Advocacy & Issues 09/18/2024 Community Food Centres Canada and our 400+ partner community food organizations are deeply concerned about the nationwide crisis of food insecurity among people with disabilities. Food insecurity is the inadequate access to food due to financial constraints. In extreme situations, people often go for days without eating because they can’t afford food. Nearly 1 in 3 households in which the main income earner has a disability experiences food insecurity — a rate that is two times higher than in households where the main income earner does not have a disability1. For decades, the disability sector and allied organizations, including food security organizations, have been calling for a federal benefit that lifts people with disabilities out of poverty. In response, the federal government committed $6.1 billion in its 2024 budget towards launching a new Canada Disability Benefit (CDB). While historic, this funding is grossly inadequate. As currently drafted, only 4% of people expected to receive the CDB would be lifted out of poverty by 2035. With better regulations, the CDB can significantly reduce food insecurity and poverty and improve financial security among people with disabilities in Canada. Seven guiding principles We stand in solidarity with Disability Without Poverty, and the thousands of people with disabilities they consulted, in calling for regulations that will create a fair and equitable CDB. We are calling on the federal government to revise the CDB regulations according to these seven principles advanced by Disability Without Poverty2: Inclusive eligibility Simple application Urgency Dignity A fair benefit Added costs Keep disabled people involved Five recommended overarching changes Based on these principles, we recommend five overarching changes: Raise the income threshold above the poverty line and ensure the CDB accounts for the added costs of living with a disability. Increase the benefit amount to offer a more equitable benefit for people with disabilities. Improve access by broadening eligibility beyond the Disability Tax Credit (DTC). Automatically enrol people who already receive provincial/territorial disability support, and make the CDB application process simple, seamless, and fast. Individualize the benefit—rather than means-testing against household income—to ensure independence and dignity for people with disabilities. Read our response to the federal government for an in-depth look at our recommendations. References 1. Uppal, S. (2023, November 14). Food insecurity among Canadian families. Statistics Canada. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/75-006-x/2023001/article/00013-eng.htm 2. Disability Without Poverty. (2024). CDB and Regulations. Disability Without Poverty. https://www.disabilitywithoutpoverty.ca/take-action/cdb-regulations/