The Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments (Advisory Board) is seeking people who may be able to serve in the Senate of Canada. 

Changes to the appointment process

On July 7^th, 2026, Prime Minister Carney announced changes to the Senate appointment process, including expanding the criteria used by the Advisory Board to assess applications. The recruitment of candidates will have an enhanced focus on expertise in key Canadian strategic industries and emerging social and economic affairs, including trade, finance, artificial intelligence and digital technology, business, criminal justice and foreign affairs.

The Prime Minister also removed the non-partisanship criterion, recognizing the contributions made by Canadians who have chosen to serve in elected office or in other partisan roles.

What is the Senate’s role? 

The Senate is the Upper House in Canada’s parliamentary democracy, uniting a diverse group of accomplished Canadians. Created to counterbalance representation by population in the House of Commons, the Senate not only defends regional interests, but also creates a space for the voices of historically underrepresented groups like Indigenous Peoples, racialized communities, persons with disabilities, and women.

What does a senator’s work involve? 

Senators shape Canada’s future by participating in debates within the Senate Chamber, reviewing legislation or proposing their own bills, and managing their offices and staying in touch with the issues affecting the province or territory they represent. As members of Senate committees, they play an investigative role and undertake studies on challenges facing the country. These are important positions that provide a platform to speak out about the issues affecting everyone in Canada.

Once appointed, Senators serve until they reach the mandatory retirement age of 75, or until they choose to step down. Unlike Members of Parliament within the House of Commons, Senators are not elected.

For more information on the Senate, please refer to the Senate of Canada website.

New application review cycle

The dates by which the Advisory Board will start reviewing applications for each current or upcoming vacancy are or will be listed here soon. The Advisory Board encourages Canadians to apply or update their existing applications before these dates to ensure their documentation is considered for this cycle. Applications received on or after these dates could be considered for this cycle or retained for a future cycle at the Advisory Board’s discretion. Please note that applications are accepted at any time and are retained for two years.

Access the Application Forms

Learn how to apply, access the forms and templates, and login to the Senate Application Management System on the Government of Canada’s website.

Nominate, support and inform a potential candidate

You may also wish to nominate a candidate who meets the assessment criteria or support them by writing a reference letter. Note that reference letters must be submitted by the candidate.

Join our upcoming webinar on November 9th, a general overview of Canada Pension Plan – Disability (CPP-D) eligibility, benefits and the application process.

When: Monday, November 9th at 2:30 pm PT
Where: Zoom
Register here: Registration link

This RDSP Awareness Month, we’ve emphasized that there’s more to the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) and Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) than you think. We’ve published blog posts on topics like the SDSP (an RDSP option for shortened life expectancy) and what the 2027 DTC changes mean for Canadians with disabilities. Alongside our Access RDSP partners, BCANDS/IDC and Plan Institute, we have held two Ask the Expert sessions: one on the DTC, and the other on the RDSP.  

We’ve also amplified our request for support for our DTC Medical Fees Fund. Donating to this mutual aid fund means you’re directly helping people to access the DTC, by covering the fees charged by medical practitioners for filling out the application. Learn more here: Cover the Cost.  

To close out the month, we’re sharing some key resources that can help you learn more about and access the DTC and RDSP.

• RDSP.com: Find general information about the DTC and RDSP and the Access RDSP partnership, and access a variety of resources and guides. 
• RDSP Calculator: By answering a few simple questions, the RDSP Calculator can help you project the estimated future value of an RDSP, and the approximate value of future withdrawal payments.
• My DTC: An online tool developed by DABC. It includes in-depth guides for both applicants and medical practitioners on DTC related benefits, eligibility, and the overall process, as well as tools to help with applying.
• Mon CIPH: The French language version of My DTC, developed in partnership with Finautonome.
• Disability Benefits Compass: Use this resource to help guide you through the DTC, RDSP, Persons with Disability (PWD) designation, and the Canada Pension Plan Disability (CPP-D) benefit.
• Benefits Wayfinder: This Canada-wide tool is available to help you find government benefits applicable to you and is not disability-focused.
• DABC’s Help Sheet #14: The Disability Tax Credit and Help Sheet #15: The Registered Disability Savings Plan. Find them in English, Arabic, Persian, Punjabi and Spanish languages on our website: Help Sheets. These self-help guides explain the DTC and RDSP, and how to apply for them.

We hope you’ve found some of the information and resources shared this month to be helpful. Remember: There’s more to the DTC and RDSP than you think!