We need a stronger Canada Disability Benefit now

Across the country, food banks are at a breaking point as more individuals fall into food insecurity and poverty without an adequate social safety net to support them. Among those most affected are the approximately 1.5 million people with disabilities living in poverty. 

This is unacceptable. The Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) as it stands must be increased so that all Canadians with disabilities can realize their human right to a dignified life.  

As the federal Standing Committee on Finance begins their consultations ahead of Budget 2025, we have put together a submission that urgently calls for a more adequate and accessible CDB to tackle poverty and food insecurity. Below is a summary of our recommendations. 

Recommendation 1: Increase funding for the CDB 

The Daily Bread Food Bank calls for an increase to the Canada Disability Benefit to deliver up to $500 per month per recipient by Budget 2025, with progressive increases in future budgets. Such increases are crucial for meeting the legislative objectives outlined in Bill C-22, the Canada Disability Benefit Act, which aims to lift people with disabilities out of poverty.  

Though the announcement of the CDB in Budget 2024 was historic, current funding levels fall significantly short of the need in our community, offering only a maximum of $200 per person per month. Such an amount is insufficient to lift individuals with disabilities out of poverty given that a recipient of the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) receives only $1,368 per month, leaving them $1,000 short of Canada’s official poverty line, not including the additional expenses associated with having a disability.  

An urgent increase in funding for the CDB is therefore needed to align with the government’s own commitments and begin meaningfully reducing poverty and food insecurity among people with disabilities.  

Recommendation 2: Enhance accessibility and outreach 

Improving accessibility and outreach is essential for the CDB to reach its full potential. The current application process, which requires recipients to file taxes and possess a Disability Tax Credit, presents significant barriers. Here are the key measures we propose: 

• Automatic tax filing: Implementing automatic tax filing for all Canadians can mitigate barriers to benefit access. The government’s recent pilot for automatic tax filing is a positive step, but full implementation is necessary to ensure that low-income individuals can easily access the CDB. 

• Funding for non-profits: Non-profit organizations play a critical role in supporting benefit uptake. Allocating funding to these organizations will enable them to expand outreach efforts, providing hands-on support to those navigating the complex application processes. This includes offering year-round tax clinics, public education resources, and direct application assistance. 

• Training for Service Canada staff: Equipping Service Canada staff with the appropriate training will ensure that they can adequately support eligible recipients in applying for the CDB. Staff should be well-versed in the application process, understand the lived experiences of people with disabilities, and provide support in the recipient’s preferred language. 

• Addressing barriers to the Disability Tax Credit (DTC): The DTC application process is cumbersome, expensive, and uses a narrow definition of disability to determine eligibility. The government must therefore ensure that the $243 million allocated in Budget 2024 to cover DTC medical forms is used effectively to eliminate upfront costs for low-income applicants. Furthermore, exploring additional avenues for CDB eligibility beyond the DTC’s restrictive criteria is crucial to enable all people with disabilities to access the benefit. 

By increasing the CDB to $500 per month and enhancing accessibility and outreach measures, the government can make substantial strides in reducing poverty and food insecurity among people with disabilities. These changes are not just about financial support but about affirming the fundamental human rights of some of the most vulnerable members of our society to live a dignified life.

You have the power to make a difference here. Use our easy online form to send a message with our recommendations to the members of the Standing Committee on Finance as they prepare for Budget 2025.