British Columbia continues to take action to help people with the cost of living by deciding that people receiving disability assistance can keep all of the new Canada Disability Benefit (CDB).

This decision by the Province means CDB-eligible income, disability and hardship assistance recipients could receive up to $200 per month or $2,400 per year in additional federal income, and it will not be deducted from their provincial monthly assistance cheques.

The federal government passed the Canada Disability Benefit Act in June 2023, and recently published a draft of the proposed regulations that will make it possible for the benefit to be paid. If the new federal regulations pass, the first payments are anticipated to begin in July 2025.

The Canada Disability Benefit is expected to help approximately 85,000 people in B.C. better meet their basic needs and reduce their level of poverty. The B.C. government continues to advocate for the federal government to make sure as many people as possible receive the benefit. B.C. is reinforcing this on Sept. 12, 2024, at a meeting of federal, provincial and territorial ministers responsible for social services.

The federal government has the draft regulations out for public consultation until Sept. 23, 2024. The Province’s decision to exempt the CDB is based on the current draft regulations and subject to any unexpected changes that the federal government might make to the final regulations and will require provincial regulation to enable.

For more information on CDB, visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/disabilities-benefits.html