Federal COVID-19 supports for Canadians with disabilities are too little, too late, advocates say

Kathleen Harris, CBC News, September 18, 2020
Advocates say pandemic has caused disproportionate hardship for those already struggling against barriers. More than six months into the global pandemic, the Liberal government is being accused of failing to meet the needs of the Canadians with disabilities who are among those hardest-hit by the public health crisis. The federal government has promised a one-time $600 emergency benefit for Canadians with disabilities but that money has not yet been spent. People with disabilities face more challenges in a pandemic climate. Those who are blind or visually impaired have to rely on touching non-sanitized surfaces and can’t see if people around them are practising safety protocols. People who are deaf or hard of hearing who normally rely on reading lips to communicate now face a world of masked faces. And there are longer waits now for health care and other services, while the prolonged isolation caused by pandemic containment measures can have a negative impact on mental health.