Overview of the Canada Disability Benefit

Update: Consultation on the proposed Canada Disability Benefit Regulations

On June 29, 2024, the proposed Canada Disability Benefit Regulations as well as the Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement for the proposed regulations were published in Part I of the Canada Gazette. Members of the public are now invited to comment on the documents using the Gazette's online commenting system.

These proposed regulations, when finalized, will set out how the Canada Disability Benefit will be administered and delivered. The Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement is a description of the proposed regulations, rationale for the approaches, as well as an assessment of their cost and positive and negative effects.

The consultation period for the proposed regulations has been extended from the standard 30 days to 86 days, to allow maximum opportunity for the public to comment. The consultation period will be open until September 23, 2024.

To support review of the proposed regulations, additional documents have also been developed:

• summary of the proposed regulations (also translated into American Sign Language and Langue des signes québécoise); and
• additional information on the proposed Canada Disability Benefit Regulations, including common questions and answers, scenarios to explain the benefit amount calculations and alternate ways to submit comments on the proposed regulations if you are encountering barriers with the Canada Gazette commenting system

Once the consultation period is over, the Government may make changes to the regulations in response to the feedback received. The final regulations will be published in Part II of the Canada Gazette following the successful completion of the regulatory process.

Background

On June 22, 2023, the Canada Disability Benefit Act received Royal Assent.

Budget 2024 proposed a number of key commitments for the Canada Disability Benefit:

• funding of $6.1 billion over six years, beginning in 2024 to 2025, and $1.4 billion per year ongoing, including costs to deliver the Benefit
• a commitment to begin providing payments for the Canada Disability Benefit to eligible Canadians starting in July 2025, following successful completion of the regulatory process and consultations with persons with disabilities
• funding for ongoing community-based navigation services to improve awareness and take-up of federal, provincial, and territorial programs available to working-age Canadians with disabilities, including the Canada Disability Benefit
• funding to cover the cost of the medical forms required to apply for the Disability Tax Credit, to help ensure access to the Benefit for eligible Canadians and to help address financial barriers associated with benefit take-up

The Canada Disability Benefit is a key commitment and is the cornerstone of Canada's Disability Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP). The DIAP is a blueprint for change to make Canada more inclusive for persons with disabilities.

Information on additional supports for persons with disabilities can be found on the Government of Canada's Disability Benefits web page. The Government of Canada also has a Benefits Finder to help you find benefits that you may be entitled to, including benefits offered by provinces and territories.

Previous engagement for the Canada Disability Benefit Regulations

Building on engagement activities that took place in 2021 and 2022, in summer 2023 the Government launched a two-phase engagement process to inform the development of the regulations and the implementation of the benefit.

The first phase of the engagement process, which took place in fall 2023 and winter 2024, included:

• four ministerial roundtables, with national disability organizations, women with disabilities, racialized persons with disabilities, and youth with disabilities
• four technical roundtables, on the extra costs of living for persons with disabilities, legal capacity, barrier-free applications, and administrative processes
• meetings between the Government and provinces and territories, Indigenous governments and organizations, and stakeholders
• an online engagement tool, which was launched on November 15, 2023, and closed on January 4, 2024
• individuals and organizations were also invited to submit emails, videos, telephone messages and briefs directly to Employment and Social Development Canada's Office for Disability Issues

In total during this first phase of engagement, the Government heard from over 8,000 Canadians and received over 5,000 pieces of input.

The second phase began when the proposed regulations were published in the Canada Gazette, Part I.

Supporting Canadians with disabilities

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Related links

• Additional information on the proposed Canada Disability Benefit Regulations
• Summary of the Canada Disability Benefit Act
• Full text of the Canada Disability Benefit Act
• The Canada Disability Benefit Act - ASL Version