Find Your Funding: A Directory of Canadian Disability Funding and Assistive-Device Programs
Funding for people with disabilities in Canada is real, and it is scattered. Money sits across federal benefits, savings grants, tax credits, and a separate program in every province and territory, each with its own name, its own office, and its own rules. People miss out not because they do not qualify, but because nobody handed them the list. This is the list.
Use it as a starting map. Each row points to the official government page, which is always the authoritative source. We have kept dollar figures out of the table on purpose, because amounts and income thresholds change every year and the official page is where the current numbers live.
This is a directory, not advice. Programs, eligibility rules, and amounts change, sometimes mid-year. Always confirm the current details on the official page before you apply or make a decision. Nothing here is legal, financial, or benefits advice. If you want the fuller picture of how these programs fit together, read our companion piece, The Disability Funding Map for Canadians: Where the Money Actually Is.
Federal programs (available across Canada)
| Program | Jurisdiction | What it helps with | Who it is for | Official link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Disability Tax Credit (DTC) | Federal | A non-refundable tax credit that reduces income tax. It is also the gateway that unlocks several other federal programs. | People with a severe and prolonged impairment in physical or mental functions, certified by a medical practitioner. | canada.ca DTC |
| Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) | Federal | A direct monthly income-tested benefit for low-income working-age people with disabilities. | People aged 18 to 64 who are approved for the Disability Tax Credit and meet residency and income criteria. | canada.ca CDB |
| Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) | Federal | A long-term savings plan with government matching grants (Canada Disability Savings Grant) and a bond for lower-income savers (Canada Disability Savings Bond). | People approved for the Disability Tax Credit, who are residents with a Social Insurance Number, opened up to the year they turn 59. | canada.ca RDSP |
| Canada Pension Plan Disability (CPP-D) | Federal | A monthly taxable benefit for people who have contributed enough to the Canada Pension Plan and can no longer work regularly. | People under 65 with a severe and prolonged disability who meet CPP contribution requirements. | canada.ca CPP-D |
| Medical Expense Tax Credit (METC) | Federal | A tax credit for eligible medical expenses, which can include many disability-related costs and devices, claimed on your tax return. | Anyone with eligible medical expenses above the threshold, including expenses for a spouse or dependant. | canada.ca METC |
| Veterans Affairs Canada disability benefits | Federal | Disability compensation plus treatment benefits, including coverage for assistive devices, aids for daily living, and special equipment (Programs of Choice). | Veterans, serving members, and certain RCMP members with a service-related disability or condition. | veterans.gc.ca disability benefits |
Provincial and territorial programs
Every province and territory runs at least one disability income program, and most run a separate program that helps pay for assistive devices and equipment. Names, amounts, and rules differ widely. The income program and the devices program are usually two different applications.
| Program | Jurisdiction | What it helps with | Who it is for | Official link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assistive Devices Program (ADP) | Ontario | Helps pay for personalized equipment and supplies such as wheelchairs, hearing aids, and communication aids. | Ontario residents with a valid health card who have a long-term physical disability and need the equipment for six months or more. | ontario.ca ADP |
| Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) | Ontario | Income support plus health and disability benefits for daily living costs. | Ontario residents in financial need who meet the program’s disability definition. | ontario.ca ODSP |
| Disability Assistance (PWD designation) | British Columbia | Monthly disability assistance and supplements for people with the Persons with Disabilities (PWD) designation. | BC residents 18 or older with a severe, long-term mental or physical impairment who meet the eligibility rules. | gov.bc.ca disability assistance |
| At Home Program | British Columbia | Medical benefits and respite support to help families with the cost of caring for a child with severe disabilities at home. | Families of children and youth with severe disabilities and complex health needs. | gov.bc.ca At Home Program |
| Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) | Alberta | Monthly financial and health benefits for people whose disability leaves them permanently unable to work. Since July 2026 Alberta has moved many recipients to the new ADAP (next row); AISH continues for those assessed as permanently unable to work. | Alberta adults under 65 with a permanent medical condition that substantially limits their ability to earn a living. | alberta.ca AISH |
| Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP) | Alberta | Financial, health and employment supports for Albertans with severe disabilities who are able to work. Launched 2 July 2026 alongside AISH, with many former AISH recipients moved across. | Albertans with a severe disability assessed as able to work. Movers from AISH receive a $200 monthly transition benefit until 31 December 2027, and Alberta covers one medical assessment if they later seek an AISH determination. | alberta.ca ADAP |
| Alberta Aids to Daily Living (AADL) | Alberta | Funding toward basic medical equipment and supplies to meet assessed clinical needs. | Albertans with a long-term disability, chronic illness, or terminal illness. | alberta.ca AADL |
| Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability (SAID) | Saskatchewan | Long-term income support designed around the daily living and disability-related needs of people with significant disabilities. | Saskatchewan residents with a significant and enduring disability. | saskatchewan.ca SAID |
| Saskatchewan Aids to Independent Living (SAIL) | Saskatchewan | Benefits that help with mobility and assistive devices and the management of certain chronic conditions. | Saskatchewan residents with physical disabilities or specific chronic health conditions, through its sub-programs. | saskatchewan.ca SAIL |
| Employment and Income Assistance for Persons with Disabilities (EIA) | Manitoba | Financial assistance for basic needs plus access to disability and health-related supports, supplies, and equipment. | Manitobans with a disability who have no other way to meet their basic needs. | gov.mb.ca EIA for persons with disabilities |
| Assistive devices programs (RAMQ and MSSS) | Quebec | Specialized assistive devices for hearing, vision, mobility, and positioning, provided or reimbursed after a needs assessment. | Quebec residents with a physical or intellectual disability or an autism spectrum disorder. | quebec.ca assistive devices programs |
| Disability Support Program (DSP) | Nova Scotia | Community-based, residential, and vocational supports for people with disabilities. | Children, youth, and adults with an intellectual disability, long-term mental illness, physical disability, dual diagnosis, or acquired brain injury. | novascotia.ca DSP |
| Disability Support Program | New Brunswick | Personalized supports including home support, respite, transportation, and assistive devices not covered by other programs. | New Brunswick residents aged 19 to 64 with a long-term disability. | gnb.ca Disability Support Program |
| AccessAbility Supports | Prince Edward Island | Personal, housing, community, caregiver, and financial supports, including technical aids and assistive devices. | Islanders living with physical, intellectual, neurological, sensory, or mental disabilities. | princeedwardisland.ca AccessAbility Supports |
| Newfoundland and Labrador Disability Benefit | Newfoundland and Labrador | A monthly income top-up for people with disabilities, paid automatically through the tax system. | Residents aged 18 to 64 who qualify for the federal Disability Tax Credit and meet income criteria. | gov.nl.ca Disability Benefit |
| Yukon Supplementary Allowance | Yukon | A monthly allowance that supplements social assistance for people with a long-term disability or seniors. | Yukon residents 19 or older who are eligible for social assistance and assessed as unemployable due to a severe or long-term disability, or receiving Old Age Security. | yukon.ca Supplementary Allowance |
| Income Assistance (disability allowances) | Northwest Territories | Help with food, shelter, and utilities, with additional allowances for people living with disabilities. | NWT residents in financial need, with extra support for eligible people with disabilities. | ece.gov.nt.ca Income Assistance |
| Income Assistance Program | Nunavut | Basic benefits for food, shelter, utilities, and fuel, with extended benefits for people with disabilities and seniors. | Nunavut residents 18 or older who cannot meet their basic needs, including because of disability or illness. | gov.nu.ca Income Assistance |
Before you apply, confirm three things on the official page: that the program still exists under that name, the current eligibility rules, and the amounts. Many of these programs also interact, so an income benefit, a tax credit, and an assistive-device program can often be used together. The official office for each program is the place to confirm how they stack.
This directory covers the main federal, provincial, and territorial programs. It is not exhaustive. Municipalities, health authorities, charities, and condition-specific organizations run further programs that may help. Last reviewed 28 July 2026. Programs change; the official page linked in each row is always authoritative.