Improving Access to the Disability Tax Credit 2020

BACKGROUND: Disability is more prevalent among women than men. Compared to men with disabilities, women with disabilities face lower levels of employment, lower incomes, and are more likely to live in poverty. The Government of Canada has ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and has put in place domestic legislation such as the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Accessible Canada Act, to protect and promote the rights of people with disabilities, and to remove and prevent barriers to equality. The Disability Tax Credit (DTC) is an important gateway to accessing many other disability supports to improve the long term financial security, health and living conditions for women with disabilities.
The 2018 Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs report “Breaking Down Barriers: A Critical analysis of the Disability Tax Credit and the Registered Disability Savings Plan” recommended that steps be taken to improve access to these benefits in vulnerable groups, such as women. In 2019 the Disability Advisory Committee (DAC) has put forth 42 recommendations to improve access and remove barriers to the Disability Tax Credit, to improve access to the DTC and other programs; all which could have a positive impact on women’s income, ability to meet medical needs, and overall living conditions. These included simplifying eligibility criteria and bringing equality to the DTC application, increasing access to the Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) and other disability benefits, and raising awareness and collecting data on DTC use.