For Immediate Release

June 2, 2022

Federal government tables Canada Disability Benefit Act for a second time

(Toronto) – On June 2nd, 2022, the federal government took an important step towards lifting disabled Canadians out of poverty by tabling Bill C-22 to “reduce poverty and support the financial security of persons with disabilities by establishing the Canada disability benefit”.

“Today is a great day, as disabled people living in poverty are a step closer to relief. We will continue to ask “where’s the bill” until it passes all stages and becomes law,” states Michelle Hewitt, National Co-Chair of Disability Without Poverty.

In her remarks on Bill C-22, Minister Qualtrough presented a compelling case for need for this benefit, saying “the harsh reality is that one in four Canadians with a disability are living in poverty, and the Canada Disability Benefit is designed to change that.” The pandemic and historic rates of inflation have no doubt increased the number of Canadians living in poverty, and this is unacceptable.

At Disability Without Poverty, we are committed to working with federal and provincial governments to fast track an inclusive design process and we are heartened by the commitment in Bill C-22 to “nothing about us without us”. We will work with all federal, provincial and territorial leaders to make the development of the Canada Disability Benefit the finest example of cooperative federalism.