Disability Tax Credit (again)

There is a lengthy and complicated report from the Disability Advisory Committee of the Canada Revenue Agency.  First on their list of recommendations is:

1. The CRA and the Department of Finance Canada should change the term ‘impairment’ to ‘limitation’ in all DTC-related administrative and legislative documents.

They then go on to use 'impairment' 113 times.

There is discussion of who among medical providers is eligible to make an assessment and a recommendation to expand the list.

In a financially practical move, they:

9. The CRA encourage the Department of Finance Canada to exempt DTC beneficiaries from the capital gains on the sale of a home entrusted to them.

And there is data on the uptake rate: (click to enlarge)

Which brings the discouraging news that despite Nova Scotia's oft-cited claim that the rate of disability is 30%, only 5.9% have a Disability Tax Credit.

You can lay that bit of 'systemic ableism' at the feet of Community Services, who would clearly prefer not to be bothered by removing financial 'impairments'

There is no data on who might be eligible - I doubt Community Services wants to know - but it has to be more than 5.9%. 

And by the way Eddie Bartnik, financial stability would be a big part of solving the housing problem............