Current Public Policy Campaigns
- Replicate a supported-decision making model like the BC Representation Agreement across all provinces and territories
- Reform the eligibility for the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) to include people with severe intermittent mental health issues and people with mild developmental disabilities
- In general, simplify the DTC application and process
- Families can contribute funds or goods to their relatives with disabilities without claw backs from BC Disability Benefits
- Exempt employment income entirely from Disability Assistance eligibility
- Exempt legal aid and long-term care from calculating Disability Assistance eligibility
- Encourage the federal government to provide additional retirement help for families who had to give up a career to care for their disabled children
- Permit TFSAs and RRSPs to be held by trusts
- Encourage the Ontario Government to increase disability benefits, increase asset limits, and exempt gifts from the Ontario Disability Support Plan (ODSP)
Specific to the Registered Disability Savings Plan
- Harmonize the treatment of trusts and structured settlements with that of RDSPs across the full range of provincial programs used by people with disabilities
- Allow the rollover of an RDSP from one beneficiary to another
- Increase RDSP age limit by 2 years to match with increase in retirement age
- Add physical disabilities to the list of who can be eligible for the retirement rollover to RDSPs
- Allow Retirement Rollovers into RDSPs at any age (not just under 60)
- Make RDSP’s creditor Proof
- Harmonize the treatment of trusts and RDSPs within the Federal Guaranteed Income Supplement Program
- Let RDSP beneficiaries always keep their plan open. Only new contributions would be disallowed on failure to re-qualify for the DTC. Families ask why it is necessary to repay grants and bonds retroactively when they were rightfully earned during a period of disability
- Create an RDSP-asset housing fund