When working with our advocates on Disability Tax Credit applications, clients sometimes ask if the application process will be impacted if they have recently changed their name and gender markers, or they intend to do so during the application process. 

Adrienne Smith is a transgender human rights activist and social justice lawyer. They represent transgender people, sex workers, employees, people who use drugs, and those experiencing over policing in the context of healthcare. They have written a brief information piece addressing these kinds of questions:

“As with any legal matter, a legal name change will not have any impact at all, provided the applicant can prove a continuity of entitlement. Usually this is done by showing a copy of the Change of Name Certificate issued by the Vital Statistics Agency when a name change application is processed. This is a 6”x 8” piece of paper with a red border. It should come in the mail. This document shows that a person is the same person they were before they changed their name.

For some applicants who did name changes under the old system which required a court hearing, documents issued by the court will achieve the same result as the Change of Name Certificate in establishing that the new name describes the same person.

For people with an active application at the time they change their name, there should be no impact on their application.

The punchline: Changing your name and gender should not affect your RDSP or any other legal, tax, or immigration application, provided you have your certificate to show that you are still you.

If you’re looking for advice on the name and gender change application process, it’s available here:

• https://adriennesmithlaw.com/how-to-change-the-name-and-gender-on-your-id/
• http://live-transcarebc.button.build/updating-id/.”