Issues with federal disability rollouts benefit some recipients ‘face slaps’

Mark Davison was assured that he has the right clan: $ 53.36.

This amount is the monthly payment that was approved to receive them from the new Canada disability benefits, starting by the federal government as a tool to pick up hundreds of thousands of canadians disabled out of poverty.

“Quite honestly, I thought it was like a sick joke,” said Davisson. “Like a slap on the face.”

53 -year -old Davisson was stroked two years ago. Now, he struggles to walk and has lost work in his left hand.

A Vancouver resident, Davisson receives a few hundred dollars for provincial disability payments, an initial disability pension and workplace injury – all of which are less than $ 1,500 per month.

When the federal disability top-up was first announced, he was optimistic, but he is now one of many Canadian people with a disability, who say that a rollout, a difficult application process, and a small payment have made their outlook of the program sour.

Department says

In mid -August, Davison received a letter from Service Canada, informing him that he could miss his payment.

Davisson said he was told by an agent over the phone that he was not overped and could stand under the benefit to get close to $ 200 monthly maximum.

Through two months, however, Davisson has found a little more than $ 100 – enough, he said, probably “half a bag of groceries” in a month.

The House of Commons passed the Canada Disability Benefits in 2023, and the government Committed $ 6.1 billion in six years 2024 for the program in the federal budget.

Canadians between the ages of 18 and 64 who have been approved for disability tax credit are eligible for profit and can get up to $ 200 per month for the first year, depending on their income and other factors.

The first round of money came out in July, and Many people faced payment delay With the second installment.

In an email statement, employment and social development Canada stated that most recipients received their payments on time, and delayed because “a limited number of customer did not meet the specific technical requirements set by financial institutions contained within the direct deposit file.”

The spokesperson said the service Canada addressed the situation with the request, and all delayed payments have now been successfully released.

The department said, “The August Payment cycle was completed within three commercial days from the time of identifying the issue and all payments have been released.”

The program of the program is ‘as is intended’

For Jai Woodroff, it is working in all quantities for the program “as is the intention.”

Woodroff said, “It was made to be purposefully misleading, and for obstacles and to deemotive,” Woodroof said, “Woodroff said, referring to the” wave of stories “that faced the issues that received money.” “Many people also got upset to apply.”

Before the law was passed, Woodroof advocated exclusion of credit tax credit from eligibility requirements for profit.

Woodroff said he has not yet applied for profit, as he is caught in the process of being approved for tax credit.

“There are many issues for those who have applied and accepted, but still there is a huge backlog of those who are not currently in the system,” he said.

Not every person receiving the first payment is disappointed by the system.

Toronto’s Christina Headley is on ODSP and receives $ 1,049 per month. He said that both his payments came on time in an email and the additional $ 200 had a great help for grocery items and other essential items.

She wants to see that the payment moves forward.

As Number issued by federal government Last year, this benefit is expected to get 25,000 people with disabilities and 15,000 members of their family out of poverty by 2028 – well with earlier promises.

Davisson said that he does not want to be ungrateful for any amount of financial relief, but he wants to keep his word to the government.

“If you are going to help us deal with disabling, do it,” he said.