DABC has signed on to following letter, sent to The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families. Read it below or download it here: Letter to Minister Hajdu.

October 15, 2026
The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families
Government of Canada

Re: Budget 2026 Recommendation to Double the Child Disability Benefit

Dear Minister Hajdu,

We are writing as a collective representing families, advocates, organizations, researchers and community members from across Canada to urge your government to double the Child Disability Benefit in Budget 2026, as recommended by the Standing Committee on Finance (FINA) in their September 2026 report.

Families raising children with disabilities across Canada are facing increasingly extraordinary and unavoidable costs related to disability, including for affordable, accessible housing. At the same time, many parents face reduced employment opportunities due to barriers to accessing inclusive child care and education, and limited availability of home care support. For many families, the result is a difficult combination of higher costs and reduced earning capacity.

The Child Disability Benefit is an important part of Canada’s social safety net, but its current level does not adequately reflect the realities facing families. For July 2026 to June 2027, the maximum Benefit is $3,480 per child annually, or $290 per month.

The call to double the Child Disability Benefit is not new. In a 2019 mandate letter, the federal government committed to doubling the benefit, and in 2021, the National Advisory Council on Poverty explicitly recommended that the government “deliver on the commitment to double the Child Disability Benefit to improve support to families caring for children with disabilities.” Since then, BC Complex Kids Society and advocates across Canada have continued to call for this increase through federal pre-budget consultations.

In 2025, Canada’s progress on implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) was reviewed. In its Concluding Observations, the CRPD Committee recommended that Canada “ensure adequate support to children with disabilities and their families, to parents with disabilities, and to prevent separation of children from their families on the basis of disability.” Budget 2026 is an opportunity to make progress on Canada’s commitment to the CRPD.

We urge the Government of Canada to act on Recommendation 120 as stated in the Recommendations of the Standing Committee on Finance (FINA) for the 2026 Budget:

Double the Child Disability Benefit to better offset the additional costs associated with disability-related care and support.

In addition we recommend raising the threshold at which the Benefit starts to be reduced and work with provinces and territories to prevent clawbacks.

We would welcome the opportunity to meet with you to share the experiences of families from across Canada and discuss how this investment can make a meaningful difference. Thank you for your consideration and for your commitment to building a Canada where every child and family can thrive.

Sincerely,
Brenda Lenahan
Executive Director, BC Complex Kids Society

Helaine Boyd
Executive Director, Disability Alliance BC

Dr Keiko Shikako
Canada Research Chair in Childhood Disability

Neil Belanger
Chief Executive Officer, Indigenous Disability Canada

Raihanna Hirji-Khalfan
National Director, Race and Disability Canada

Rabia Khedr
Chief Executive Officer, Disability Without Poverty

Krista Carr
Chief Executive Director, Inclusion Canada

Leila Sarangi
National Director, Campaign 2000: End Child and Family Poverty

Jennifer Zwicker
Canada Research Chair in Disability Policy for Children and Youth and Chief Scientist for Kids Brain Health Network

Rachel Martens
University of Calgary Research Knowledge Broker, Parent Advocate

Emily Gruenwoldt
President and CEO, Children’s Healthcare Canada and Executive Director, Pediatric Chairs of Canada

Cc
Prime Minister Mark Carney
François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of FInance and National Revenue
Leslie Church, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Jobs and Families
Anna Gainey, Secretary of State – Children and Youth
Wayne Long, Secretary of State – Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions
Karina Gould, Chair of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance