One in five people in Canada has a disability and more than a million Canadians with disabilities live in poverty. People with disabilities in Canada have a higher rate of unemployment and people with severe disabilities earn less than $13,000 per year on average.
Existing supports are not even enough to cover housing and food.
People with disabilities face many direct and indirect costs from having a disability including medical expenses, specialized equipment, creating accessible housing, and reduced earnings. The pandemic has only exacerbated these inequalities.
It’s time for change!
Green Party MP Mike Morrice has been working across party lines to promote a Canada Disability Benefit, a guaranteed income for people with disabilities that would lift hundreds of thousands of people out of poverty. His goal is to fast-track the design and implementation of this critical benefit, and to ensure that people with disabilities are involved every step of the way.
What can you do? Add your name now. Sign this letter to your Member of Parliament and ask them to support the tabling of a bill to re-introduce the Canada Disability Benefit Act as soon as possible.
