Latest news with #ODSP
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ontario won't claw back federal disability benefit
Amid growing concern from Ontarians with disabilities and their advocates, the province has announced it will not claw back the incoming Canada Disability Benefit (CDB). The CDB was passed in 2023, and the government committed $6.1 billion to it in the 2024 federal budget. Beginning in July, eligible recipients can receive up to $2,400 per year, or a maximum of $200 per month. In a news release on Tuesday, the province announced it will be exempting the federal benefit as income. That means recipients won't have money deducted from their provincial social assistance payments or entitlements such as the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP). Since the CDB's passage, advocates have feared the provinces and territories may claw back the benefit. As of this March, at least seven have promised not to do that, but Alberta has announced it will claw back the benefit under certain circumstances. "It was a huge concern that this was not going to make it to the people who deserve to see this benefit," said Ron Anicich, co-chair of the ODSP Action Coalition. Rabia Khedr, national director of advocacy group Disability Without Poverty (DWP), said the news from Alberta stoked fear and disappointment within the disability community. But Khedr said the Ontario government has previously taken "steps in the right direction," including its decision to increase the ODSP exemption from $200 to $1,000, giving her hope that the province would do the right thing. "I always felt strongly that, because they had committed to an earnings exemption, that there is no way they could justify clawing back a $200 federal benefit," she said. "So I'm glad that they have confirmed that today." Advocates say they still have other concerns about the benefit program, however. In order to be eligible for the CDB, recipients must be approved for the disability tax credit, and for that they must receive certification from a medical practitioner. "What we're seeing now is people scrambling to sign up for the disability tax credit," said Anicich. "Which is fine when people have family doctors, but there are two million people in this province that do not have family doctors who are just unable to access this benefit." To Khedr, the answer is to "simply cut red tape." "The folks that are in the provincial system who have already filled out medical forms and have already attested to their disability shouldn't have to complete that kind of scrutinizing process again," she said. Instead, many disability advocates have been calling for the federal government to make recipients of provincial programs such as ODSP automatically eligible for the CDB. In an email to CBC on Tuesday, a spokesperson for Ontario's Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services said it's also calling on the federal government to change the Income Tax Act to align those eligibility requirements. "We believe people who already access the Ontario Disability Support Program and meet the other eligibility criteria should automatically qualify for the CDB, rather than be required to pay $200 under the program as it is presented," the spokesperson wrote. Despite the good news on clawbacks, Khedr and Anicich still regard the CDB's maximum monthly payment of $200 as inadequate and are calling for an increase. "Ontarians with disabilities on ODSP and who qualify for the candidate disability benefits still will be well below the poverty line," Khedr noted. "And living with a disability costs at least 30 per cent above the poverty line." Khedr said recipients desperately need the financial help and will use it to improve their lives. "It means that maybe they can buy healthier food or supplements, maybe they can buy over-the-counter painkillers to manage their day so that they can even consider searching for work and improving their quality of life," she said. "It is money that will be spent on necessities of daily living." Khedr and Anicich are also calling for better collaboration among people with disabilities and their advocates, and demanded a say when decisions affecting their lives are made. "There's nothing like lived experience — 'nothing about us without us,'" Khedr said. "If they have us at the table, we will make it so easy for them to get policy right."
CBC
28-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Ontario won't claw back federal disability benefit
Amid growing concern from Ontarians with disabilities and their advocates, the province has announced it will not claw back the incoming Canada Disability Benefit (CDB). The CDB was passed in 2023, and the government committed $6.1 billion to it in the 2024 federal budget. Beginning in July, eligible recipients can receive up to $2,400 per year, or a maximum of $200 per month. In a news release on Tuesday, the province announced it will be exempting the federal benefit as income. That means recipients won't have money deducted from their provincial social assistance payments or entitlements such as the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP). Since the CDB's passage, advocates have feared the provinces and territories may claw back the benefit. As of this March, at least seven have promised not to do that, but Alberta has announced it will claw back the benefit under certain circumstances. "It was a huge concern that this was not going to make it to the people who deserve to see this benefit," said Ron Anicich, co-chair of the ODSP Action Coalition. Advocates relieved, but wary Rabia Khedr, national director of advocacy group Disability Without Poverty (DWP), said the news from Alberta stoked fear and disappointment within the disability community. But Khedr said the Ontario government has previously taken "steps in the right direction," including its decision to increase the ODSP exemption from $200 to $1,000, giving her hope that the province would do the right thing. "I always felt strongly that, because they had committed to an earnings exemption, that there is no way they could justify clawing back a $200 federal benefit," she said. "So I'm glad that they have confirmed that today." Advocates say they still have other concerns about the benefit program, however. In order to be eligible for the CDB, recipients must be approved for the disability tax credit, and for that they must receive certification from a medical practitioner. "What we're seeing now is people scrambling to sign up for the disability tax credit," said Anicich. "Which is fine when people have family doctors, but there are two million people in this province that do not have family doctors who are just unable to access this benefit." To Khedr, the answer is to "simply cut red tape." "The folks that are in the provincial system who have already filled out medical forms and have already attested to their disability shouldn't have to complete that kind of scrutinizing process again," she said. Instead, many disability advocates have been calling for the federal government to make recipients of provincial programs such as ODSP automatically eligible for the CDB. In an email to CBC on Tuesday, a spokesperson for Ontario's Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services said it's also calling on the federal government to change the Income Tax Act to align those eligibility requirements. "We believe people who already access the Ontario Disability Support Program and meet the other eligibility criteria should automatically qualify for the CDB, rather than be required to pay $200 under the program as it is presented," the spokesperson wrote. Concerns over amount Despite the good news on clawbacks, Khedr and Anicich still regard the CDB's maximum monthly payment of $200 as inadequate and are calling for an increase. "Ontarians with disabilities on ODSP and who qualify for the candidate disability benefits still will be well below the poverty line," Khedr noted. "And living with a disability costs at least 30 per cent above the poverty line." Khedr said recipients desperately need the financial help and will use it to improve their lives. "It means that maybe they can buy healthier food or supplements, maybe they can buy over-the-counter painkillers to manage their day so that they can even consider searching for work and improving their quality of life," she said. "It is money that will be spent on necessities of daily living." Khedr and Anicich are also calling for better collaboration among people with disabilities and their advocates, and demanded a say when decisions affecting their lives are made.
CBC
20-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
London mayor to lobby Ontario to hold ODSP rates as new federal program rolls out
London city council is calling on the Ontario government to keep provincial disability payments stable, and not claw back money when the federal Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) rolls out this summer. Mayor Josh Morgan plans to bring the issue to the province's Big City Mayors caucus with a call to Premier Doug Ford to commit to not reducing Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) benefits, once Ottawa's program takes effect in June. "Ontario has been non-committal so far [about clawing back ODSP], and so we're asking the mayor to encourage every city to call on the province to leave this benefit alone," said deputy mayor Shawn Lewis, who was among three councillors who put forward the idea. "Let folks with a disability situation in their lives get that little bit of extra help that might make the difference between them being able to make ends meet and not." The concern comes after Alberta said it would claw back disability supports. Ontario has yet provide its stance, while Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, British Columbia and Nunavut have all promised they will not reduce funds. The CDB will give up to $200 per month, totalling $2,400 for the year starting in July, to eligible recipients. The amount will be adjusted for inflation each year, the government said. Ontario's disability payments are specific to the individual but the maximum is $1,368 a month, according to the province. A claw back would mean the province could cut ODSP by up to $200, if a person receives the full federal benefit. The province said Monday not decision had been reached on the matter with a spokesperson from the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services saying it's "continuing to work with the federal government as the details of the Canada Disability Benefit are being finalized. Our focus is on ensuring the Canada Disability Benefit builds on existing programs like Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) including amending the treatment of the benefit in the Federal Income Tax Act," the statement said. The province said ODSP rates have increased by 17 per cent since 2022, with inflationary increases each July. Morgan was not available for comment ahead of publication. ODSP not enough amid high cost of living When discussing whether London's mayor should advocate for stable provincial funding, councillors noted that many people on ODSP are not able to afford housing and groceries with the money they get. That's the case for Londoner Jeffrey Salisbury, 40, who lives with developmental disabilities and depression. His only source of monthly income is $1,381 he gets from ODSP, and with a monthly rent component of less than $600, Salisbury cannot afford his own place so he lives with his parents. An extra $200 from Ottawa will go a long way in helping people with disabilities afford basic necessities, Salisbury said. "That could be more groceries for the month, a little bit more money for rent, clothing and all the daily living things that we have to spend on," Salisbury said. He and others on ODSP are frustrated there's no word from the province on whether they'll have less money with less than a month before the federal program rolls out, he said. "Every month it seems like the prices go up more and it just gets a little harder to get by. I worry that there's going to be a lot more disabled people out sleeping on the street because they're not going to have a place to live."
CBC
09-04-2025
- Business
- CBC
For these northern Ontario voters the rising cost of living is a top election issue
Social Sharing Mary Ann Beaulieu says the cost of living will be one of her top issues when she casts her vote in the northern Ontario riding of Sudbury in the federal election on April 28. "I'm on ODSP [Ontario Disability Support Program] and I'm barely scraping by with groceries, rent and everything else," she said. Beaulieu said it would make a big difference for her life if Canada's next government can either lower the cost of groceries or ensure people in her situation have more money left over after they pay for essentials every month. Dwight Ledzwa, also of Sudbury, said it's been difficult living on a fixed income with rising inflation since the COVID-19 pandemic. "Everything's going up," he said. "My pension's staying the same, not enough money. Bills. Thank God my house is paid for." Ledzwa said he plans to vote for the the New Democrats because his family has a long history of supporting that party. Yogi Johansen said he has trouble understanding why prices for essentials such as groceries and housing have increased so much since he first started working in Sudbury in the early 1990s. He said that back then it was possible for many families to get by on a single income, but now two incomes are needed to cover the basics and often don't even do that. "I don't understand, in a country where we've got everything, all the resources… the whole world needs, that we're still paying exorbitant amounts of prices for everything," he said. Campaign promises McMaster University economist Colin Mang said that after Canada's relationship with the United States, the cost of living is expected to be the most important issue for voters across the country. Mang said Canada's three major parties – the Liberals, Conservatives and NDP – all have campaign promises to address high costs. The Liberals are promising to reduce the lowest income tax bracket to 14 per cent, saving the average person up to $400 per year. While the Conservatives are countering with a pledge to drop the lowest income tax bracket to 12.75 per cent, resulting in savings of up to $900 per year. The NDP has promised to raise the amount of untaxed income from $16,129 to $19,500. The party said it would also cap the prices on certain grocery items, but hasn't offered too many more specifics. "I don't think that's a very good idea because price caps just lead to shortages," Mang said. On the housing crisis, Mang said the three parties differ in their approaches, but all want to get more homes built. The Liberals would invest $25 billion to start a standalone entity responsible for financing home building. The Conservatives would eliminate some planning restrictions and cut the GST on new homes up to $1.3 million. "Part of the problem with that, though, is that the private sector is lacking funds. They need access to more investment money," Mang said. The NDP said it would set aside more federal land for housing and would invest $1 billion over five years to build more rent-controlled homes.
CBC
26-02-2025
- Business
- CBC
How Wellington-Halton Hills candidates plan to tackle affordability and the health-care crisis
Affordability is a top issue for Wellington-Halton Hills voters. Here's what candidates say they'll do 7 hours ago Duration 3:55 After participating in a panel discussion on CBC K-W's The Morning Edition, Wellington-Halton Hills candidates were asked to lay out their government's plans to address the high cost of living in their riding. The three candidates who took part in the panel were NDP's Simone Kent, Liberal Alex Hilson and Bronwynne Wilton from the Green Party. Ontario PC candidate Joseph Racinsky declined to participate in the panel. There are seven candidates in total in this riding. The other candidates are: Jason Medland of the Ontario Party, Ron Patava of the Consensus Party and Stephen Kitras of the New Blue Party. Social Sharing Affordability and health care were among the top two issues addressed by Wellington-Halton Hills candidates as part of a panel discussion on CBC Kitchener-Waterloo's The Morning Edition on Wednesday. Three candidates from major parties joined host Craig Norris for the panel discussion. CBC K-W invited the candidates from the four parties with MPPs currently sitting at Queen's Park. There are seven candidates in Wellington-Halton Hills: Alex Hilson, Liberal. Simone Kent, NDP. Stephen Kitras, New Blue Party. Jason Medland, Ontario Party. Ron Patava, Consensus Ontario. Joseph Racinsky, Progressive Conservatives. Bronwynne Wilton, Green. Three candidates — Hilson, Kent and Wilton — attended the panel. CBC reached out to Joseph Racinsky to extend an invitation to participate, but did not receive a response. More information about candidates from non-major parties can be found below. Affordability Voters in Wellington-Halton Hills wrote affordability –in both housing and everyday expenses– as a top election issue when responding to CBC K-W's voter survey. Candidates were asked what their parties would do to ease the financial burden on Ontarians. Kent said her government plans to introduce a monthly grocery credit based on household size and income. She said they would also establish a consumer watchdog for grocery stores. She said that would "ensure fair pricing and have a requirement that retailers must post any price increases over two per cent." She said her party would reestablish rent control and close any loopholes for units built after 2018, which she said would keep costs from climbing and eliminate renovictions and other tactics some landlords use to push people out of their homes. In addition, Kent said her NDPs plan to deliver $10-a-day childcare and create 53,000 new public or non-profit childcare spaces, and double OW and ODSP payments. Wilton said her government wants to eliminate the land transfer tax for first-time homebuyers as well as development charges on homes under 2,000 sq. ft. "And we'll make sure we keep municipalities whole by creating an infrastructure support fund that will go along with that program," she said. She said the Greens have a plan to cut taxes for low and middle income individuals making under $65,000 and households making under $100,000. She said she would work toward strict anti-gouging and collusion laws "to stop grocery corporations from gouging people and their grocery bills." She said her government would also work toward doubling OW and ODSP. Hilson said his party is proposing a tax cut for people making under $75,000, as well as cutting the HST on home hydro and heating. "That's going to put about $1,150 back in people's pockets," he said. For housing, Hilson said his party has similar plans. His Liberals want to cut the land transfer tax on first-time homebuyers, seniors downsizing, and non-profit builders, as well as cut development charges. He said his party plans to implement rent control measures on units built after 2018. Hilson said he would work toward doubling ODSP payments and cutting interest on OSAP loans for students. Health Care Wellington-Halton Hills voters said health care was something they wanted to see local candidates address in Thursday's election. Candidates were asked what they think the barriers to health care are their riding, and what they need to do to break them down. Wilton said Ontarians living in rural areas, like much of Wellington-Halton Hills, are losing their family doctors at a much higher rate than urban centres. She said her government plans to recruit 33,500 more doctors, in part through medical school positions and more residency opportunities for international medical graduates. Wilton said her party would increase the number of health-care teams. "So we have more nurse practitioners and nurses coming into our communities and working together," she said. As a solution to reduced hours in emergency rooms in rural areas, Wilton said she would look at building more walk-in clinics. "If you're in a rural hospital and you get there in an emergency and find it's closed, you're in a 911 situation." Hilson proposed his party's plan to connect every Ontarian to a family doctor in the next four years. "We're also proposing Ontario health teams for wrap around care to get people out of hospitals," he said, adding that could help address recurring health problems in some individuals. "We're talking about removing the administrative burden using technology better but also stop punishing doctors and patients when they go to walk-in clinics," said Hilson. He said his party's plan costs $3.1 billion, "That's about the same cost that we saw provincially as those $200 checks." Kent said her party is committed to expanding primary care by hiring 3,500 more doctors, as well as making it easier for internationally-trained doctors to practice in Ontario. "We're going to grow the workforce by cutting red tape for the 13,000 internationally trained doctors that we already have, and increasing residency," she said. She said her government wants to take the administrative work from the plates of doctors and so they can see more patients each day, as well as reduce wait times by establishing a centralized system for specialist referrals. Kent said her party wants to eliminate the health-care system's reliance on private nursing agencies by providing "fair wages and working conditions for health-care workers." Candidates from non-major parties While only candidates running for parties with seats at the Ontario Legislature were invited to participate in the candidate panel, Wellington-Halton Hills also has three other candidates: Kitras of the New Blue Party, Medland of the Ontario Party, and Patava from Consensus Ontario. CBC News reached out to the Ontario Party and Consensus Ontario to try to make contact with their Wellington-Halton Hills candidates, but did not receive a response. In an email to CBC News, Stephen Kitras said his top priority for Wellinton-Halton Hills is address the myriad of issues he says voters are facing: the affordability of housing and every-day goods and a lack of provincial assistance with rural infrastructure. Kitras said his government would work toward building truly affordable homes in collaboration with local developers and municipalities, a type of cooperation that he said has been lacking. "Affordable housing is housing with lower cost parameters and no development charges with rent to own options," he said. "It is an entry into the housing market. Housing ownership is the foundation of upward mobility and the middle class." Kitras also said that his New Blue Party would address the health-care crisis and lack of family doctors which he said is a result of financial mismanagement by 25 years of Liberal and PC governments. He added that he would work toward opening a new hospice location in Wellington-Halton Hills. Kitras said that his candidacy provides voters with an option for a "real" conservative vote. Voting Advance polls closed Saturday and Wellington-Halton Hills saw 7,614 ballots cast over the three-day advance period, accounting for about 7.2 per cent of eligible voters. People can vote at the Wellington-Halton Hills election office located in unit 55 at 280 Guelph St, Georgetown on Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
