QUESTION PERIOD — Employment and Social Development
Canada Disability Benefit
December 3, 2025
Senator Moreau, on this International Day of Persons with Disabilities, I recall a sincere promise, made by the first minister responsible for disability inclusion to herself live with a disability, that the Canada Disability Benefit, or CDB, would lift hundreds of thousands of people out of poverty. The month after the Senate passed legislation based on that trusted minister’s promise and commitment to develop the benefit in consultation with persons with disabilities, the government removed the minister from her role. Budget 2025 contains steps to patch the benefit that resulted, but disability groups like Inclusion Canada highlight that “. . . Budget 2025 stops short of delivering real change. The Canada Disability Benefit remains too low and too narrow . . .”
What is the timeline for honouring the government’s promise to lift hundreds of thousands of persons with disabilities out of poverty?
Timelines are very difficult to assess, as you probably know, but I know you continue your advocacy on this very important measure. I thank you for the question.
I cannot speak for the previous government to which you referred; however, the measures introduced in Budget 2025 are meant to directly address the advocacy requests of stakeholders. Additionally, the government is committed to not clawing back from the Canada Disability Benefit. The government will continue to work across departments to deliver on making the CDB income-tax-exempt.
Thank you, Senator Moreau.
How many additional people does the government project will access the Canada Disability Benefit through the Budget 2025 measures, and how many of those individuals will be lifted out of poverty by a benefit of less than $7 per day?
My understanding is that, in total, including Budget 2025 measures, the government estimates that 600,000 people will benefit from the Canada Disability Benefit. This will help lift 40,000 Canadians out of poverty by 2028. It is important to keep in mind that the benefit is meant to supplement, not replace, existing benefits, such as the Canada Child Benefit as well as benefits from provinces and territories.
