On March 6, 2025, the Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities, Kamal Khera, announced that the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) Regulations have been finalized. They will come into effect on May 15, 2025, and can be read on the Canada Gazette. While this represents the culmination of years of legislative work, the reaction from the disability community—particularly members of the Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians (AEBC)—has been mixed. Many see the benefit as an acknowledgement of the financial challenges faced by disabled Canadians, yet the policy as it stands is riddled with gaps that prevent it from being the game-changer it was once promised to be.
What We Know So Far
The government has presented the CDB as a federal supplement designed to help lift working-age disabled Canadians out of poverty. However, a closer look at the details raises significant concerns.
Disabled Seniors are Left Behind: The benefit will not be available to Canadians over 65, leaving out those who may have spent decades living below the poverty line.
Impact on Social Assistance Recipients: While touted as a poverty reduction measure, many fear that provincial clawbacks will neutralize any positive effects. People receiving disability assistance in Alberta have just learned that their existing benefits will indeed be reduced to offset any CDB payments they receive.
To date, the following provinces and territories have publicly declared that there will be no clawbacks of the CDB:
· Manitoba
· Nunavut
· Nova Scotia
· Saskatchewan
· British Columbia
· Newfoundland and Labrador
· Quebec
Short Application Timeline: As Marcia Yale, AEBC’s National President, pointed out, “One of my concerns is the short timeframe people will have to apply if they want the benefit to start in July—since the regulations don’t come into force until May 15, the government can’t start the application process before that date. They promise the application will be ready in June.” This raises concerns about accessibility, given the additional administrative barriers that blind, Deafblind, and partially sighted Canadians already face.
A “Benefit” That Barely Moves the Needle
The fundamental problem with the Canada Disability Benefit is that it does not provide enough financial relief to meaningfully change lives. Many AEBC members are deeply frustrated.
Alan Conway, a long-time advocate, summed it up this way, “Living with a disability costs money. When you realize that people on low fixed incomes see a greater percentage of their disposable income going to take care of disability-related expenses, you can’t help but realize that this is a chronic problem that governments have never tried to face.”
For those who qualify, the estimated $200 per month may provide a slight cushion, but it is far from adequate to lift anyone out of poverty. Chantal Oakes expressed her disappointment: “If there are clawbacks, there may not be any point in applying—only to receive the money in one hand to give it back from the other. This would be a truly discouraging process, not to mention a frustrating one for persons who may face challenges with understanding the regulations.”
AEBC members have also pointed out the stark contrast between the original promises of the benefit and its final form. “I remember when the talk began about this benefit—back in 2021 or so—and it was going to be amazing! Then reality set in and we learned just how low our government sees us. I reiterate—we are people too!” said Yale.
A Missed Opportunity for Systemic Change
One of the biggest frustrations among AEBC members is that this benefit, while well-intended, fails to address systemic issues. The cost of living continues to rise, yet financial support for people with disabilities remains insufficient. The benefit does not touch on major barriers such as employment accessibility, affordable housing, or the high cost of assistive technologies.
The CRA Disability Advisory Committee’s latest report offers 18 recommendations aimed at improving disability-related supports. Yet, rather than implementing comprehensive reform, the government has opted for a stopgap measure that fails to address the long-term needs of disabled Canadians.
What Needs to Change?
AEBC calls on the federal government to:
1. Ensure the benefit is exempt from provincial and territorial clawbacks so that recipients actually see an increase in their monthly income.
2. Expand eligibility to include disabled seniors, many of whom have lived their entire lives below the poverty line and still face ongoing disability-related expenses.
3. Increase the monthly amount to a meaningful level that actually addresses the cost of living with a disability in Canada.
4. Commit to long-term improvements in areas such as employment accessibility, housing, and healthcare to complement financial supports.
Moving Forward
AEBC remains committed to advocating for meaningful, systemic change. The Canada Disability Benefit may be a step in the right direction, but it is far from a solution. “It is now up to disabled Canadians and their allies to push for improvements—because $200 a month and a bureaucratic maze are not the solutions we were promised,” said Louise Johnson, Chair of AEBC’s Advocacy Committee.
If you have thoughts on the Canada Disability Benefit, we encourage you to share them with your Member of Parliament. AEBC will continue to hold the government accountable, ensuring that blind, Deafblind, and partially sighted Canadians are not left behind.
For more information, visit the official government announcements here: