Question Period Note: The Canada Disability Benefit

What is the government doing to address poverty for persons with disabilities? Is the Canada Disability Benefit still a priority for this Government? Is Bill C-35 expected to return to the House of Commons?

• Working age persons with disabilities are twice as likely to live in poverty and less likely to be able to earn income through employment compared to other working age Canadians.

• That is why our government is taking action through the creation of a new Canada Disability Benefit.

• We are committed to re-introduce a Disability Benefit Act to support the hundreds of thousands of working age Canadians with disabilities living in poverty, and we will work with the other parties to continue to build support to address the needs of persons with disabilities in Canada.

• In the spirit of “Nothing without us”, our government will continue our engagement with the disability community on the design and delivery of the benefit.

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

The 2020 Speech from the Throne committed to bringing forward a new Canada Disability Benefit (CDB). As a cornerstone in the Government of Canada’s Disability Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP), the purpose of the CDB is to reduce poverty and support the financial security of working-age persons with disabilities.

The Government of Canada introduced framework legislation for the CDB (Bill C-35) in the House of Commons on June 22, 2021. Bill C-35 did not go into the details (such as eligibility criteria, application processes, or violations) but proposed that these follow in regulations. Bill C-35 died on the order paper upon prorogation of Parliament.

The Liberal Party’s 2021 platform committed to re-introduce and implement a Canada Disability Benefit Act, modeled on the Guaranteed Income Supplement and Canada Child Benefit, which would provide a direct monthly payment for low-income Canadians with disabilities aged 18-64.

As currently envisioned, the benefit would:
• Supplement existing federal, provincial and territorial (F-P/T) income support;
• Help address inequalities in accessing the current F-P/T social safety net;
• Minimize negative impacts on work incentives; and
• Be income-tested

It would not:
• Replace existing F-P/T income benefits;
• Equalize or eliminate variation in income supports across jurisdictions;
• Provide any supplementary disability supports or services; or
• Be subject to P/T clawbacks.

Engagement:

In summer 2021, the Government launched an engagement process to seek input on CDB design from the disability community, benefit experts and Indigenous organizations. This included roundtables, engagement of the COVID19 Disability Advisory Group and a public survey.

Also in summer 2021, F/P-T Ministers responsible for Social Services and Disability met for an initial discussion on the proposed benefit. Ministers agreed to meet again before the end of the year to discuss further collaboration. A joint statement to this effect was released on July 21, 2021.

Both engagement processes are ongoing.

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