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We are so excited to be reaching out with news about a major national project we are conducting to bring the perspectives of disabled people to the government.
Today, October 17th, 2023, is the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. People with disabilities continue to struggle to cover basic needs in the face of ongoing rising costs for food and housing. Disabled people in Canada make up over 40% of those living in poverty and over 50% of people depending on food banks.
To mark the day we are launching a cross-Canada project focused on outlining the priorities, values and recommendations of people with disabilities, especially those living in or near poverty, in order to shape the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB). This will help policy-makers and government officials understand the needs and perspectives of this population and be sure the CDB reflects those needs.
The project is taking place in three phases:
An online questionnaire focused on values and priorities.
Guided peer-to-peer conversations.
A second online process focused on the details, so we can test what we learned.
We will share an interim report and a final report on our website, with our stakeholders and with government.
We are working hard to get representation from hard-to-reach populations and we’re hoping you can help!
If you are a person with a disability OR the caregiver or family member of a disabled person who needs assistance to participate:
Access the online questionnaire and learn more about the project by clicking here. Share your thoughts and perspectives!
If you are interested in going deep with us, you can volunteer to join our peer-to-peer conversations, the second phase of the engagement which will be taking place in December. To sign up to volunteer please click here to share your email address.
If you have any questions you can email shapecdb@disabilitywithoutpoverty.ca, call (833) 537-1822 or text 833-947-1153.
Finally, please spread the word to your communities. We want to hear from as many disabled people across Canada as possible, especially those whose voices are least often heard.