Advocacy & Issues 04/26/2024 Starting in July 2025, people with disabilities who receive the Disability Tax Credit will begin receiving a maximum of $200 per month as part of the new Canada Disability Benefit. The $6.1 billion investment, which was announced in the federal budget on April 16, 2024 will cover benefit payments as well as the cost of delivering the Canada Disability Benefit over the next six years. Along with disability organizations and the food security sector, people with disabilities have been pushing for this moment for years. Together, we created the political momentum to make the Canada Disability Benefit real. That’s no small feat. This is a testament to our collective power. But there’s much more work to be done. On Adequacy While a $6.1 billion investment in the Canada Disability Benefit is historic, it is grossly inadequate to lift people with disabilities out of poverty. Across the country, 30% of families relying on a person with a disability for their basic needs don’t have enough to eat. $200 a month is not enough to ensure that people with disabilities can afford their basic needs, particularly with the additional costs of having a disability and ongoing inflation pushing up costs. On Clawbacks There’s currently no guarantee that the benefit won’t be clawed back by provincial or territorial governments, although the federal government has urged them not to. Overcoming Barriers to the Disability Tax Credit Distributing the benefit only to those who receive the Disability Tax Credit–currently about 300,000 people–means many people with disabilities will be left out. Only people with certain disabilities are eligible for the Disability Tax Credit and the application process isn’t easy. The government’s announcement of additional funding to cover the costs of getting medical forms completed will help, as will funding for more community-based support for tax filing and applying for tax benefits. But there will still be multiple and significant barriers for many. A Canada Disability Benefit for All As we look ahead to 2025, with a federal election on the horizon, CFCC, Community Food Organizations in our network, and our partners at Disability Without Poverty and the Daily Bread Food Bank will continue pushing for commitments from the federal government and all political parties. To take action, visit www.fundthebenefit.ca. We stand in solidarity with Disability Without Poverty in calling on the federal government to revise the current regulations to create a fair and equitable CDB for people with disabilities. In their current form, the regulations will lift a mere 4% of people expected to receive the benefit out of poverty by 2035. Read our five recommendations to the federal government. With better regulations, the CDB can significantly reduce food insecurity and poverty and improve financial security among people with disabilities in Canada. Stay in the Know! Follow CFCC on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn for updates as we learn more about who will be eligible, how to apply, and what’s next for the Disability Without Poverty campaign.