The Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services announced Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) payments will be exempt as income for the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP), Ontario Works and the Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities (ACSD) program.
The move means CDB recipients won’t see a reduction in their provincial social assistance payments or entitlements.
“In a time of unprecedented economic uncertainty brought on by U.S. tariffs and trade barriers, our government is taking action to keep costs down and protect Ontario families,” Michael Parsa, minister of Children, Community and Social Services, said in a statement. “This starts with safeguarding our most vulnerable.”
This comes just weeks ahead of when CDB payments begin in July. The CDB received $6.1 billion in funding in the 2024 Budget. Eligible people can receive up to $2,400 a year.
Nunavut, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and the Yukon had already committed to not clawing back the benefit after a video conference between federal, provincial and territorial ministers responsible for social services in September 2024. Meanwhile, Newfoundland and Labrador committed to increasing its support for people with disabilities.
Last December, the federal government asked other provinces and territories to follow suit and not claw back the CDB.
Also in July, ODSP rates and the maximum monthly ACSD payment increases will be raised in line with inflation for the time. Previous increases were not tied to inflation.