Make the CDB What it was Meant to Be!
Did you know that an estimated 16.8% of people with a disability in Canada live in poverty, compared to 9.3% of people without a disability?
When the federal government passed legislation to create the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB), there was a lot of talk about lifting people with disabilities out of poverty. The legislation also specifically mentions Canada’s human rights obligations to people with disabilities and its aspirations to be a leader in eradicating poverty, consistent with the Sustainable Development Goals.
But the draft regulations released this past June fall far short of creating a just and equitable CDB. We now have a short window of opportunity to share our feedback.
The deadline for responses to the draft regulations is September 23.
Join CPJ and partners across the country in helping make the CDB what it was meant to be-a benefit that truly lifts people with disabilities out of poverty!
Two ways to make the CDB what it was meant to be:
What feedback should I focus on?
While there are many details in the draft regulations that CPJ and partners are responding to, our key messages focus on the adequacy and accessibility of the CDB:
Other ways you can get involved:
- Disability Without Poverty “Better the Benefit” Campaign
- Maytree advocacy toolkits: Preventing CDB Clawbacks (provincial and territorial advocacy)
- Inclusion Canada’s Community Guide: How to Submit Feedback on the Canada Disability Benefit Regulations
Background on the CDB Draft Regulations
On June 29th, the federal government released the proposed regulations for the new Canada Disability Benefit (CDB). This followed an announcement in the 2024 federal budget that $6.1 billion would be allocated for the CDB over the next six years, starting in 2025.
Unfortunately, the amount announced in the federal budget is far less than what is needed to make sure the CDB achieves its goal of lifting people with disabilities out of poverty. Worse still, this limited budget amount is now limiting the design and draft regulations of the CDB. The people tasked with writing the draft regulations have been told they must make sure the benefit fits within this budgeted amount. This means that even though the government is saying this budgeted amount is just a “starting point,” the regulations will already have been set. The amount people receive for the benefit could (and should) be increased in the future, but fundamental regulations about who is eligible, the application process, appeals processes, repayments, and delivery mechanisms are all being baked into the current draft regulations.
The draft regulations for the CDB are currently open for feedback until September 23, 2024.
Information about the draft regulations:
- Read the proposed Canada Disability Benefit Regulations and the Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement (i.e., the government’s rationale for the proposed regulations) on this page of the Canada Gazette. This is also the webpage where people can leave comments about specific sections of the draft regulations, or make a general comment about the draft regulations.
- Frequently Asked Questions about the draft regulations with responses.