Federal Budget 2025 Announced

Yesterday, November 4th, 2025, the federal government announced Budget 2025. The budget contains several items that pertain to people with disabilities and people living on low incomes. We’ve listed them below. DABC will issue a statement with our thoughts on the budget in the near future.

Read the full budget here: https://budget.canada.ca/2025/home-accueil-en.html.

Have questions? Email taxaid@dabc.ca or call 236-477-1717  for questions specifically relating to tax measures, and email dtc@dabc.ca  or call 604-923-8136 for all other questions.

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Delivering Automatic Federal Benefits for Low-Income Individuals

• Automatic Federal Benefits for the 2026 tax year. These individuals will be able to review and confirm a pre-filled income tax return, and the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) will automatically file these individuals’ taxes to ensure they receive government benefits they qualify for—including benefits that these Canadians may not be aware they are entitled to.
• To help individuals with lower incomes receive the benefits to which they are entitled, Budget 2025 also proposes to amend the Income Tax Act to allow the CRA to file a tax return on behalf of certain eligible individuals with lower incomes in simple tax situations who do not owe tax and do not file themselves.

Protecting Against Economic Abuse in Financial Institutions

• Budget 2025 proposes to introduce a voluntary Code of Conduct for the Prevention of Economic Abuse for federally regulated banks. This code, to be overseen by the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada, will set clear expectations for how banks can identify, prevent, and respond to economic abuse to better protect Canadians.

Personal Support Workers Tax Credit

• Budget 2025 proposes to introduce a temporary Personal Support Workers Tax Credit, under which eligible personal support workers employed in the remaining provinces and territories could claim a refundable tax credit equal to 5 per cent of their eligible earnings, providing support of up to $1,100 per year.

Lowering Barriers to Access the Canada Disability Benefit

• Budget 2025 proposes funding of $115.7 million over four years, beginning in 2026-27, and $10.1 million per year ongoing, for a one-time supplemental Canada Disability Benefit payment of $150 in respect of each Disability Tax Credit certification, or re-certification, giving rise to a Canada Disability Benefit entitlement. This one-time payment would be retroactive to the launch of the Canada Disability Benefit. Following successful completion of the regulatory process, the first supplemental payments are expected to be made to Canada Disability Benefit recipients before the end of 2026-27.
• In addition, the government is committed to looking at ways to provide such a payment in respect of other Disability Tax Credit certifications as part of its work to review and reform the process to apply for the credit.
• Budget 2025 confirms the government’s intention to bring forward legislation to exempt the Canada Disability Benefit from being treated as income under the Income Tax Act.

Top-Up Tax Credit

The rate applied to most non-refundable tax credits is based on the first marginal personal income tax rate. In very rare cases where an individual’s non-refundable tax credit amounts exceed the first income tax bracket threshold ($57,375 in 2025), the decrease in the value of these credits may exceed their tax savings from the rate reduction.  To ensure that no one in this circumstance has their tax liability increased by the middle-class tax cut, and to help Canadians transition to the lower credit rate, Budget 2025 proposes to introduce a new non-refundable Top-Up Tax Credit. The credit would effectively maintain the current 15-per-cent rate for non-refundable tax credits claimed on amounts in excess of the first income tax bracket threshold.

Qualified Investments for Registered Plans

Budget 2025 proposes the following amendments to simplify, streamline, and harmonize the qualified investment rules for Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs), Registered Retirement Income Funds (RRIFs), Tax-Free Savings Accounts (TFSAs), Registered Education Savings Plans (RESPs), Registered Disability Savings Plans (RDSPs), First Home Savings Accounts (FHSAs), and Deferred Profit Sharing Plans (DPSPs).

As of January 1, 2027,

• RDSPs would be permitted to acquire shares of specified small business corporations, venture capital corporations, and specified cooperative corporations
• Shares of eligible corporations and interests in small business investment limited partnerships and small business investment trusts would no longer be qualified investments.

Home Accessibility Tax Credit

At present, if the eligibility criteria for both credits are met, taxpayers can claim both HATC and Medical Expense credits in respect of the same expense. Budget 2025 proposes to amend the Income Tax Act such that an expense claimed under the Medical Expense Tax Credit cannot also be claimed under the Home Accessibility Tax Credit. This measure would apply to the 2026 and subsequent taxation years.

Canada Carbon Rebate

With the removal of the federal fuel charge as of April 1, 2025, the government provided a final quarterly CCR payment starting in April 2025 to eligible households. To support the winding down of mechanisms to return fuel charge proceeds, Budget 2025 proposes to amend the Income Tax Act to provide that no CCR payments would be made in respect of tax returns, or adjustment requests, filed after October 30, 2026.

The Price of Tax Cuts: Why Reducing Taxes Cost Low-Income Communities More

Recent tax cuts in BC and across Canada were meant to ease financial pressure for Canadians. However, for many low-income individuals, particularly for people with disabilities, these policy changes are having the opposite effect.  

Earlier this year, the provincial government removed the BC consumer carbon tax which meant the end of the BC Climate Action Tax Credit (BCCATC). In July, the federal government reduced the lowest personal income tax rate to 14%, further altering the tax landscape. While these actions were intended to offer relief, they end up removing vital financial supports from those who need it the most.  

The negative impacts of tax policy changes on marginalized groups are not new; in December, DABC published an article in the Osgoode Hall Law Journal about the “Compounding Barriers to Access” that women with disabilities face within the tax system.  The tax system is meant be a tool for redistributing wealth in a way that supports fairness and equity. For people with disabilities, who frequently face barriers to full participation in the workforce, social programs funded through taxes are essential. 

Losing the BC Climate Action Tax Credit 

When it was in place, the BCCATC was one of these tax measures, offering meaningful support in quarterly payments for people on low-to-modest incomes. A single person making $41,071 or less per year received up to $504. Families making up to $57,288 annually would be eligible for the full credit of $504 for an individual, $252 for their spouse and $126 per child. Now, people who rely on that support are left without alternatives. This hits especially hard for individuals who do not drive and would not benefit from a carbon tax cut.  

Lowered Tax Rates Will Reduce Tax Credit Amounts 

In July, the federal government lowered the lowest marginal tax rate from 15% to 14% (Bill C-4). While this may sound like good news, it also decreases the value of non-refundable tax credits—such as the Disability Tax Credit, the Canada Caregiver Amount, and the Medical Expense Tax Credit. This reduction means smaller refunds or reduced tax relief for people who rely on these credits to help with essential costs. 

For many of our clients, decreased tax amounts are not insignificant— but can go towards urgent health, food, and shelter costs. These new policy changes are unintentionally burdensome for individuals and families who struggle to afford basic needs and are in most need of financial relief.  

DABC continues to support actions that call for greater consideration for low-income populations: 

• We ask that the provincial government create a new tax credit to replace the financial support lost from the elimination of the BCCATC.

• We call for tax credit amounts to be decoupled from the marginal personal tax rate so that individuals can expect a consistent refund, regardless of tax rate changes.  

Accessibility and diversity need to be at the forefront of any policy change. Tax systems should be designed to lift people up—not leave them behind. As governments seek to provide relief and balance their budgets, they must ensure that those already facing the greatest barriers aren’t pushed further into poverty. 

The $400 BC renter’s tax credit is new for the 2023 tax year

By Vickie Smith, Tax AID Program, Active Support Against Poverty Society 

For the 2023 tax year, renters in British Columbia can claim a new tax credit of up to $400. 

Here’s what you need to know about the credit and how to claim it. 

This is a refundable credit: meaning if you do not have an amount owing to CRA, and you meet all the criteria, the $400 credit should be received as a refund. If you have an outstanding balance with CRA, this credit will be applied to decrease the amount you owe.  

To qualify, you must be either: 

• at least 19 years of age  
• OR in a common-law relationship or married  
• OR a parent of a child. 

You must also:

• have rented and occupied a unit in BC for at least 6 months of the calendar year you are filing AND 
• been a resident of BC on December 31 of that year* 

*A calendar year is January 1 to December 31 of the filing year. The 6 months do not have to be consecutive. 

Where there are partners, either common-law or married, only one member of the household may apply. If you were incarcerated for more than 6 months of the filing year you are not eligible. Rent paid to a relative, a campsite, a boat moorage, mobile home pad rentals or to a rent-to-own agreement are not considered valid for this credit.  

This credit is income tested: meaning the amount you are eligible to receive is based on the amount of adjusted family income you earned. Adjusted family income means the total income you and your spouse or common law partner have earned minus any government credits to which you are entitled.   

Those filing as single; common-law; married; or single with dependent/s having an adjusted family income of less than $60,000 will be eligible to receive the full $400.00 credit. Those with income between $60,000 and $80,000 can still receive a partial amount, with a reduction rate of 2% of the amount you make over $60,000.  

Every year, the income threshold will change to account for inflation.  

To claim this credit at the time of filing you must provide the following information for each location you are claiming:   

• an address 
• total of rent paid 
• total of months rented 
• the name or the landlord or organization. 

If you moved in the same year, be sure to include both landlords’ names, and how much rent you paid in each address.  

This information must be recorded on your tax refund at time of filing and any receipts or agreements should be kept as back up in case CRA has follow up questions. 

Vickie Smith is a tax advocate for the Tax AID program at Active Support Against Poverty Society. 

The Tax AID Partnership can help file your taxes. Find local support near you: 

METRO VANCOUVER AND FRASER VALLEY (and all of BC)
Disability Alliance BC
1450-605 Robson Street, Vancouver, BC, V6B 5J3
Tel: 236-477-1717 Toll Free 1-877-940-7797
taxaid@disabilityalliancebc.org  

BC INTERIOR
Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society
442 Leon Ave, Kelowna, BC V1Y 6J3
Tel: 250-763-4905
taxdisability@kfs.bc.ca  

VANCOUVER ISLAND
Together Against Poverty Society
828 View Street, Victoria, BC, V8W 1K2
Tel: 250-361-3521
tax@tapsbc.ca  

NORTHERN BC
Active Support Against Poverty Society
1188 6 Ave, Prince George, BC V2L 3M6
Tel: 250-563-6112 Toll-free: 1-877-563-6112
taxaid@asaphs.com