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Published on June 8, 2024 • Last updated 2 hours ago • 3 min read
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The Canada Disability Benefit is a positive step towards lifting disabled Canadians out of poverty. Photo by Leah Hennel/Postmedia Network
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The recent federal budget promises for the Canada Disability Benefit left me with mixed feelings.
On the one hand, I am proud of what the disability community has accomplished in less than four years. Canada is now the only country in the world that is funding efforts to end disability poverty. On the other hand, the budget falls short of the federal government’s commitment to end poverty for 1.4 million Canadian adults with disabilities.
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It’s been almost four years since the federal government committed to the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) to lift disabled Canadians out of poverty.
27% of Canadians aged 15 and over have at least one disability, and working-age Canadians with a disability are twice as likely to live in poverty as working-age people without a disability.
In April, the federal government finally included the CDB in the budget. Is this a time to celebrate? Well, maybe not.
While the introduction of the CDB marks a significant milestone for the disability community, individuals and organisations who advocate for the benefit say it has not lived up to expectations.
Why? After promising to lift people with disabilities out of poverty, the budget announcement caps benefits at $200 per month ($6.66 per day). In Calgary, $200 per month covers a bus pass for one adult and one small trip to the grocery store.
As a disabled person who has lived on low-income assistance for over a decade, I know that $200 a month is not enough to lift you out of poverty, but it is a step in the right direction. A bus pass and a trip to the grocery store are important.
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While the new CDB may not be everything we hoped it would be financially, its introduction is an important cultural step forward for the disability community. The community coming together is a sign that change is possible and that most Canadians support it.
We must not forget what we have achieved so far, and the CDB is a milestone worth celebrating.
We, the disability community, advocates and advocates, did it – persevered through a lengthy legislative and consultation process and created something from nothing in less than four years.
All parties in the House of Representatives supported the CDB bill. Every member of the House supported it unanimously, and the Senate supported it unconditionally. This rarely happens, given the current polarization and federal-state tensions. These changes are a testament to the impact we can make when we come together for a common purpose.
Opinion polls have shown that 89 to 91 per cent of Canadians overwhelmingly support the CDB, which would bring Canadians with disabilities above the poverty level.
Thank you to all the supporters who wrote letters, attended demonstrations, hosted debates, sat on panels, participated in events, and lobbied on behalf of the CDB. Thank you to citizens, nonprofits, for-profits, funders, media, politicians, policymakers, and researchers.
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Our work is not done yet, but that doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate this important milestone — it’s a huge step forward for people with disabilities and paves the way for even greater change.
The ultimate success will be lifting every Canadian with a disability out of poverty. Are we there yet? No. But let’s celebrate that together we have accomplished something meaningful.
We have unity and momentum and the conditions are perfect to push forward even further.
Andrea Van Vugt is a disability advocate from Calgary. She founded Disability Pride Alberta, serves as a leader in the Disability Without Poverty movement, and is a strategic consultant.
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