February 29, 2024

From struggling to maintain housing or afford food because of the soaring cost of living, to barriers to accessing comprehensive healthcare including medical equipment, accessibility devices, pharmacare, dental, vision, palliative, long-term, and mental healthcare, to not being able to adequately care for dependents 1 “Petition to the House of Commons: e-4519 (Social affairs and equality)” (4 Dece. [...] In our view, it is unreasonable to expect PWD to wait over 1200 days for desperately needed financial assistance since the first iteration of the CDB was promised, when the government was able to create and provide the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) in a matter of days. [...] Disability and Poverty on the Rise in Canada While the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) moves through the regulatory process and the Senate Finance Committee develops a national framework for a guaranteed livable basic income program, PWD lives hang in the balance. [...] Not having access to adequate stabilizing resources, such as income, employment, and housing, can increase the risk factors for complications at birth, the full-range of disabilities, mental health issues and relapse.7 Lack of Accessible Employment Opportunities Another issue that came up during our conversation with the PWD group is the lack of accessible employment opportunities. [...] One way the government could improve the lives of PWD and allow for greater autonomy is to provide immediate interim and retroactive financial assistance until the CDB is realized.