Welcome to our Monthly Moments Newsletter. Each month will focus on a specific important topic; this Monthly Moment focuses on Disability and April will focus on Decent Work.
One in five Canadians aged 15 and over have one or more disabilities. This means that people with disabilities make up 22% of the population (6.2 million Canadians). Regardless of this fact, people with disabilities continue to be sidelined in their well-being, rights, dignity, and integration in all areas of society. Philanthropy has an opportunity to amplify the voices of the 1.4 million disabled people living in poverty by engaging with the government and communities to support systems change.
Supporting the Disability Without Poverty movement is one important step the philanthropic sector can take to increase public support for the federal government to fast track the design and implementation of the Canada Disability Benefit. This monthly benefit was first promised by the federal government in 2020 and was once again reinforced in the 2021 federal budget. The Canada Disability Benefit would mean that 1.4 million Canadians with disabilities will begin to receive their Canada Disability Benefit in the near future.
We encourage the philanthropic sector to join Disability Without Poverty’s “Where’s the BILL” campaign. Engage with your Member of Parliament and ask questions about the Canada Disability Benefit Bill, when it will be retabled, and advocate for fast tracking the process.
Another step that can be taken by the philanthropic sector includes contributing to the Disability Without Poverty Fund. By doing so, Disability Without Poverty will continue to engage local communities of people with disabilities, disabled artists and allies to raise awareness and impact systems change to dismantle poverty.
This is a moment in which the philanthropic sector can take tangible steps towards supporting people with disabilities. For more information and to engage with this important work, visit Disability Without Poverty’s website here.
