MS advocate says tax form criteria and costs keep her from accessing new federal disability support
Amanda Fraser was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 2015 at age 26 after suddenly losing the ability to walk, according to The Globe and Mail.
Through medication and physical therapy, she regained mobility, but still experiences relapses that last from a single day to four months and require a four-wheel walker.
In 2020, Fraser left her job as a registered nurse due to her condition. She now volunteers as an MS advocate in Edmonton.
She does not qualify for the new Canada Disability Benefit, set to launch in June at $200 per month, or $2,400 annually, because she does not meet the criteria for the federal Disability Tax Credit (DTC).
According to Fraser, the DTC’s requirements do not reflect the realities of episodic disabilities like MS.
“It’s really difficult for people living with MS to try and fall under these very stringent guidelines that the Disability Tax Credit requires because it’s just not what our lives look like.”
The DTC requires a person to show prolonged difficulty—90 percent of the time—in performing activities such as walking, feeding, or dressing.
Fraser said she can walk unaided when not in relapse, and the form’s complexity, time demands, and associated costs discouraged her from applying.
Applicants must submit two forms—one from the applicant and one from a physician—who may charge between $30 and $300, according to The Globe and Mail.
Fraser added, “So I’m asking my very busy neurologist or my very busy family doctor to fill out very long forms, which are probably going to cost me money.”
As per Statistics Canada data, the 2020 poverty rate for working-age adults with severe disabilities was more than double that of those with milder or no disabilities.
Yet only 25 percent of individuals with severe disabilities applied for a DTC certificate in 2017, and only 11 percent completed the full process, according to a 2023 Disability Advisory Committee report.
“It’s not an easy process to complete,” said Daniel Corvino, manager of government relations at MS Canada. “We need to have a simple process.”
Other barriers persist even when medical criteria are met.
John Oakey, vice-president of taxation at Chartered Professional Accountants Canada, said, “I don’t even know if there’s tax people that can tell you what ‘markedly restricted’ means without going to look it up.”
Oakey also noted that access to physicians can be a major challenge: “Probably one of the biggest hurdles that most people have is that they don’t have access to the medical practitioner to complete the form.”
Kory Earle-Morrow, who lives with an intellectual disability, was unable to find a doctor to complete his DTC application, despite help from People First of Canada. “It felt like the system set me up to be a failure,” he said.
The application burden also affects physicians.
Kathleen Ross, a family doctor and past president of the Canadian Medical Association, told The Globe and Mail that completing one form can take up to 45 minutes.
“That’s 600,000 lost patient visits” in 2023, when 280,070 forms were processed, she said.
Ross recommended allowing applicants to self-declare and relying on spot checks. “It’s not just about decreasing the paperwork. These are real people in real need of support,” she told.
At the same time, underemployment and ableism continue to affect Canadians with disabilities.
According to a KPMG in Canada survey reported by Benefits and Pensions Monitor, 60 percent of employed people with disabilities are seeking new jobs due to underemployment and workplace ableism.
An equal share felt their skills were not fully used in their current roles.
As per the survey, 44 percent experienced ableism in the past year, while 43 percent witnessed it happening to colleagues.
These numbers rose to 58 percent and 50 percent respectively for those with apparent disabilities.
“Our poll findings reveal that ableism is a systemic issue in Canadian workplaces,” said Rob Davis, KPMG’s chief inclusion, diversity, and equity officer, as quoted by Benefits and Pensions Monitor.
Davis said businesses risk losing talent and productivity by failing to fully engage people with disabilities.
Survey results also showed 68 percent of respondents felt they had to work harder than others for the same recognition, rising to 81 percent among those with apparent disabilities.
According to Benefits and Pensions Monitor, Women, Indigenous Peoples, and People of Colour also reported feeling undervalued.
Lisa Park, director at KPMG and founder of its Disability Inclusion Network, noted that barriers such as inaccessible technology and hiring practices prevent inclusion.
“With as many as 58 percent of respondents with apparent disabilities encountering discrimination in the past year … this poll finding underscores the importance of creating inclusive work environments,” she said.
Only 32 percent of respondents strongly agreed that their workplace was safe for disclosing disabilities. Among those with non-apparent disabilities, this dropped to 29 percent.
Although 64 percent said they had allies at work, respondents identified several actions for employers: 58 percent called for more open and inclusive workplaces, 46 percent wanted better tools and processes for productivity, and 45 percent urged changes in recruitment practices.
Nearly 80 percent said there should be more leadership representation of people with disabilities.
Davis emphasized the need for continued education and awareness, telling Benefits and Pensions Monitor, “As business leaders, it’s our responsibility to create workplaces that allow everyone, including persons with disabilities, to be productive, succeed and thrive.”
Meanwhile, a global market analysis released by The Return on Disability Group, titled The Global Economics of Disability: 2024, estimated the global disability market at over $18tn in spending.
According to the report cited in Benefits and Pensions Monitor, 1.6 billion people, or 22 percent of the global population, live with a disability.
In North America and Europe alone, people with disabilities control over $2.6tn in disposable income.
The report recommended designing for functionality and experience rather than mere compliance.
Rich Donovan, CEO of the group, said, “The disability market is the largest emerging market in the world, yet materially all organizations fail to capture its full value."
The report also referenced companies like Apple and Alphabet, highlighting their use of disability insights to improve product design.
As reported by Benefits and Pensions Monitor, the report urged businesses to embrace experience-driven approaches to meet the evolving needs of the disability market.
