Skip to main content

Featured

Two-Thirds of RDSP Money Goes Unclaimed: How Ottawa's $70,000 Disability Benefit Actually Works

  Published August 19, 2026 Of the 311,000 active Registered Disability Savings Plans opened since the program launched in 2008, Canadians have contributed $3.3 billion — and Ottawa has matched that with $5.1 billion in grants and $2.1 billion in bonds, according to figures reported by BNN Bloomberg on Wednesday. That sounds like a program working as intended. It isn't. The same report cites the latest Statistics Canada tally showing that two-thirds of the government money set aside for the RDSP goes unclaimed every year, largely because eligible Canadians don't know the plan exists. If you or someone in your family is approved for the Disability Tax Credit, this is one of the highest-value accounts the federal government offers — richer, dollar for dollar, than the RRSP, the TFSA, or the RESP. Here's how the math actually works, and what it takes to claim your share. Who qualifies Anyone approved for the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) — via CRA Form T2201, certified by a medi...
Post a Comment
Read more

article

Labels

Tumultuous Fall Session Ends as Parliament Takes Holiday Break Amidst Political Upheaval

 

Members of Parliament are set to begin their holiday break later today, capping off a tumultuous fall sitting filled with non-confidence votes, filibusters, stalled legislation, a growing deficit, and the finance minister's resignation.

After Chrystia Freeland's bombshell departure from cabinet Monday morning, several Liberal MPs called for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to step aside as well. Ontario MP Chad Collins left an evening caucus meeting telling reporters the Liberal caucus is divided and that the party needs a leadership race.

Dominic LeBlanc was sworn in as the new finance minister Monday, minutes after the government's fall economic statement was released. The economic update shows the deficit has grown to nearly $62 billion, far beyond the $40-billion target Freeland set earlier this year. The update includes $1.3 billion in new spending on measures to beef up the border in response to U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's threat to impose 25 percent tariff threats on Canadian goods.

LeBlanc, who is also in charge of intergovernmental affairs and democratic institutions, says his main priority as finance minister will be to address affordability issues. He will also continue to oversee the public safety file, implementing new border measures, until Trudeau holds a broader cabinet shuffle. That's expected to happen soon in order to replace ministers who have announced they won't seek re-election.

Parliament is set to resume on Jan. 27, after Trump's inauguration. When that happens, the Liberals may not be able to rely on the support of the NDP on confidence matters. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh called for Trudeau's resignation on Monday, but he stopped short of saying his caucus would vote to bring down the government. His party has so far voted three times with the Liberals on non-confidence motions this fall, ensuring the minority government's survival.

Much of the fall sitting was dominated in the House of Commons by a filibuster on a Conservative privilege motion related to misspending at a now-defunct green technology fund. This has stalled most legislation in the House since late September.


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment