OttawaMany Canadians with disabilities have been left waiting for a monthly federal payment days after it was supposed to arrive, as a new program for low-income recipients faced technical delays in just its second month.Federal department says payment problem caused by ‘isolated systems issue’Ben Andrews · CBC News · Posted: Aug 26, 2025 4:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours agoRabia Khedr, national director of Disability Without Poverty, says the federal disability benefit isn’t enough to pull many low-income people with disabilities out of poverty. (Andrew Nguyen/CBC)Many Canadians with disabilities have been left waiting for a monthly federal payment days after it was supposed to arrive, as a new program for low-income recipients faced technical delays in just its second month.The House of Commons passed the Canada Disability Benefit in 2023, and the government committed $6.1 billion to the program in the 2024 federal budget.Canadians between the ages of 18 and 64 who have been approved for a disability tax credit are eligible for the benefit and can receive up to $200 per month for the first year. The first round of payments went out in July.But just last week, many recipients were left wondering what happened to their second instalment.”We’re really dumbfounded that this technical glitch happened after a successful implementation in July,” said Rabia Khedr, national director of advocacy group Disability Without Poverty.’Deep, deep, deep poverty’Khedr said even a short delay in the payments can be harmful, as many low-income people with disabilities are living well below the poverty line with expenses that far exceed it.”People with disabilities are in deep, deep, deep poverty, and this [missing] $200 is inching closer to that poverty line,” Khedr said.”They were counting on this money, they had plans for this money, and then for this money not to show up into their accounts is a huge disappointment.”Members of disability without poverty rally on Parliament Hill in Ottawa in 2022. (Submitted by Disability Without Poverty)Ottawa resident John Redins was approved for the benefit and was looking forward to receiving his first allotment in August.He had earmarked his payment to cover a monthly expense, but when the money didn’t arrive on time he faced a service charge from his bank. He only got the charge reversed after repeated appeals.”Every dollar helps,” Redins said. “Any small amount is crucial to someone surviving.”Most payments completed, department saysIn an email Monday, Employment and Social Development Canada said the majority of Canada Disability Benefit payments for August have been completed.”A limited number of client payments remain outstanding due to an isolated systems issue,” the statement read.Service Canada, which administers the program, addressed the situation “with urgency” to ensure remaining payments are issued within the next few days, the spokesperson added.The agency said it is working diligently with partners to “secure the smooth implementation of this new benefit and prevent system issues from happening in the future.”Khedr said she hopes the issue is resolved quickly, and she’d like to know exactly what went wrong and what safeguards have been put in place to prevent something similar from happening in the future.”People need a lot of reassurances,” Khedr said. “This kind of mistake, this kind of glitch, this kind of failure breaches trust.”
Delay in federal disability payment a breach of trust, advocate says
