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One of the biggest challenges with accessing the Disability Tax Credit is the application process. Luckily, changes are coming into effect that will make the application process easier. The DTC is based on the effects of disability or impairment, not simply having a particular diagnosis. Applicants have traditionally needed a qualified medical practitioner to provide detailed information about how their impairment affects specific activities of daily living and whether the impairments meet the legislated requirements for the DTC. 

The process can be time consuming for applicants and medical practitioners. However, things are being made simpler. As part of the federal government’s 2026 Spring Economic update which announced changes to the DTC, the application process is being streamlined for people with certain long-lasting medical conditions as of 2027. At the same time, beginning with DTC certificates issues after 2026, more types of health professionals will be able to certify certain impairments. These changes will make the DTC easier to access for many Canadians. 

Under the new streamlined approach, if an individual has one or more of the medical conditions on the designated list, a qualified medical practitioner will generally only need to certify that the individual has the condition. This means the practitioner will no longer have to complete the same detailed assessment of how the condition affects the person’s daily living activities. However, the CRA still retains the authority to request additional medical information when necessary, and the underlying legislative requirements for the DTC are unchanged. 

What this means is that instead of asking a medical practitioner to document the functional consequences for a condition that the CRA has identified, the new process puts greater emphasis on the diagnosis itself for these specific conditions. 

Conditions included are: 

• Alzheimer’s disease 
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
• Angleman syndrome
• Autism spectrum disorder, level 3
• Bilateral blindness
• Severe or profound bilateral hearing loss
• Severe Cerebral Palsy
• Stage III or higher COPD
• Cystic Fibrosis
• Dementia
• Down Syndrome
• Advanced or severe Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
• Huntington Disease
• Permanent colostomy or ileostomy
• Severe Intellectual disability
• Paraplegia
• Advanced or severe Parkinson’s disease
• Quadriplegia or Tetraplegia
• Renal failure requiring lifelong dialysis
• Lifelong continuous supplemental oxygen
• Severe schizophrenia
• Severe Sickle cell disease requiring transfusions
• Spinal muscular atrophy types I and II
• Severe stroke with no functional recovery
• Severe traumatic brain injury
• Certain upper and lower limb amputations
• And  a number of other specified conditions that can be found here.

Another important change is beginning in 2027; the list of health professionals who can certify certain types of impairments will expand. 

For example, podiatrists will be able to certify impairments affecting walking within their scope of practice. Physiotherapists will be able to certify impairments affecting feeding and dressing, in addition to walking and certain cumulative effect assessments. Speech language pathologists will be able to certify certain impairments affecting feeding in addition to speaking, and certain cumulative effects assessments. Occupational therapists will be able to certify impairments affecting eliminating bodily waste, in addition to their existing areas. This means that instead of having to find another practitioner, many people wil be able to work with a practitioner who already understands their condition and functional limitations. 

Overall, the changes coming into effect in 2027 may make it easier for many people to navigate the DTC, and understanding these changes is important. If you have a condition included in the streamlined list, talk to your medical practitioner about the new certification requirements. If you have been told in the past that applying for the DTC would be too complicated, it may be worth revisiting the question, considering the new rules. Don’t assume you aren’t eligible; the DTC may be more available to you than you think. 

For many Canadians with disabilities, applying for the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) can be an important first step toward accessing financial supports and programs. However, there are often barriers to easy access, including financial barriers. 

The Canada Revenue Agency confirms that applicants are responsible for any fees their medical practitioner charges to complete a DTC application. While those fees may be claimable as a medical expense on a tax return, that does not help those who need to pay the bill today. For someone living with a disability, that upfront cost can be enough to make an already complicated process even harder. 

In 2026, the federal government introduced a new $150 supplemental Canada Disability Benefit payment intended to help offset the cost of obtaining the DTC. This is an important step toward recognizing that the cost of obtaining medical certification can be a barrier. However, the payment is not available for everyone who applies for or receives the DTC. The $150 supplemental payment is only available for people approved for the DTC who also qualify for the Canada Disability Benefit monthly payment. 

There are Canadians who may qualify for the DTC but not the Canada Disability Benefit because of the CDB’s eligibility requirements. For those people, the cost of having a medical practitioner complete the application remains an out-of-pocket expense. This is the gap we at Disability Alliance BC are aiming to address. 

We’re relaunching our DTC Medical Fees Fund to help reduce one of the financial barriers that stand between a person and the support they may be entitled to access. No one should need to abandon the DTC application process because they can’t afford the medical practitioner fee. Our DTC Medical Fees Fund is designed to help address this gap.  

We’re asking our community, supporters, organizations, professionals, and donors to help us build this fund. Every contribution helps remove the financial barrier from someone trying to access the DTC, and your donation can help someone take that next step. 

$25 can help us begin building a fund that is there when someone needs it. 

$50 can help offset part of a medical practitioner’s fee. 

$100 can make a meaningful contribution toward helping someone complete their DTC application. 

$250 or more can help us support multiple applicants. 

You can also help us spread the word about this fund to your friends, families, and networks. Together we can help remove the financial barriers that stand between Canadians and the supports available to them. 

Donate here (scroll to the bottom of the page).