Canada Disability Benefit: Advocate for No provincial clawbacks. Inclusion Alberta

Your advocacy is needed: Advocate for no provincial clawbacks of the Canada Disability Benefit

August 27, 2024

The Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) is a new federal benefit of up to $200 per month starting in July 2025 for low-income people aged 18-64 who have a disability. The federal government originally promised that the benefit would lift people with disabilities out of poverty, but sadly $200/month will not do that. While we will continue to advocate for the federal government to increase the benefit amount to a level that will truly impact poverty, it is essential that provinces and territories commit now to not claw back any amount a person receives from the CDB from any provincial assistance they may also receive such as AISH. The CDB is meant to be a top-up, not a replacement for provincial disability income support.  

We are encouraging families to request a meeting with their MLA and with Alberta cabinet ministers to request that the CDB be added to the list of exempt unearned sources of income for provincial income support programs. Cabinet can easily approve this change so that AISH and Income Support benefits will not be clawed back in whole or in part. 

We have several resources for you that will help you and your family advocate and engage with government decision-makers to prevent clawbacks related to the new CDB in Alberta.  

  1. FAQ (download PDF here). Frequently asked questions about the CDB and how it could interact with social assistance. 
  2. Sample letter to government (download Word doc file here). A template to email relevant ministers, politicians and civil servants that is formatted as a call-to-action to prevent clawbacks from occurring. We encourage you to personalize this letter, letting the recipients know how the CDB will impact your family and why it is important that no provincial clawbacks occur. 
  3. How to contact government about CDB clawbacks (download PDF here). Guidance on how to request a meeting with relevant ministers, MLAs, and civil servants in Alberta, and their contact information 
  4. Suggested talking points (download Word doc file here). A succinct, narrative-based document complete with key talking points. Includes key messages for you to reference, to which you may personalize further using the information in this toolkit and you or your family’s experience.
  5. Meeting Handout (download PDF here). A document that you may hand to the person you are talking to; it contains evidence and the key messages of this advocacy campaign. You can also send it by email in advance of your meeting. 
      • Overviews the state of poverty experienced by people with disabilities.
      • Describes the CDB and its intended purpose. 
      • Asks that government allow for recipients to get the full value of the CDB they are entitled to – in addition to their regular social assistance amount through programs such as AISH. This change will ensure that the CDB may serve as a top-up, not a replacement of existing social assistance benefits.  

You can find official government documents on the CDB here: 

Thank you in advance for your advocacy. If you have any questions or need any assistance, please contact us at info@inclusionalberta.org or by calling 1-800-252-7556.  

 

-Inclusion Alberta