Ontario’s potential clawback of Canada Disability Benefit sparks outrage

A new Canada Disability Benefit will roll out soon, but there's concern, the province will claw back the money. CTV London's Reta Ismail reports.

Disability advocate Jeffrey Salisbury is concerned that a new Canada Disability Benefit (CDB), which the federal government is expected to roll out this summer, will be clawed back by the provincial government.

“It’s meant to help people, not pad the pockets of the Ontario government,” he said.

He’s among many qualified recipients in Ontario who are worried they won’t see the extra money if they already receive payments under the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP).

“I’d like to see them not claw it back, and I would like to see them remove other claw backs, because like there’s other benefits too, like Canada Pension Plan Disability that they already steal that dollar for dollar for people on ODSP,” explained Salisbury.

He said the CDB program is meant to improve the financial security of working-age people with disabilities. However, Ottawa can’t dictate how provinces treat the new program.

The Alberta government has already announced it will claw back the CDB payment from residents receiving the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH).

“There are six other provinces and one territory that have already made that announcement. They have made the decision that it is punitive and unfair to claw back, provincial disability assistance, when the federal disability benefit becomes available,” said Peggy Sattler, London West NDP MPP.

CTV News reached out to the Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services for an interview. They declined an on-camera interview and sent a statement; in part it reads:

“Our priority is ensuring the Canada Disability Benefit builds on existing programs like ODSP, and that people have access to it with as few barriers as possible. We have asked the federal government to work with us to ensure people have continued access to benefits by amending the treatment of the benefit in the federal Income Tax Act.”

Sattler said even with the new benefit, people with disabilities are still living far below the poverty line, “It’s inhumane to even think about clawing back this additional small additional amount of money.”

The first month of eligibility for the federal benefit will be this June, with the first payments starting in July.