Call to action: Finalize the Canada Disability Benefit Regulations
The CDB is an urgent lifeline that must be delivered without further delay.
Sent on February 26, 2025 to Prime Minister Trudeau; Kamal Khera, Minister of Disability Inclusion; Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Finance; Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Treasury Board President; Arif Virani, Minister of Justice; Kasari Govender, BC Human Rights Commissioner; and Member of Parliament Don Davies
Written by Rowan Burdge, BC Poverty Reduction Coalition
I am writing to you on behalf of the BC Poverty Reduction Coalition. We are comprised of over 80 organizations and community mobilizations that come together to advocate for public policy solutions to end poverty, homelessness and inequality in B.C. We aim to improve the health and well-being of all living in British Columbia. The Coalition advocates for a targeted and comprehensive poverty reduction strategy that prioritizes equity-seeking groups, and a whole government, cross-ministry approach to ending poverty. Our work is grounded in the foundation of universal human rights.
People with disabilities in Canada have waited far too long for the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB), and it is essential that we act swiftly to ensure its timely implementation. With 1.6 million people with disabilities living below the poverty line, the CDB is not just an important promise—it is an urgent lifeline that must be delivered without further delay.
The draft regulations were made public last June, and while the government has received valuable public feedback, the regulations have still not been finalized. This inaction is putting vulnerable Canadians at risk. With Parliament prorogued until March 24 and the possibility of a federal election looming shortly thereafter, there is a real and immediate threat that the CDB will be stalled once again, leaving working-age people with disabilities stranded in poverty.
Moreover, with the ongoing threat of a trade war with the U.S. and skyrocketing living costs, the need for this benefit has never been more pressing. Canadians with disabilities cannot afford to wait any longer for the support they were promised.
I am urging you to prioritize finalizing the CDB regulations before March 7 to ensure that this critical benefit is delivered by the promised July 1 start date. Your government has committed to fully implementing the CDB, and as Prime Minister and ministers responsible for its execution, it is your duty to fulfill that commitment.
This is an opportunity to demonstrate leadership and compassion by finishing the job and providing Canadians with disabilities the financial security they need and deserve. I look forward to seeing swift action on this matter and your confirmation that the CDB will move forward as planned. People with disabilities in Canada urgently need this support.
