‘Do our lives count for less?’: COVID-19 exposes cracks in Canada’s disability aid

Karyn Keith, seen here in her Brampton, Ont., home on Jan. 27, 2020, wants the same support she'd receive if she was out of a job because of the pandemic, rather than unable to work because of her disabilities.Karyn Keith says she isn’t asking for much. All she wants is the same support she’d receive if she was out of a job because of the pandemic, rather than unable to work because of her disabilities.

Keith says these shortcomings have become starker as the federal government doles out $2,000 a month to millions of out-of-work Canadians under the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit, while she’s supposed to make ends meet on a little more than half that amount. Prince said COVID-19 presents a case study in the pitfalls of Canada’s motley patchwork of disability income programs, and a model for how a unified nation-wide support system like CERB could fill these holes in the social safety net.

Prince commended the government for including an estimated 1.7 million Canadians across a range of disability support programs, and giving people 60 days to apply for the disability tax credit, which would qualify them for the one-time payment. Andrea Hatala, recipient co-chair of the ODSP Action Coalition, said the discrepancies between provincial support rates and CERB have galvanized calls to make $2,000 a month the new standard for disability assistance.Under normal circumstances, Hatala said the Ontario Disability Support Program’s maximum individual rate of $1,169 a month leaves many people without secure access to food, shelter and other basics such as winter clothing.

In a report on welfare incomes in Canada in 2018, the anti-poverty foundation Maytree found that annual incomes for individuals on standard disability assistance ranged from $9,800 and $12,500 in most provinces. Ontario had the highest rate at $14,954, followed by British Columbia at $14,802 and Quebec at $13,651.

In an informal survey of 285 people who received the supplement, 300ToLive found that the overwhelming majority of respondents said they spent the money on healthy food.

Statements like- “the disabled population hasn’t lost income during the pandemic” Is the equivalent to- “Canada has free health care” Great to have a FREE diagnosis, but we can’t afford our treatments or meds Thanks for the assistance, but we can’t afford to EAT & pay rent !

'Do our lives count for less' -People who as a result of gov't plundering the workers, have a 'right' to their money.

It proof is in the pudding. Or in this case inaction. It’s very clear that those on ODSP are not valued. They are not given enough for a 1 bedroom apt in Toronto, let alone food and clothing.

This is distressing and needs to be revised immediately to lend full support to Canada's differently abled community to tackle the challenges of COVID-19.

Those on welfare and disability seem to be the only ones in the country this government hasn’t directed extra financial supports to

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