Welcome to Disability Without Poverty
Disability Without Poverty (DWP) began when advocates across the country came together to work on eliminating disability poverty. Their work was immediately focused on the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) introduced in the 2020 Throne Speech as part of the government's Disability Inclusion Action Plan.
Through DWP’s numerous petitions, open letters, Op-Eds, rallies, partnerships and non-partisan efforts, the CDB reached unanimous Royal Assent in June 2023. In 2024, proposed regulations were published and opened for public consultation. Final regulations came into force in May 2025, and the first payments began in July 2025.
But with a maximum of $200 per month, and eligibility tied to the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) - a program many people with disabilities cannot access due to cost, complexity, and administrative barriers - the CDB falls far short of reaching those who need it most.
In 2026, our work continues - pushing governments for a benefit that is adequate and accessible to all who need it, and addressing the five structural forces that drive disability poverty. Click here to learn more.
Financial Security
Benefits must provide enough income to cover basic needs and disability-related costs. Learn more.
Policy Design
Programs across governments must work together to build a genuine safety net - one where supports are designed to help people thrive, and not leave them worse off. Learn more.
Administrative Accessibility
Applications, eligibility rules, and documentation should make benefits easier to access, not harder. Learn more.
Social Inequities
Disability poverty intersects with inequities in housing, health care, transportation, and employment. Learn more.
Political Will
Lasting progress requires governments to prioritize disability inclusion and coordinate policy reforms. Learn more.
DWP Is
Fully inclusive, led by people with disabilities, grassroots based and independently financed.
Our Vision
A Canada without poverty for people with disabilities.
Our Mission
To build a movement that lifts people with disabilities out of poverty in Canada by mobilizing grassroots power, working with government and securing public support for ending disability poverty.
Our Goal
To ensure the Canada Disability Benefit is of an adequate amount to lift people with disabilities out of poverty.