Latest news with #DisabilityTaxCredit
Time of India
10 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Canada's groundbreaking $2,400 disability benefit launches June 20; Who qualifies, how to apply, and what they're not telling you
Starting June 20, eligible Canadians with disabilities can apply for the Canada Disability Benefit, a federal program providing up to $200 monthly. Aimed at those with the Disability Tax Credit, the benefit seeks to alleviate poverty, with payments beginning July 2025. While praised as a crucial step, concerns remain about eligibility restrictions and potential provincial clawbacks. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Letters mailed Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Eligible Canadians living with disabilities will be able to apply for the long-anticipated Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) starting June 20, a new federal financial support program aimed at lifting thousands out of deep as part of the federal government's Disability Inclusion Action Plan, the CDB will provide up to $200 per month or $2,400 annually, from July 2025 through June 2026. This landmark benefit targets working-age adults between 18 and 64 who qualify for the federal Disability Tax Credit (DTC) and have filed a 2024 tax return with the Canada Revenue Agency. If applicable, their spouse or common-law partner must also have filed their are being mailed to potentially eligible individuals throughout June. These include a unique code and instructions on how to apply. However, those who do not receive a letter may still apply by providing their Social Insurance Number, 2024 net income (line 23600 on the notice of assessment), and direct deposit can be made online, by phone, or in person at any Service Canada location. The government emphasizes direct deposit as the preferred method to ensure quicker and more reliable payments. Applications received and approved by June 30 will qualify for the first round of payments, expected to begin in the policy rollout are real lives waiting for relief. Laura Chen, 28, from Vancouver, lives with rheumatoid arthritis and describes her financial struggles as 'a constant balancing act.' She said the promise of the new benefit brought her to tears. '$200 might not seem like much, but to me, it's dignity. It means not having to borrow money for groceries or wait until payday to buy medication.'The federal government has committed $6.1 billion over six years to the CDB and an additional $1.4 billion in annual funding thereafter. But critics warn that while the benefit is an important first step, its impact may be groups say the strict eligibility requirements tied to the DTC exclude many people with real disabilities. They also caution that because the CDB is not exempt from means-testing, provinces like Alberta have already announced they will reduce provincial disability assistance dollar-for-dollar—what advocates call a 'clawback.'Other provinces, including Ontario, have yet to clarify whether they will follow many say the program symbolizes long-overdue recognition. Eligible recipients may also receive retroactive payments for up to 24 months, though not for any period before July rollout of the Canada Disability Benefit marks a historic moment in social policy. But its success will depend not only on how many Canadians receive it, but whether it truly brings the financial relief, autonomy, and dignity its architects envisioned.
CTV News
19 hours ago
- Business
- CTV News
Canadians can apply for Canada Disability Benefit starting in June
Bank of Canada notes are displayed at the Bank of Canada museum in Ottawa on Wednesday, July 12, 2023. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick) Eligible Canadians can begin applying for the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) as of June 20. The new benefit, part of the federal government's Disability Inclusion Action Plan, aims to provide financial support to Canadians living with disabilities. Who is eligible? The benefit is available to persons with disabilities between the ages of 18 and 64 who meet several requirements. Some of these requirements include qualifying for the disability tax credit (DTC), filing a 2024 income tax return with the Canada Revenue Agency, or having a spouse or common-law partner who has also filed their 2024 income tax return, if applicable. The federal government will also send letters in June to eligible Canadians to apply. The letters will include a unique application code and instructions on how to apply. According to the program's website, Canadians who do not receive a letter but believe they are eligible can still apply. To do so, they must provide a mailing address and their net income (line 23600) from their 2024 notice of assessment. How to apply Eligible Canadians can apply starting June 20 online, by phone or in person at a Service Canada office. Applicants will need a social insurance number (SIN) and direct deposit information. According to the program's website, Service Canada uses direct deposit because it is more efficient and reliable. A number of community-based organizations across Canada will also provide support throughout the CDB application process, including assistance with applying for the DTC. Canadians whose applications are received and approved by June 30 can expect first payment in July. How much is the benefit? The benefit is calculated based on various factors, including adjusted family net income. The maximum amount is $2,400 annually ($200 per month), from July 2025 to June 2026. The benefit will be adjusted for inflation each year to reflect changes in the cost of living, but the benefit will not decrease if the cost of living goes down. Eligible Canadians may also receive retroactive payments for up to 24 months prior to the date their application is received—but not for any months before July 2025.
CBC
26-03-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Alberta to claw back federal disability benefit from AISH recipients
The federal government is rolling out a new Canada Disability Benefit this summer, but qualified recipients in Alberta won't see the extra money if they already receive payments under AISH, or Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped program. The Alberta government plans to reduce AISH payments by $200, the monthly amount for the federal benefit. Jason Nixon, Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services, defended the clawback. Payments for a single person on AISH are $1,901 each month, which he said is the highest in Canada. He said the federal government set a minimum of $1,811 for provinces to meet. "We're going to continue to be committed to it and have already exceeded what the federal government has asked us to do," he said. "We can't continue to have rates as high as we have in our province compared to the rest of the country and then continue to grow indefinitely without seeing serious consequences to our AISH programs long-term." The first month of eligibility for the federal benefit will be this June with the first payments starting in July. To be eligible, individuals need to be aged 18 to 64 and have been approved for the Disability Tax Credit. Frustration and fear AISH recipients are frustrated they won't get the benefits of the new federal payment. Charli McDonald said her husband receives AISH due to multiple disabilities that prevents him from working. McDonald said life is expensive when you have a disability. For example, some of the medical aids her husband needs for mobility are partially or not covered by the Alberta government. She said rent in Grande Prairie is not cheap either. McDonald said people are frightened and despondent about the clawback. She said she is furious over the government's reasoning. "Basically insinuating that you should be thankful that we're giving you this and that we're not reducing your payments," she said. "It was so gross, the whole statement. I was just disgusted." Marie Renaud, the NDP MLA for St. Albert and critic for community and social services, said she has heard many stories about the hardship the clawback will cause after asking for them on social media. Renaud said they include people who live in rural Alberta who skip medical appointments with a specialist in larger centres because they can't afford the travel. "It makes the difference between food bank usage or not," she said. "I heard from all kinds of disabled people that this makes a difference between [their] children being able to participate in sports or for [them] being able to buy new clothing or … being able to get a bus pass this month. "That's how desperate people are." Renaud said it was hard to get the government to admit they were planning to clawback the benefit in the first place.
