Today, the Provincial Government launched a Newfoundland and Labrador Disability Benefit that will achieve a basic income for Persons with Disabilities. The new initiative, enabled by a $26 million investment, further highlights the Provincial Government’s commitment to improving the well-being of all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
The announcement was made by the Honourable Paul Pike, Minister of Children, Seniors and Social Development and Minister Responsible for the Status of Persons with Disabilities. Minister Pike was joined by Dr. Pat Parfrey, Deputy Minister, Health Transformation, as well as Duane Morgan, CNIB Vice President, Atlantic Canada, and Dennis Gill, father of an adult son living with disabilities, Past President of Inclusion Canada Newfoundland and Labrador and the Chair of the Buildings Accessibility Advisory Board.
The Newfoundland and Labrador Disability Benefit will come into effect in July 2025, and will include:
- Up to $400 per month to persons with disabilities; and,
- The $1,200 in the Registered Disability Savings Program (RDSP), which will begin in January 2025, for those that qualify.
Eligibility for the Newfoundland and Labrador Disability Benefit is based on income level for persons aged 18-64 and is in addition to other provincial financial supports that persons with disabilities may receive.
This benefit will also be in addition to other supports the Provincial Government provides to persons living with low income. On top of those two forms of support, the new benefit also builds on federal benefits the same way as other provincial benefits, such as the Newfoundland and Labrador Income Supplement, Child Benefit, and Seniors’ Benefit.
The RDSP is a long-term savings plan for persons with disabilities and their families which aims to help provide financial security for their futures.
Quotes
“We will continue to take action and make investments that will contribute to building a province that is inclusive, accessible and equitable. With this new benefit that will achieve basic income for persons with disabilities, our goal is to directly target the challenges impacting persons with disabilities and their families that are compounded when they are experiencing low income.”
Honourable Dr. Andrew Furey
Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador
“Our government recognizes that the higher cost of living has impacted everyone, particularly those most vulnerable, including persons with disabilities. This new program is a positive step toward addressing some of the inequities experienced by persons with disabilities.”
Honourable Paul Pike
Minister of Children, Seniors and Social Development
Minister Responsible for the Status of Persons with Disabilities
“As someone living with blindness in Canada and working to support others in our community, I have firsthand knowledge of the significant financial strain on individuals with disabilities, both inside, and outside the home. There are the obvious costs for people in the blind community—assistive computer software and video magnifiers. Then there’s the less obvious expenses—like transportation. The announcement of the Newfoundland and Labrador Disability Benefit is an important step in better meeting these needs and supporting all living with disabilities in the province.”
Duane Morgan
CNIB, Vice President of Atlantic Canada
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