Latest news with #CanadianDisabilityBenefit
Edmonton Journal
03-07-2025
- Business
- Edmonton Journal
Opinion: Alberta's clawback of federal disability benefits shameful
Article content Alberta is the only province or territory in Canada that is poised to claw back the $200 Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) from provincial disability income support (known in Alberta as AISH) recipients. Article content That's one out of 13. Article content Article content Back in March, Alberta's Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services, Jason Nixon, announced this decision in this way: Article content 'Investments to support Albertans with disabilities include $1.64 billion allocated for the AISH program, which provides the highest core benefit rate amongst the provinces. The cost of AISH this year accounts for caseload growth and benefit rate increases of two per cent in the anticipated contributions from the federal government $200 to the Canadian Disability Benefit coming into effect in July 2025. Article content Article content The Canadian Disability Benefit will provide about $200 per month for eligible Canadians with disabilities. This benefit will be considered as non-exempt income for AISH recipients. This means that overall client income will remain the same. Again, I emphasize AISH rates are not changing in this budget. AISH clients will remain well above the federal benchmark income $1,804 per month that the feds encouraged provinces to meet. Article content Article content For some perspective on that, with the AISH remaining at $1,901 per month, that is $554 higher than Manitoba, $533 higher than Ontario, $515 higher than Saskatchewan, and $417 higher than B.C. In fact, I would say we strongly encourage other provinces to raise their rates to be equal to Alberta's ambition.' Article content It is very easy for those unfamiliar with the CDB and its intended purpose to miss the shocking importance of what Minister Nixon is announcing here. According to the Canada Disability Benefit Act, the purposes of the CDB are 'to reduce poverty and to support the financial security of working-age persons with disabilities.' Article content Article content In essence, therefore, what the Government of Alberta is doing by declaring that the CDB will be considered 'non-exempt income' for AISH recipients is clawing back the $200 CDB from AISH recipients and thereby thwarting the explicit purpose of the CDB. Article content I therefore contend that, ethically and morally, this act can only be classified as theft from disabled Albertans. For his part, however, Minister Nixon simply classifies the CDB as the federal government's 'contribution' to AISH, implying that it is the province that is more in need of assistance than Albertans with disabilities. Article content What's more, he ends his statement by reiterating his framing of his government as an exemplar among the provinces in terms of providing support for disabled people, thus seeking to circumvent any focus on the fact that he had just announced the government's clawback of the CDB from Albertans receiving AISH.
Cision Canada
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Cision Canada
Statement from Organizations Supporting People with Disabilities Regarding Today's Cabinet Appointment
TORONTO, May 13, 2025 /CNW/ - People with disabilities represent 27% of Canada's population, yet they have no dedicated champion in the federal Cabinet announced today. Since November 2015, successive Liberal governments have made significant strides in advancing the rights and protections of people with disabilities. Landmark legislation like the Accessible Canada Act and the Canadian Disability Benefit, while not perfect, were important steps forward in improving the lives of millions of Canadians. This is why Prime Minister Mark Carney's new cabinet, without a Minister or Secretary of State solely responsible for disability inclusion and accessibility, is incredibly puzzling and concerning. We recognize the context in which this government was elected. The recent election was focused on serious threats to our country, particularly our relationship with our closest neighbour and partner. However, we also recognize the threat posed by the dismantling of diversity, equity, and inclusion (and accessibility) policies within government institutions. These values are foundational to programs that support and employ people with disabilities, and we must not allow them to be sidelined. A dedicated Cabinet voice, especially someone with lived experience, was much more than a signal. It represented a meaningful commitment to dismantling barriers, promoting inclusive policymaking, and ensuring that people with disabilities play a central role in shaping decisions that impact their lives. The absence of such leadership for over one in five Canadians is not just disappointing but, in our view, a step backward from the progress that has been achieved. Our message is clear: ensure that a Cabinet Minister is explicitly tasked with the responsibility of advancing disability rights and delivering on the commitments made to people with disabilities in the 2025 Liberal Party platform. Further, we urge the Prime Minister to seize the next opportunity to appoint a Minister or Secretary of State solely focused on people with disabilities. We regret that beginning a new relationship with this government begins on such an uncertain footing. We sincerely hope that this oversight, whether intentional or not, will be corrected without delay. Signatories CNIB / INCA Canadian Association of the Deaf / Association des Sourds du Canada (CAD-ASC) Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work (CCRW) Daily Bread Food Bank Environmental Health Association of Quebec / L'Association pour la santé environnementale du Québec Indigenous Disability Canada (IDC) / B.C. Aboriginal Network on Disability Society (BCANDS) Realize Canada Wavefront Centre for Communication Accessibility *Additional signatories to be added as they are received. Please visit for the latest.
