Question Period Note: THE CANADA DISABILITY BENEFIT

When will persons with disabilities receive the Canada Disability Benefit? And how will they be involved in the regulatory development process?

As the new Minister of Diversity, Inclusion, and Persons with Disabilities, I am laser focussed on bringing this crucial new benefit to a reality. I know the need is so great.

And so, I am pleased that the regulatory design engagement is launched and will build on extensive engagement done to date. In the spirit of “Nothing Without Us,” our Government will continue to engage the disability community. This feedback is essential to ensure that the benefit will help to meet the needs of working-age persons with disabilities.

We are taking an intersectional approach – ensuring opportunities for engagement with organizations and persons with disabilities from a range of backgrounds. And we are ensuring accessible processes by providing many ways and means for people to provide their input.

Our Government is also committed to engaging provinces and territories to ensure persons with disabilities are better off because of this measure. Work is already underway and will continue over the coming months.

On June 2, 2022, the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough, reintroduced in the House of Commons the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) Act, Bill C-22. The Act is framework legislation, establishing the benefit and enshrining the main objective of the benefit which is to reduce poverty and support the financial security of working-age Canadians with disabilities by supplementing existing income support measures, such as provincial and territorial social assistance. The details of the benefit will follow in regulation.

The Canada Disability Benefit Act received Royal Assent on June 22, 2023. The benefit is a key component of Canada’s first-ever Disability Inclusion Action Plan. The Action Plan, which was released on October 7, 2022, is a blueprint for change to make Canada more inclusive of persons with disabilities based on the principles of equality, anti-discrimination, participation and inclusion in the development of our programs and policies.

Engagement:

In the spirit of “Nothing Without Us,” where persons with disabilities have demanded to be included in the development of policies and programs that affect their lives, the design of the CDB is being informed by ongoing stakeholder engagement. There have been a number of engagement activities to date:

A DIAP Online Consultation Survey (which ran between June 4, 2021 and September 30, 2021) and included questions on the CDB. This engagement included an online survey that received input from approximately 8,600 Canadians.

Four DIAP/CDB roundtables:

Roundtable with Minister Qualtrough, MP Ryan Turnbull and Disability Organizations to launch online survey (June 4, 2021);

Roundtable with the Prime Minister, Minister Qualtrough and Persons with Disabilities (June 25, 2021);

Roundtable with Minister Qualtrough and Disability Without Poverty (July 27, 2021);

Roundtable with Minister Qualtrough and Disability Organizations (July 28, 2021).

Four CDB roundtables:

Roundtable with Disability Researchers and Academics (January 14, 2022);

Roundtable with Organizations who work with members of Racialized Communities (January 28, 2022);

Roundtable with National Disability Organizations (February 15, 2022);

Roundtable with Disability Service Providers (February 28, 2022)

Concurrently, community-led engagement efforts are underway to inform the DIAP and CDB:

Funding agreements in place with National Disability Organizations to lead community-level engagement (funded through the Social Development Partnerships Program-Disability component).

Funding through ESDC Engagement Protocol Agreements for National Indigenous Organizations to provide community perspectives.

In Fall 2022, ESDC sent letters to holders of Modern Treaties and Self-Government agreements to request their input into the design and delivery of the CDB. This input will be considered in the development of regulations and implementation of the benefit. In the spirit of the government’s commitment to Nothing Without Us, and in respect for the government-to-government relationships embedded in Modern Treaties and Self-Government agreements, engagement will continue throughout the regulatory and implementation phase of the benefit.

Provincial and Territorial (P/T) governments are critical partners in developing the CDB. F-P/T Ministers Responsible for Social Services met for an initial discussion on the DIAP and the benefit in July 2021. Bilateral and multilateral engagement at all levels with provinces and territories has been ongoing.

In the summer 2023, the regulatory design engagement phase was launched with an info session. This phase will build on extensive engagement that took place prior to the Act receiving Royal Assent.

Note that the Canada Disability Benefit Act lays out a few requirements and timelines:

“The Minister must provide persons with disabilities from a range of backgrounds with meaningful and barrier-free opportunities to collaborate in the development and design of the regulations, including regulations that provide for the application process, eligibility criteria, the amount of a benefit and the appeal process.”

Coming into force must happen by one year after Royal Assent – so by June 22, 2024

Progress reports on the regulations: within six months of coming into force; then on by the first anniversary of coming into force.

The requirement to make regulations by June, 2025 and in turn, the regulations will then set a date on which they take effect.

Parliament reviews: first anniversary of the coming into force; third anniversary of the coming into force; then, every five years thereafter.

While there have been calls for an interim payment – I believe we need to remain focussed. Any additional processes and procedures would only distract us from getting the benefit into the hands of those who so desperately need it.

In terms of timelines, the Act has to come into force no later than June 22, 2024 (one year after Royal Assent). This will trigger a number of timelines in the legislation, including the requirement to make regulations by June, 2025. In turn, the regulations will then set a date on which they take effect.

That said, the Government understands the importance of getting this benefit set up ASAP and is working hard to move quickly through the regulatory process while still providing meaningful engagement opportunities for persons with disabilities.
We reached a great milestone during the last parliamentary session, as we successfully established the legal framework for the benefit. And I am so excited that we are beginning this new engagement phase.

I know the disability community is counting on us to make the Canada Disability Benefit a reality. As the new Minister of Diversity, Inclusion, and Persons with Disabilities, this is my top priority.