The Progressive Conservative government has said recipients of the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) will begin receiving their five per cent increases in September.
As part of his re-election campaign, and to keep up with his opponents, who were pledging a drastic increase in ODSP payments, Premier Doug Ford promised a five percent increase in payments monthly for ODSP beneficiaries.
People with ODSP have been getting $1,169 a month since 2018. A five percent increase would put an extra $58 in their pocket.
“This is just one of the many ways our government is supporting those who need it most,” Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy told reporters on Tuesday after re-presenting the budget.
The PCs have said they will legislate an annual increase based on inflation, which has soared in recent years.
However, advocates say a five percent increase is not enough.
Last month, more than 200 advocacy groups signed an open letter calling on the Ontario government to double ODSP payment rates. They argued that a five percent inflation-linked increase would mean that POSPD beneficiaries would be constantly struggling.
“With continued inflation and the associated increase in the cost of living, five percent is not even enough of a rate increase to survive,” the Income Security Advocacy Center wrote in its letter.
At a news conference, reporters repeatedly asked Bethlenfalvy if she could live on $1,200 a month. He evaded questions, saying only that the government was fulfilling its campaign promise.
“The question is, what can we do for the people of Ontario who are most vulnerable?” Instead, Bethlenfalvy said. “This is a step in the right direction.”
Meanwhile, the Progressive Conservatives have included a number of other money-saving proposals in their 2022 budget, including eliminating license plate sticker renewal fees, cutting the gas tax and handing out money to parents.
The new ODSP payments will start in September, the ministry said, and are usually made at the end of the month.