On July 1, the federal government announced that recipients of the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) will be entitled to a $150 supplement, to reduce costs associated with applying for its pre-requisite, the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) starting September 1, 2026.  

This payment will be available for anyone who was approved for the DTC and is entitled to any amount of the CDB. Anyone who is currently receiving or has received a CDB payment will still be eligible, even if they are no longer receiving CDB payments. 

You do not need to apply for the supplemental amount; it will be delivered as a lump sum to eligible people starting September 2026.  

This change comes with four smaller changes to clarify Canada Disability Benefit Regulations. It is now made clearer that: 

• CDB payments will not be treated as income under the Income Tax Act 
• Those that have been granted a waiver that exempts their spouse or common-law partner from having to file an income tax return will be treated as single for the purpose of calculating monthly CDB payment amounts
• People may apply up to 6 months prior to their 18th birthday
• Interest will not accrue on debts during reconsiderations, appeals or judicial reviews 

DABC commends the federal government for this positive change, but we recognize that the up-front fees charged by medical practitioners for filling out DTC applications will continue to pose a barrier to accessing the DTC and CDB for many people with disabilities living on low incomes. DABC currently has a DTC Medical Fees Fund, through which you can donate to directly cover these costs for successful applicants to the Fund.  

Information about these changes and the new supplement is available at Canada.ca.