July 27, 2020
The government has finally approved the COVID-19 Economic Response Plan that includes a payment of up to $600 to approximately 1.7 million eligible individuals who:
Canadians with disabilities wishing to apply for the DTC now have up to 60 days after today’s Royal Assent for the one-time payment if they meet the eligibility criteria for the tax credit. Applications must be filed with CRA by September 25, 2020.
This window of opportunity recognizes the fact that many more people living with physical and mental impairments may be eligible for the DTC. Others, who have been previously denied the DTC, also have an opportunity to reapply for the DTC.
The Disability Advisory Committee was reinstated in December 2017 to address a number of systemic administrative problems within the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). At the time, almost 20 per cent of the people living with chronic and persistent psychiatric disorders as well as others markedly restricted in their mental functions necessary to manage their day-to-day lives were denied the DTC, sometimes on questionable grounds.
The CRA requires that the individual’s impairment is severe and prolonged and the disabling effects markedly restrict the individual’s ability to respond to the challenges of everyday living, all or substantially all of the time.
The following link provides information regarding the application process for the DTC. Please have your medical doctor, a psychologist or a nurse practitioner document all of the disabling effects of your impairment in Part B of Form T2201.
Examples of being markedly restricted in the mental functions include the following:
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Click here for a more comprehensive list of severe symptoms of PTSD.
Bipolar Disorder
Manic syndrome:
Click here for a more comprehensive list of severe symptoms of both manic and depressive symptoms of bipolar disorder.
Depressive syndrome:
Schizophrenia
Click here for a more comprehensive list of severe symptoms of schizophrenia.
TAGS - DTC, CRA
