Canada Disability Benefit: What Autism Families Need to Know
Direct answer
The Canada Disability Benefit supports people with disabilities who are 18 to 64 years old and approved for the Disability Tax Credit. Payments began in July 2025. It is income-tested, so the amount starts decreasing after adjusted family net income reaches the applicable threshold.
- Eligible Ages
- 18 to 64
- Payments Started
- July 2025
Key facts
- Eligible Ages
- 18 to 64
- Government of Canada, Do you qualify - CDB
- Payments Started
- July 2025
- Government of Canada, Canada Disability Benefit overview
What this means for your family
Confirm your Disability Tax Credit approval before you look into this benefit, since that approval is the gatekeeper and age alone will not qualify anyone. Do not assume the payment amount stays flat regardless of income, because this benefit is income-tested and starts to shrink once a household's adjusted family net income passes the threshold set for it. Ask what documentation proves adjusted family net income for your household, since that is the figure used to decide whether the amount is reduced. Keep in mind this is a newer federal benefit, so processes and guidance may still be settling, and a caseworker's answer today is worth confirming again later if your circumstances change. If an autistic family member falls outside the eligible working-age range, this benefit is not the one to plan around yet. Check the federal eligibility page directly rather than relying on a general summary, since eligibility and the income test are the two things worth verifying for yourself.
The numbers behind this answer
Every answer on this site sits on the same verified counts. These are the current figures.
Ontario's figures, as of May 2026 (MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026).
Registered
91,974Children registered
Total registered in the Ontario Autism Program
Funded
20,711Have active funding
22.5% of registered children
Without active agreement
71,263Without an active funding agreement
An administrative status; it does not confirm current service delivery.
Show as table
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Children registered | 91,974 |
| Have active funding | 20,711 |
| Without an active funding agreement | 71,263 |
About This Article
Published:
Last updated:
Who Qualifies
- Applicants must be between 18 and 64 years old and must have been approved for the Disability Tax Credit.
When Payments Began and How Income Affects Them
- Payments began in July 2025.
- The Canada Disability Benefit is income-tested. The amount starts to decrease after adjusted family net income reaches the applicable threshold.
- Bill C-22, the legislation creating the Canada Disability Benefit, received royal assent on June 22, 2023.
Frequently asked questions
A person must be between 18 and 64 years old and must have been approved for the Disability Tax Credit.
Payments began in July 2025.
Yes. The benefit amount starts to decrease after adjusted family net income reaches the applicable threshold.
Sources
Canada Disability Benefit - Do you qualify
Checked
Canada Disability Benefit overview
Checked
Canada Disability Benefit - How much you could receive
Checked
Employment and Social Development Canada
Canada Disability Benefit legislation receives royal assent
Checked
Next steps
Keep going with related guidance, tools, and evidence.
Related questions
Can You Combine the Disability Tax Credit with OAP Funding?
You can combine the DTC and OAP funding: they use separate eligibility rules, and neither program's rules exclude the other.
What Happens to Autism Funding at 18 in Ontario?
Children age out of OAP at 18 with no automatic transfer to adult services. Learn about the transition gap, Passport, ODSP, and planning ahead.
Passport Program Funding for Autistic Adults in Ontario
Ontario Passport funds adults 18+ with developmental disabilities, including some autistic adults. See base and maximum amounts and who qualifies.
About this page
Check the author’s context, review method, and how to report an error.