On July 4, 2024, advocates gathered at Matt Cohen Park in Toronto. They spoke at length about their worries regarding the new Canada Disability Benefit (CDB). The ODSP Action Coalition, Disability Without Poverty, Disability Justice Network of Ontario, and the Income Security Advocacy Centre organized a rally to show solidarity. Their goal was to highlight the numerous obstacles that people with disabilities face when accessing assistance.
Robin Nobleman, a lawyer at the Income Security Advocacy Centre, delivered emotional testimony tying the complexities that envelop the CDB to broader issues of poverty and inequity. He emphasized that while the intention behind the benefit is commendable, the implementation often creates obstacles for those in need. They sure don’t,” he said, echoing the feelings of many of the rally attendees who opened up about their lives and experiences trying to navigate the application process.
The rally brought together a colorful cast of advocates, families and people living with disabilities. They showed up not just to bring attention to the problem, but to actually push for concrete changes to the system. On the ground Trevor Manson, the secretary co-chair of the ODSP Action Coalition, was a key organizer of the event. He was the one who really delivered a photograph of Nobleman — one that really conveyed the spirit and purpose of the rally.
Time and time again, participants articulated how these bureaucratic barriers create logistical hurdles that prevent the most vulnerable from receiving essential cash assistance. All of them had tales of late applications, lack of advance notice, not enough information and overall piecemeal assistance provided by these federal agencies. These challenges, particularly these past few years, have left people vulnerable and without access to basic resources.
The CDB was originally established to help financially support Canadians with disabilities. Its intended purpose is to alleviate their suffering and enhance their overall wellbeing. Opponents counter that its rollout has been uneven and rocky from the start. Allies at the rally called on FHWA to reconsider and revise the application process. They called for a more straightforward approach from policymakers, making sure that benefits are targeted to those who need them the most.
Our positive experience of the coalition’s presence at the rally was just one example of a growing movement among disability advocates to call for systemic change. Disability Without Poverty, aligned with the Disability Justice Network of Ontario, is organizing these interests to work together. Together, they are using their newfound collaboration to be louder and push harder for equitable policies that benefit everyone.
