Op-ed: Building a strong Canada means not leaving people behind

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Bluesky
• Share on X
• Copy Link

While extra income is welcome, six dollars and sixty-six cents a day does not buy dignity. It does not cover a meal, let alone contribute meaningfully to rent, utilities, or essential medical expenses. In cities and rural communities alike, housing costs alone can consume the majority of a person’s income. Add to that the rising price of groceries — where even basic staples have become noticeably more expensive — and the financial strain becomes overwhelming.

April 7

Sylvan Lake RCMP investigating death at home on Harper Drive

14m ago

March 19

Red Deer RCMP seize drugs, weapons after month-long investigation

1h ago

serious two-vehicle crash

Red Deer RCMP asking for public's help in collision investigation

2h ago

For individuals with disabilities, these pressures are often compounded by additional costs that others may not face: specialized diets, mobility aids, transportation, and other disability related support. Medication, in particular, can be a significant and unavoidable expense. Yet for many, it becomes one of the first things sacrificed when budgets no longer stretch far enough.

This is the cruel arithmetic of poverty: when resources are scarce, survival takes precedence over health. Skipping medication, delaying treatment, or rationing doses becomes a coping mechanism — one that carries serious, long-term consequences. People with disabilities are navigating food, housing and economic anxiety and already face systemic barriers to employment along with social isolation.

Many people with disabilities are unable to even access the $6.66 a day because government makes them jump hurdles. They first must apply for the Disability Tax Credit.  Persons with disabilities need to have a family doctor who will fill it out or find one and pay them to do it.  To qualify for the CDB, a person with a disability is not simply assessed based on their own income, but also based on the income of people they live with. Put simply, the benefit remains too small, too restrictive, and too difficult to access for many who need it most.

As a minimum starting point, the Canada Disability Benefit should be $1,393.00 a month in line with the Guaranteed Income Supplement for Seniors and adjusted to reflect the cost of living with a disability. It should then be increased because the gap between income and cost of living continues to widen. 

If Canada is serious about reducing poverty and promoting inclusion, then the approach must be bolder and more responsive to actual needs. This means aligning disability income supports with the true cost of living, ensuring that individuals can afford not just to survive, but to live with dignity. It also means recognizing that poverty is not just about income — it is about access, opportunity, and the ability to participate fully in society.

As we move through this Easter weekend, the symbolism of the season — renewal, compassion, and care for one another — feels particularly relevant. It is a time that invites reflection on collective responsibility.

No one should have to choose between rent and medication. No one should face hunger in a country of such abundance. And no one should be left behind by policies that fail to meet the realities of everyday life.

If the federal government is serious about building a strong Canada, it must include people with disabilities in that vision. 

Krista Carr is CEO with Inclusion Canada

—

EDITOR’S NOTE: The views expressed above are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of rdnewsNOW or Pattison Media. Column/op-ed suggestions and letters to the editor can be sent to news@rdnewsNOW.com.