The Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough, announced yesterday that Bill C-22, legislation creating the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB), received royal assent and is now law. The Canada Disability Benefit Act was passed unanimously in the House of Commons and passed in the Senate.
There are 6.2 million persons with disabilities in Canada, 23% of whom live in poverty. This is twice the rate of those without disabilities. This groundbreaking legislation establishes the framework for the CDB, which enables the Government of Canada to create and deliver a new benefit to working-age persons with disabilities in Canada. The CDB will supplement existing federal and provincial/territorial disability supports, and will help lift working-age persons with disabilities out of poverty.
With this legislation, the Government is delivering on its commitment to build a disability-inclusive Canada. The CDB is a cornerstone of its Disability Inclusion Action Plan, which works to address longstanding inequities that have led to the financial insecurity and exclusion that persons with disabilities continue to face. In the development of the Disability Inclusion Action Plan, the disability community told the Government that improved financial security was its most urgent priority.
In the spirit of "Nothing Without Us," the Government will engage with persons with disabilities and stakeholders in the development of regulations to design and deliver the CDB. The Government will also continue to work closely with the provinces and territories to harmonize the CDB with existing supports administered by all levels of government. As prescribed in the Act, the Government will update Canadians on regulatory consultations in January 2024. Budget 2023 committed $21.5 million to support the creation of infrastructure to administer the CDB.
