Aug 19, 2020 in News COVID-19

COVID-19: Canadians With Disabilities Face Unprecedented Challenges Amid COVID-19

In early June, the Government of Canada announced a one-time, non-taxable payment of up to $600 to recipients of the federal Disability Tax Credit. The payment, which is intended to help mitigate costs associated with COVID-19, will be made this fall. Well over a million Canadians are eligible to receive the payment, including numerous long-term disability lawyer clients. ?This one-time payment is a very important step, but it is just one of many steps that need to be taken to ensure a quality of access and opportunities for people with disabilities in Canada,? said Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion Minister Carla Qualtrough in a statement, according to CTV News. ?As we work hard to safely restart our economy and recover from the impacts of COVID-19, we cannot leave anyone behind, and we certainly cannot leave our most innovative, creative problem-solvers, who are our citizens with disabilities, behind either.? Canadians with disabilities face enormous challenges at the best of times; during the pandemic, those challenges have been accentuated. In Ontario, the maximum individual monthly benefit available under the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) is $1,169, an amount that leaves little margin for error. The Canadian Press recently spoke with 44-year-old Karyn Keith of Brampton, ON. Keith is unable to work due to chronic pain and fatigue caused by a variety of conditions. She receives $1,150 per month in disability benefits, plus an additional $250 for her child. Her husband also has an income, but the family's financial situation is dire. ?We?re on the precipice, and literally, it's going to take one thing to kick us off,? she said. For people like Karyn, the federal government's one-time $600 payment will make life momentarily easier. But even with the added money, she will receive less than the $2,000 per month that participants in the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) program have received since the pandemic took hold. ?If people who work need this money to survive on, what about people who can?t?? Keith asked. ?Don't we deserve a standard of living?? Canadians with disabilities, including long-term disability lawyer clients, are facing new challenges during the COVID-19 lockdowns: access to food banks and public transit has been restricted; the cost of care is going up; groceries and household items have become more expensive; and food delivery and private transportation services are as pricey as ever. Even with the benefit of financial compensation through a successful long-term disability claim, managing these costs can be challenging. What CERB makes clear is that the federal government is capable of providing financial relief to millions of Canadians in a streamlined, efficient manner. It also makes clear that the existing benefits available to people with disabilities are largely insufficient. In 2017, a Statistics Canada study revealed that more than a quarter of adults living with disabilities can't afford aid or prescription medication. It also found that 28 per cent of 25-to-64-year-olds with severe disabilities live below the federal poverty line. There is now hope among advocates for people with disabilities that the success of the CERB program will inspire the federal government to provide more relief to disability benefits recipients in the future. If you or a member of your family has suffered catastrophic injuries in an accident, contact Neinstein Personal Injury Lawyers today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with an experienced long-term disability lawyer. Our team has worked for years with some of Ontario's most seriously injured accident victims. We understand the unique hardships facing families grappling with a long-term disability, and we are prepared to help.   Image: Shutterstock