Will the CDB Affect Other Benefits?

The Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) will not reduce the amount you receive from other federal income benefits, including the Canada Child Benefit, the Canada Workers Benefit, and the GST/HST Credit. This means that if you receive the CDB, you will also receive the full amount of the other federal benefits you are entitled to. 

However, many people have been worried that the CDB may prompt clawbacks of other provincial and territorial benefits. A clawback happens when a person’s income assistance benefit is reduced because they have income from somewhere else and can mean that the person is no better off even though they are receiving an additional benefit, such as the CDB.  To stop the CDB from clawing back provincial and territorial social assistance, each province or territory must list it as exempt income.  

All provinces except Alberta have now confirmed that the CDB will be considered exempt income and will not claw back provincial social assistance programs. See the list at the bottom of the page for more details. 

What is happening in Alberta? 

Alberta is the only province/territory that has announced that it will be clawing back the CDB. Clawbacks will be made to the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) program. This means that if you receive AISH, your monthly AISH benefit will decrease by the amount of the CDB that you receive. 

The Alberta government has stated that they will require AISH recipients to apply for the Canada Disability Benefit. All people currently receiving AISH were required to notify their local AISH office of the status of their CDB application by September 5, 2025. Click here to learn more about CDB and AISH. 

If you live in Alberta and need support, contact our Disability Planning Helpline. Call our national toll-free number, 1-844-311-7526 or email helpline@PlanInstitute.ca. 

The remaining provinces and territories have announced that there will be no clawbacks:  

• British Columbia: Persons with Disabilities (PWD) 

• Manitoba: Manitoba Supports for Persons with Disabilities  

• New Brunswick: All services under social assistance / Family Supports for Children with Disabilities Program / Disability Support Program / Long Term Care Program 

• Newfoundland and Labrador: Newfoundland and Labrador income supplement / Newfoundland and Labrador disability amount / Newfoundland and Labrador disability benefit 

• Nova Scotia: Income Assistance 

• Nunavut: Income Assistance 

• Ontario: Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) / Ontario Works / Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities (ACSD) 

• Prince Edward Island: Assured Income and other social assistance 

• Quebec: Basic Income Program / Social Solidarity Program 

• Saskatchewan: Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability (SAID) 

• Yukon: Social assistance, including the Yukon Supplementary Allowance 

• Northwest Territories: Income Assistance for Seniors and Persons with Disabilities program in the NWT