FINANCIAL RESOURCES

• Ontario Disability Support Program

Once your child reaches the age of 18, he or she may be eligible for the
Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP). This program provides
income support and employment supports for people with disabilities and
is funded through the Ministry of Community and Social Services.

To assist with the transition to independence, a person can apply to the
ODSP up to six months prior to their 18th birthday. Applicants should
go to the local Ontario Works or ODSP office, and request an application
to determine financial eligibility. Applicants who are financially eligible are
given a Disability Determination Package. The package must be completed
by an approved health professional and submitted to the Disability
Adjudication Unit (DAU) at the Ministry of Community and Social Services.
Further information on the ODSP can be accessed at:
www.children.gov.on.ca/CS/en/programs/SpecialNeeds/ontarioDisabilitySupportProgram.htm

• Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities

The Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities (ACSD) program, formerly
known as the Handicapped Children's Benefit (HCB), provides help to
parents to assist with some of the extra costs of caring for a child who
has a disability. The purpose of the benefit is to help children who have
disabilities live as normal a life as possible at home and in the community.

To be eligible the child must be under 18 years of age and live at home
with a parent or a legal guardian. Also the income of a family will be
evaluated to determine qualification, the child must have a severe disability
that results in a functional loss and extraordinary costs must be present
which are incurred directly as a result of the disability. Financial assistance
ranges from $25 to $400 per month depending on the family's gross
annual income and the number of other children in the family;

Application forms are available from Ministry Regional Offices and any
questions can be directed to the Regional Office or the Ontario Disability
Support Program Office.

• Special Services at Home

The Special Services at Home (SSAH) program helps children with developmental
or physical disabilities and adults with a developmental disability
to live at home with their families by providing funding on a time-limited
basis to address individual needs. With this funding, families can purchase
supports and services which they could not normally provide themselves
and are not available elsewhere in the community.

Recently the Ministry expanded eligibility for SSAH funding to include
individuals who are not living at home with their families and are not
residing in ministry-funded residential accommodation.
This policy change has been made to support children with a physical
disability and/or a developmental disability or adults with a developmental
disability when they:

• move from their families’ homes and receive no residential staff
  support from a community agency or an outside paid resource;
• currently live in accommodation outside the family home with no
  residential staff support from a community agency or outside paid
  resource;
• need to live away from home temporarily, due to family illness or
  other emergency; or
• are making the transition from their families’ home to a group
  home, Familyhome program, or some other supported
  accommodation that is provided by a community agency.
  Individuals may be eligible to receive supports on a time-limited
  basis to help assist them to move to a new home.

The SSAH program does not fund supports for activities that are already
provided by (or available from) a community agency.

Another recent change to the program means that primary caregivers can
use their SSAH funding to compensate some family members to provide
respite and/or personal development and growth. This change will help
families with cultural and language differences and/or those living in
rural or remote communities who are not able to use their full allocation
of SSAH funding because it is difficult to find and retain support workers.
With this change primary caregivers can now use their SSAH funding to
compensate other eligible family members over the age of 18 who provide
services for respite or personal development growth, with the exception
of a child under the age of 18 and a spouse of the individual who has a
developmental disability, regardless of residence. Families may still apply
for SSAH funding on behalf of their family members, regardless of where
that person resides. Applicants to the SSAH program may also apply on
their own, or with the help from their case manager/coordinator or adult
protective services worker.

To apply for this program, you will need to complete an application
form, which can be obtained through your local Ministry of Children
and Youth Services Regional Office. You will also need a medical statement
or psychological assessment clearly confirming the diagnosis of
your family member’s disability. It is important that this document indicates
the nature of the disability and supports your request for service.
Further information on the SSAH program can be accessed at:
www.children.gov.on.ca/CS/en/programs/SpecialNeeds/specialServicesatHome.htm

• Central West Region Passport Initiative

The Passport Initiative is funded by the Ministry of Community and
Social Services. It provides community participation supports for young
people who have a developmental disability. Passport is for individuals
who are no longer eligible for school supports and would benefit from
community participation supports or for those who have been waiting for
day support services and are not eligible for Ontario Disability Support
Program Employment Supports.

Applicants may be living at home with their families or in other living
arrangements including group homes, supported independent living or
with a Family Home provider. The supports that are eligible for Passport
funding include work or volunteer activities, activities that develop skills
in utilizing community infrastructure such as transportation services,
shopping and libraries, activities of daily living that enhance social skills,
independent living and personal management, and employment preparation
activities where the individual does not meet the criteria for funding
through the Ontario Disability Support Program Employment Supports.

The Passport Initiative provides individuals and families the option of
receiving their Passport Support directly and/or making their own
arrangements to purchase supports and services or choosing to access
services through ministry-funded agencies.

In order to apply for the Passport Initiative in Central West Region, or to
get more information, please contact your local coordinator:

General Information about the Passport Initiative is posted on the
Ministry of Community and Social Services website at:
http://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/. Click on Developmental Services and then
click on Programs for Young Adults Who Have Left School

• Tax Benefits, Credits, Deductions, & Rebate Information

The provincial and federal governments recognize that individuals with
disabilities and their families often incur extraordinary expenses. Thus,
provision is made in some cases for allowing certain designated expenses
to be claimed on one’s income tax. The information below describes
some of the tax benefits, credits, deductions, and rebates people with
disabilities may be able to receive or claim. Information changes over
time so consult the websites listed below for further detail.

For information on Federal benefits review the Guide to government of
Canada Services for People with Disabilities available online at:
www.pwd-online.ca/pwdcontent.jsp?&lang=en&fontsize=0&contentid=14

Disability Supports Deduction:
If your child is working and has an impairment in physical or mental
functions, they may be able to deduct disability supports expenses
incurred in the year to enable them to work, go to school, or do
research. Amounts claimed as a medical expense and amounts that
are reimbursed by a non-taxable payment, such as insurance, cannot
be claimed.

Disability Tax Credit:
The Disability Tax Credit reduces the income tax that a person with a
disability has to pay. If you don't need to use some or all of the tax
credit because you have little or no income, you may be able to
transfer all or part of it to your spouse, common-law partner or other
supporting person.

To get the credit, you must complete a Disability Tax Credit Certificate
(Form T2201), have it signed by a qualified medical doctor, optometrist,
audiologist, occupational therapist, psychologist or speech language
pathologist, and return it to the Canada Revenue Agency.
If your children are under 18 and qualify for the Disability Tax Credit,
they may be eligible for the Child Disability Benefit which is a
supplement to the Canada Child Tax Benefit and Children's Special
Allowances payments. It helps low and modest-income families who
care for a child with a severe and prolonged mental or physical
impairment. To apply, families must obtain a signed Disability Tax
Credit Certificate and the Canada Child Tax Benefit application form
(RC66) for the child.

GST Rebate:
At age 19, one is eligible for the GST rebate. One must file an income
tax return. Those who have never done this can simply attach a note
to the Income Tax return, explaining that they have never filed before
and Revenue Canada will calculate how much GST rebate they are
entitled to.

Canada Pension Plan:
A lump sum payment of the Canada Pension Plan can be awarded to
some qualifying individuals. Those on Social Assistance should be
aware that, in their cases, these payments may first go to pay back
Ontario Works or the Ontario Disability Support Program for funds
already received. Also, available through the CPP are Orphan’s and
Widows Benefits paid to surviving children or spouse, whose deceased
parent or spouse contributed to CPP.

For more information about federal tax benefits, credits and rebates visit
the following website: www.cra.gc.ca/disability

• Federal Budget Initiatives - 2007

Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP)

The Federal Budget 2007 announced the introduction of a new registered
disability savings plan (RDSP). The plan will be available commencing in
2008 and will be based generally on the existing registered education savings
plan (RESP) design. An individual eligible for the disability tax credit
(DTC), their parent or other legal representative, may establish an RDSP.
The DTC-eligible individual will be the plan beneficiary. The plan will
consist of three elements:

1. Parents, beneficiaries and others wishing to save will be able to contribute
   to an RDSP. Contributions to an RDSP for a beneficiary will be limited to
   a lifetime maximum of $200,000. Contributions will be permitted up
   until the end of the year in which a beneficiary attains 59 years of age.
2. Annual RDSP contributions will attract Canada Disability Savings Grants
   (CDSGs) at matching rates of 100, 200 or 300 per cent, depending on
   family income and the amount contributed, up to a maximum lifetime
   CDSG limit of $70,000. An RDSP will be eligible to receive CDSGs up until
   the end of the year in which the plan beneficiary attains 49 years of age.
3. Canada Disability Savings Bonds (CDSBs) of up to $1,000 per year will
   be provided to RDSPs established by low and modest-income families, up
   to a maximum lifetime CDSB limit of $20,000, and will not be contingent
   on contributions. The maximum annual $1,000 CDSB will be paid to an
   RDSP where family net income does not exceed $20,883. The CDSB will
   be phased out gradually for those with family net income between $20,883
   and $37,178. These income thresholds are for the 2007 taxation year and
   will be indexed to inflation for 2008, when RDSPs become operational, and
   for subsequent taxation years. An RDSP will be eligible to receive CDSBs
   up until the end of the year in which the plan beneficiary attains 49
   years of age.

For more information on RDSPs, visit the federal website at:
www.cra-arc.gc.ca/agency/budget/2007/rdsp-e.html

Working Income Tax Benefit – Disability Supplement.

The Federal Budget 2007 announced the introduction of a Working Income
Tax Benefit (WITB) with a Disability Supplement. A WITB of up to $500
will be provided to single individuals with earnings greater than $3,000 and
net income less than $12,833. Single individuals with earnings of $5,500
or more and net income less than $9,500 will receive the full $500 amount.

The WITB will be provided as a refundable tax credit, effective for the 2007
tax year, with payments beginning in 2008. The WITB will be generally
available to individuals 19 and older, not attending school full-time.

An additional supplement will be provided for low-income working
Canadians with disabilities, as these individuals generally face even greater
barriers to workforce participation. Employed individuals who are eligible
for the disability tax credit (DTC) will qualify for the disability supplement
of the WITB. Benefits from the WITB will start when the earnings of the
DTC-eligible individual reach $1,750. The disability supplement will
increase with individual earnings up to a maximum annual amount of $250.

The WITB and the additional disability supplement will be available for the
2007 tax year. For futher details on the WITB and the disability supplement,
visit the federal website at:
www.cra-arc.gc.ca/agency/budget/2007/witb-e.html

Medical Expense Tax Credit:

The Medical Expense Tax Credit allows the following:

• Disability-related expenses are often claimable, at least in part,
  as medical expenses on the income tax return.
• Expenses for part-time attendant care are claimable when
  unrelated to employment.
• Air conditioning for those with muscular dystrophy or multiple
  sclerosis may also be tax deductible.

Other eligible expenses include:

• Specially trained service animals that assist individuals who
  have a severe and prolonged impairment which markedly
  restricts the use of their arms or legs;
• Modifications to the home in order to enable a person with
  a severe and permanent mobility restriction to gain access
  to the home or rooms within – this extends only to persons
  who use a wheelchair for mobility; and,
• Incontinence products such as catheters, catheter trays and
  tubing required by reason of a physical disability.
  

All receipts for these expenses must be submitted in support of medical
expense claims on a tax return.

Gasoline Rebate:
1.5 cents (Federal Excise Tax) per litre is available (up to $200) every
six months for fuel costs associated with transporting a person to and
from medical appointments. Call 613-598-2290 for more information.

Provincial Sales Tax (7%) on Motor Vehicle:
This can be reimbursed on the cost of a motor vehicle purchased to
transport a permanently disabled person. (Applicant should be a person
with a permanent physical disability who purchases a motor vehicle
for his or her own use or a qualifying family member of the disabled
person who purchases the vehicle to transport the disabled person.)
It is allowable to go back seven years for this rebate. Application
forms may be obtained from the Ministry of Revenue by phoning
905-433-5844.

Sales Tax Rebate:
Clients 16 years and older are encouraged to get a Social Insurance
Number in order to file an Income Tax Return, to be entitled to a
$100 rebate for sales tax.

• Registered Education Plans

A Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) is a special savings plan that
can help you, your family, or your friends save for education after high
school. RESPs are registered by the Government of Canada to allow savings
for education to grow tax-free until the person named in the RESP enrolls
in education after high school.

The Government of Canada has special grant programs to help you save
by increasing the amount you put aside for a child’s education with:

• a Canada Education Savings Grant that is 20% - 30% - or 40%
  added to the money you put into an RESP – depending on your
  family net income; and
• a Canada Learning Bond, an additional grant worth up to $2,000
  to help modest-income families start saving for the education after
  high school of children born after December 31, 2003.

For more information about taxes and RESPs call 1-800-959-8281 or visit
the following website:
www.sdc.gc.ca/asp/gateway.asp?hr=en/hip/lld/cesg/publicsection/CESP/RESPs_General.shtml&hs=cgs

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