take action to end disability poverty in Canada: 

• Check out our newest campaign, Workers Together, to learn more about what you can do to push politicians to tackle Canada’s affordability crisis, including disability poverty. 

• You can also support the important campaign from Disability Without Poverty to #BetterTheBenefit at DisabilityWithoutPoverty.ca