National disability benefit in federal budget falls short of what advocates wanted

Tuesday's federal budget laid the groundwork for a national disability benefit but the funding falls well short of what advocates were seeking.

The government passed legislation last year, Bill C-22, to introduce the national benefit, which is meant to lift people out of poverty by topping up provincial support funding.

The budget has allocated $6.1 billion over six years toward the new disability benefit, with payments set to begin rolling out in July of next year. The maximum benefit for low-income Canadians with disabilities would be $200 per month, the budget says.

But advocates say the budget commitment doesn't cover enough Canadians and won't lift those it does cover out of poverty.

Rabia Khedr, national director of the advocacy group Disability Without Poverty, said she was «disappointed» for all those who have been waiting since C-22 passed in June.

«I'm heartbroken for the people that were waiting with hope,» she said.

Khedr estimates that roughly 1.6 million Canadians with disabilities are living below the poverty line. But Tuesday's budget says only 600,000 would be eligible for the new national benefit.

«The amount is not adequate. Unfortunately, there's going to be little money for very few people,» she said.

Neil Hetherington, CEO of Daily Bread Food Bank — an organization that has been advocating for the benefit — echoed Khedr's point.

«I think many in the communities feel that they have been left behind,» he said.

Hetherington suggested that an extra $200 a month for those who do qualify will still leave them hundreds of dollars below the poverty line.

«The average person on disability gets about $1,300 a month. The poverty line is $2,300. So that means at that point they're only — and I'd say this with a bit of