Finance Committee on June 1st, 2026

[Maureen Haan, President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work]

Thank you very much, Madam Chair and honourable members of the committee, for the opportunity to appear before you today.

My name is Maureen Haan. I am the president and CEO of the Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work, or CCRW. We work with folks with disabilities to ensure inclusive, meaningful employment across Canada.

You're going to hear two things from me today that may at first seem contradictory.

First, I want to express genuine appreciation for the measures in the spring economic statement to improve the disability tax credit. Second, and more fundamentally, I will submit that the DTC has functionally evolved, out of necessity, into the entry point for disability-related programs and benefits. We believe that eligibility should take a different, modern, comprehensive approach to federal disability eligibility—outside the tax system.

The changes proposed in the spring economic statement are meaningful. Streamlining the application process, creating faster pathways for certain long-standing conditions and expanding the range of professionals who can certify eligibility will reduce administrative burden and improve access. These improvements reflect long-standing concerns raised by the disability community, and they will make a difference.

However, the DTC is not designed to be, and was never designed to be, a system for determining disability or eligibility for social programs. It is a tax measure, a non-refundable tax credit intended to provide modest tax relief. However, today it plays a much larger role: A valid DTC certificate is required to access multiple core federal programs, including the Canada disability benefit, the registered disability savings plan, the child disability benefit and the disability supplement to the Canada workers benefit.

In effect, the DTC has become the front door to the Government of Canada's disability support programs, and it is a barrier, because the DTC is administered through the Income Tax Act. The Canada Revenue Agency tax policy is now functioning as disability policy. Decisions about who can access income supports and essential benefits are being filtered through a tax-based instrument. Put plainly, tax-based criteria are deciding who is disabled enough.

This is not aligned with modern disability policy approaches. It is inconsistent with the legislated definition of “disability” in the Accessible Canada Act and with Canada's commitments under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The DTC relies on a narrow, highly structured concept of disability. This model does not reflect how disability is understood today. It does not adequately capture episodic disabilities, mental health conditions or cumulative limitations. As a result, people with real needs and legitimate disabilities are excluded, and when this narrow test becomes the gateway to multiple programs, the consequences are compounded. A denial of the DTC does not just restrict a tax credit: It can block access to income supports and other essential benefits.

This is why the national disability network has identified this issue as a key priority for engagement with the federal government. In its document titled “The Disability Agenda: National Advocacy Priorities for the Government of Canada”, released today during National AccessAbility Week, the NDN identifies this as priority number two: a new approach to federal disability program eligibility. Priority two points to a different path.

First, disability policy should not be anchored in the tax system. Eligibility for disability programs and benefits should be determined through a system designed for that purpose, not through a tax credit. The DTC should be an end, not a means. It should be a way of delivering tax relief, not the mechanism that determines who can access essential supports.

Second, the federal government should apply a consistent, modern definition of disability that is aligned with the Accessible Canada Act. I'm encouraged to report that Accessibility Standards Canada—of which I am proud to be a board member—is working with disability community partners to develop a standard with a common definition of “disability”, grounded in both the ACA and the CRPD, for use across the Government of Canada.

The DTC reflects an older, medicalized model, creating a clear disconnect across programs.

I see that my time is coming to an end, so I'll end there.

I'm open for any questions. Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Karina Gould]

You still have 45 seconds.

[Maureen Haan]

Do I? I can do it.

The solution, we think, is clear: comprehensive reform of the federal disability eligibility process that includes the development of a government-wide disability-status determination process outside the Canada Revenue Agency.

Let me close where I began. If we are serious about building an inclusive and effective disability support system, we must create a comprehensive reform. The improvements to the DTC are welcome and needed now. At the same time, we need to commit to supporting an inclusive system that is based on need, grounded in modern policy and accessible to those it is intended to serve.

Thank you very much. I look forward to your questions.

[The Chair, Liberal, Karina Gould]

Thank you very much.

Go ahead, Mr. Garon.

[Jean-Denis Garon, Bloc, Mirabel, QC]

Madam Chair, the parties spoke and agreed that it would be fine to suspend the meeting, so the witness who couldn't do the sound check can do it, with your permission, of course. The witness prepared for the meeting and has a brief.

We'd like to suspend the meeting, so we can take advantage of his expertise when we resume.

[The Chair, Liberal, Karina Gould]

Do the committee members agree?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Karina Gould]

Very good.

We will take a brief suspension so that our other witness can do a sound check. Please don't wander far. As soon as that's complete, we'll resume.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Karina Gould]

We're resuming the meeting.

First of all, I'd like to thank committee members for accommodating Mr. Saunders.

Mr. Saunders, you now have five minutes for your opening remarks.

[Brad Saunders]

Thank you, and I apologize for the confusion.

Good evening, Madam Chair and members of the committee. I want to thank you for the opportunity to speak to you all today. I'm Brad Saunders, the CEO of Community Living Toronto.

Community Living Toronto is one of the largest developmental services organizations in Ontario, and we support children, youth and adults with a developmental disability across the city of Toronto through housing and community supports, employment and other programs. We operate out of more than 80 sites, manage over 200 leases and support approximately 4,000 people and their families. Our work is delivered by 1,200 dedicated and passionate staff who support people throughout their lifespan.

For Canadians, one thing that truly speaks to who we are as a nation is our willingness to care for one another regardless of race, religion, ability or circumstance. Organizations like ours are on the front line of delivering these essential services. We are entrusted with public dollars, 80% of which come from the Province of Ontario, and we use these carefully and responsibly to help improve the lives of some of the province's most vulnerable people.

A life lived with an intellectual disability is a full life. It is a life of relationships, contributions, milestones and meaning, shaped by the same hopes and everyday moments that define all of our lives. It can also come with some real challenges: navigating systems that weren't always designed with you in mind, advocating for supports that should simply be there and working harder than most to access what others take for granted. That's why incremental progress matters. Not every change reshapes the landscape overnight, but the right changes made with intention move us meaningfully in the right direction.

The disability tax credit was created to help ease these challenges. It's a federal measure to recognize the added costs of living with a disability and to put a little support back in families' hands. It's a small shift in policy that carries real weight for families and individuals who spent years navigating recertification processes, medical appointments, and paperwork that asks them to justify their lives. Until now, accessing that credit has required families to repeatedly document what everyone already knows: that an intellectual disability doesn't go away. Parents and caregivers had to re-explain, year after year, the permanent realities of their loved one's life, not because anything had changed but because the system required it.

The changes that are proposed in the measures in the 2026 spring economic update are great. These are important and compassionate changes. Under the reforms, a doctor or allied health professional will only need to confirm the diagnosis, not fill out 16 pages of documentation documenting how the condition affects a person's daily life. For conditions like intellectual disabilities, Down syndrome and some forms of autism, the diagnosis itself will be recognized as meeting the eligibility criteria.

Community Living Toronto welcomes the introduction of a lifelong certification under the DTC. A permanent diagnosis does not change over time, and this reform removes an unnecessary and burdensome requirement. This is meaningful progress. As always, more needs to be done, but these are meaningful practical changes that treat a person with a disability with greater dignity and make life a little easier. They signal that government is listening. They free up time, energy and resources that a person can put towards living, not just qualifying to live. We are proud to stand with the government in supporting these reforms, and we encourage the government to keep going. For the families of the people we serve, every barrier removed and every support given makes a difference.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Karina Gould]

That's great. Thank you very much, Mr. Saunders.

I'll now turn to the March of Dimes. You have five minutes.

[Jeff Willbond, Chief Accessibility Officer, March of Dimes Canada]

Thank you, Madam Chair and members of the committee, for inviting us to speak about the disability tax credit changes in Bill C-30. We appreciate the opportunity to address this really important issue.

Madam Chair, so you know, my colleague and I will be sharing the five minutes. We understand that we have five minutes as an organization.

My name is Jeff Willbond, and I am the chief accessibility officer at the March of Dimes Canada, the country's largest disability service provider. For more than 70 years, we have supported people with disabilities to live independently in their communities. Each year, we work with over 30,000 people with disabilities, along with family, caregivers, community partners, advocates and governments.

Financial security remains one of the most pressing issues facing people with disabilities in Canada. The disability tax credit is a critical gateway to federal benefits and tax credits that can materially improve dignity, autonomy and independence—that is, if people can access it.

I first began benefiting personally from the disability tax credit more than 30 years ago. Since then, I've worked hard to ensure that others in our community know about it and can receive it as well.

I want to state clearly that the reforms to the disability tax credit in the spring economic update are a step in the right direction. We welcome them, and we want to work with the government to go further.

The disability tax credit was originally designed to recognize the higher cost of living with a disability, but for too long, it has been more of a burden than a benefit for many of the people it's meant to serve. The Canada Revenue Agency reports that over 96% of completed disability tax credit applications are approved, yet only 25% of people with disabilities have ever applied. That gap is not about eligibility, but access. People don't apply because they don't know the disability tax credit exists, the forms are complex, the eligibility criteria are not clear, accessing a primary care practitioner is difficult and uninsured fees of $150 to $400 to complete an application form create a barrier, with no guarantee of approval. The result is over $2 billion in unclaimed disability tax credit benefits every year, as well as billions more in downstream benefits like the RDSP and the Canada disability benefit, which require disability tax credit eligibility.

The announced reforms—particularly those expanding the list of conditions requiring only a confirmation of diagnosis—represent meaningful progress. For someone with Down syndrome or cerebral palsy, like me, being able to confirm a diagnosis once and receive the disability tax credit for life is a profound change. It reduces cost; it reduces burden, and it treats people with dignity.

These are good first steps, and first steps really matter.

It's back to you, Madam Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Karina Gould]

I understand that you're continuing. You have just under two minutes.

[Amanda MacKenzie, National Director, Public Affairs, Advocacy, and Strategic Communications, March of Dimes Canada]

Thank you.

My name is Amanda MacKenzie. I work with Jeff at March of Dimes Canada. I want to talk about how this issue is personal for me.

I am both the parent and a sibling of people with disabilities, and I have applied for the disability tax credit twice. I was really lucky. Our family doctor understood my brother and my son, and I know the system and how it works. I know that the changes in the spring economic update will have a very positive impact.

I also know how much work the Canada Revenue Agency has done to make the DTC applications easier. I want to thank and recognize the entire DTC team at the CRA for their hard work and partnership in working towards the reforms that we see.

At the same time, though, there's a lot of ground to make up. We're calling on government to go further in three areas.

First, we need to reimburse practitioners directly for completing DTC applications. Partial reimbursement after the fact does not help someone who cannot afford to pay the fees up front.

Second, we need to align the DTC's definition of disability with the Accessible Canada Act. The ACA definition is the federal government's definition of disability, so wherever there's a definition of disability in federal legislation or policy, simply put, it should apply.

Further to that, changing the ACA definition, as my colleagues have discussed, will facilitate future reform and provincial and territorial alignment.

Last, Canada needs a federal disability status that lives in our social system, not in the tax system. People who really need what the DTC unlocks, like the people who we serve every day, don't access it, because they say that they don't make enough money to require a tax credit.

The tax system is the wrong home for disability status in Canada. We need a single, portable status that a person establishes by telling their story once and that unlocks access to all applicable federal benefits and more. Our friends in the European Union and Japan can show us the way.

Our disability community in Canada has been clear and united on this issue. The national disability network has put forward concrete recommendations that reflect the priorities of people with disabilities across the country. We're committed to working all together to get this right.

Thank you. We look forward to questions.

[The Chair, Liberal, Karina Gould]

Thank you very much.

I just want to take a quick temperature check of the members. If we're to end at 7:30, we have time for one full round of questions. Is that okay with everyone?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Karina Gould]

Okay, that's perfect.

Mr. Lefebvre, you may go ahead for six minutes.

[Éric Lefebvre, Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Good evening, and thank you, Madam Chair.

I have four daughters. My youngest is different. She is a young woman of 20 with an intellectual disability. I have her in my life. I'm glad to have you with us today.

I want to take a moment to recognize the many organizations we have. In my riding, in Victoriaville, we have caring people who look after our children. I want to recognize the Bâtisseurs group at La Myriade school—the kids in the Incomparables group, I adore you to the moon and back—and the Serviables group at Le Tandem high school. These kids have challenges, but they are beyond endearing. I want to acknowledge all the educators who work with the kids, directly and indirectly.

Marie‑Éden is now starting adult training, in the Artisans class at the Monseigneur-Côté centre. It's a social integration class. The kids participate in workshops at job sites.

I also want to recognize the Bois-Francs/Érable chamber of commerce and industry. I worked with them last year on an award to recognize businesses that provide inclusive employability workshops. At the chamber of commerce's gala, we present an award to a business that integrates these individuals into its workforce.

I want to recognize the Brunet Plus pharmacy in Victoriaville and the wonderful Sarah‑Ève, who came on stage to accept the award. I also want to recognize Créations de Cathou.

Thank you, Madam Chair, for letting me do that. It is so important to recognize efforts to integrate children like my daughter Marie‑Éden.

Madam Chair, as you can see, I have a conflict of interest when it comes to our witnesses today. From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank each and every one of them for the work they do.

Mr. Willbond, you said that, for a variety of reasons, only 25% of people living with a disability apply for the tax credit, unfortunately. Some don't know about it, while others don't apply because it can cost them $150 to $400 to have their family doctor fill out the form, when they don't even know whether they'll get the credit.

What do you recommend to bring up that percentage, so that more people with a disability can benefit from the credit?

The program is available, and the whole point is to help them.

[Jeff Willbond]

Thank you for the question, and thank you for sharing your personal story about your kids. I hope your daughters are doing well.

It's an important question you raise. I don't think there's just one solution. There's a combination of things. The application package process itself is not easy to go through. We need to simplify the application so people can actually get through it, and get the benefits they really require.

At the same time, we put the onus on practitioners, on doctors, to take their time out of supporting their patients, and that's why there's a cost. The cost is not being covered by government, so it's out-of-pocket for those individuals who need to pay for it. It is significant, and it's been climbing for a number of years. It's becoming more and more cumbersome for physicians to take that time to do it and, therefore, it becomes more expensive for the family or the individual.

[Éric Lefebvre, Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Thank you for that answer.

As you said, when someone has an intellectual disability—like Marie‑Éden, who's had hers for 21 years—they have it for life. They shouldn't have to fill out a form every year to confirm that they have an intellectual disability.

Do you think the form could be a lot shorter?

[Jeff Willbond]

In fact, aside from shortening the form, as you said, I think we need to put it into plain language. We talk about easy language in Canadian society. We talk about plain language. Sometimes the way we communicate with the public is at an academic level in terms of language, as well as in terms of interpretation and understanding things. I think it's a combination of shortening the application package and putting it in much simpler language so that everyone can understand it, not just the doctors.

[Éric Lefebvre, Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Thank you.

I criticize the government a lot. It's said that it has made recognizing a person's intellectual disability easier, so people don't have to prove it every single time. I'm happy about that.

I made an offer to the minister earlier to help with another matter. Now I am again offering to help the government, and this is very sincere. I'd really like to work with the government, so we can find a solution together.

What can we do to support people with disabilities and make it easier for them to access programming?

I'm repeating myself, but we don't want only 25% of people with disabilities to benefit from programming. I just learned that today. What we want is to increase the number of people with disabilities who benefit from programming.

Again, I am reaching out to the government in the hope of forming a small committee, with representation from the organizations, to consider the matter and come up with solutions to help us help this population.

[The Chair, Liberal, Karina Gould]

Thank you, Mr. Lefebvre.

Your time is up.

Mr. Turnbull, you may go ahead for six minutes.

[Ryan Turnbull, Liberal, Whitby, ON]

Thanks, Chair, and thanks to all the witnesses who are here today.

I come from the riding of Whitby. We have the Abilities Centre in my riding, which we're really proud of, because it is an organization that is recognized nationally as specializing in ensuring that people with different abilities can live the fullest lives possible, which I think is what we all want to support. I know it's an incremental process. We've done some things, and we constantly want to do more.

The changes we've heard about are good ones—making the disability tax credit more accessible, as well as simplifying and streamlining the application process. Notwithstanding the limitations that have been mentioned—that we need to go further, that it's narrow, that the tax system may not be the best entry point; I agree with lots of those sentiments and comments—from a user perspective, these changes strike me as really being meaningful. I know they're relatively small, but they are pretty meaningful for individuals I've worked with through my office who have struggled to access the disability tax credit. We've had to help them for years—often going back over and over again for years—to help them get a disability tax credit.

Could one of you speak to this? I'm not sure who the best person is.

Maybe I could ask you, Mr. Willbond, or Ms. Haan, what does this really mean for our disability community?

[Maureen Haan]

The disability tax credit and the changes suggested in the bill are fantastic, and I think that all of my colleagues have said today that they're definitely a step in the right direction.

What needs to be considered is this: Is it the right home for a social program for people with disabilities to make sure that people with disabilities do not live in poverty? I don't know that it belongs in a tax system. I think it belongs in a social welfare system.

I believe my colleague Brad Saunders talked about the fact that many people don't think they make enough income to apply for the DTC. That's one of the issues—why there's such a low uptake. It's not designed to get people out of poverty.

This is why the suggestion is absolutely phenomenal...reform in the bill. We can move further.