1 in 5 Canadians are disabled. 2 in 5 Canadians who are poor are disabled. The Canadian Disability Benefit will help change that.
On June 22nd, 2021, the federal government took an important step towards lifting disabled Canadians out of poverty by tabling Bill C-35 to “reduce poverty and support the financial security of persons with disabilities by establishing the Canada disability benefit”.
While details have not yet been released, the government has stated the Disability Benefit will be modelled after the Guaranteed Income Supplement for Seniors. That’s good news. This means the Disability Benefit will not be a simple one-time payout or top-up, but will provide a regular long-term supplement to other supports and act like a Universal Basic Income.
Canada has the resources to end disability poverty.
Disability Without Poverty wants to make sure it has the will.
Disability Without Poverty is a grassroots disability-led movement formed to ensure disabled people are involved in the design of the Canadian Disability Benefit. The mission of the Disability Without Poverty initiative is to get the Canadian Disability Benefit into the hands of people with disabilities as soon as possible. Without clawing back their existing supports and benefits.
Recent findings by a study conducted by Angus Reid Institute in partnership with Disability Without Poverty concluded that almost 9 in 10 Canadians were in favour of a Canadian Disability Benefit. “Canadians understand living with a disability comes with a higher cost of living, and two-in-five Canadians living with a disability report that they are stressed about money often or all the time.” – August Reid Institute Study
COVID-19 has not only disproportionately affected Canadians with disabilities but laid bare long-standing challenges for persons with disabilities to access adequate programs and benefits. The federal government’s commitment to create a national benefit is an acknowledgment of this and we commend them for taking the first step.
Together, let’s ensure the Canadian disability benefit remains a national priority.
We won’t end poverty for people with disabilities without the support of every Canadian. That means working with disabled artists to get the attention and capture the hearts of all Canadians. It also means being active on social media, in mainstream media, recruiting thought leaders and champions and doing public opinion polling. Your engagement is paramount for success.
Strong public support comes before bold political decision-making. To ensure our federal government fulfills its promise to create a Canada Disability Benefit, it will require a united disability movement and broad public support.
If you would like to be part of this movement and support the efforts of the many organizations and individuals trying to end disability poverty, we encourage you to join us. Your contribution is welcome, no matter how big or how small. Here are a few ways to get involved:
Join the conversation on Twitter
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We are thrilled to announce that the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion will join us at the next Monthly Roundup to discuss the Canada Disability Benefit. In addition, we will enjoy the musical stylings of renowned Quebec rockstar Martin Deschamps and the poetic musings of Jayne Melville Whyte.
Date: Thursday, July 8, 2021
Time: 12pm Pacific Time/3pm Eastern Time
Learn more about this event and register here
www.disabilitywithoutpoverty.ca
**Please note that all views and opinions expressed by contributors should be recognized as theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the official policies or position of Plan Institute**