Take Action to Protect the Canada Disability Benefit from Clawbacks

Nick, pictured above, works at The Raw Carrot Soup Enterprise, an MCC program that employs people facing barriers to traditional employment and relies on the Ontario Disability Support Program. Help protect the Canada Disability Benefit so Nick and others like him can keep the support they need.

The introduction of the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) represents a critical opportunity to address poverty among people with disabilities in Ontario. However, without proactive measures from the provincial government, this much-needed support could be undermined. If no action is taken, recipients of the CDB who also rely on social assistance programs like the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) or Ontario Works (OW) could see a dollar-for-dollar reduction in their benefits. This would effectively nullify the impact of the CDB, leaving many individuals no better off than before.

We need to ensure that the full value of the CDB reaches those who need it most. People with disabilities are disproportionately affected by poverty, with nearly 30% of single individuals with disabilities living below the poverty line in Canada. For many, their primary source of income is social assistance, which has been woefully inadequate for years. The CDB offers a lifeline, but only if the Ontario government acts to prevent clawbacks.

You can help by urging Premier Doug Ford to take immediate action to protect the Canada Disability Benefit from being clawed back. Several other provinces have already made commitments to preserve the value of this benefit for their residents. Ontario must follow suit to ensure that the CDB serves its intended purpose: to supplement, not replace, existing social assistance. A simple regulatory change can achieve this, but it requires public pressure to make it happen.

Please join us in advocating for this crucial change. By sending a letter to Premier Ford, you can help ensure that people with disabilities in Ontario receive the full benefit of the CDB. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of some of our province's most vulnerable residents.