ISAC is co-counselling with Mississauga Community Legal Services on a judicial review at Federal Court that concerns the jurisdiction of the Social Security Tribunal – Appeal Division when hearing appeals. The case concerns a woman who was granted CPP-Disability Benefits by the Social Security Tribunal. She had multiple health impairments from working as a health …
Ontario Disability Support Program: Supporting Recipients to Get to Medical Treatment
Many persons with disabilities face higher costs of living, including the cost of travel to medical treatment. Accessing medical treatment is vital to ensure the health and wellness of Ontario Disability Support Program recipients. In recognition of this need, ODSP reimburses recipients for their costs of medical travel. The program covers the full cost of …
Ontario Disability Support Program: Medical Treatment and the Definition of Disability
Ontario Disability Support Program: Medical Treatment and the Definition of Disability Sometimes people with mental health-related disabilities who apply to the Ontario Disability Support Program are turned down because the decision-makers think that the medical treatment they are getting isn’t serious enough. For example, ODSP decision-makers sometimes say that because a person hasn’t been …
Ontario Disability Support Program: Funding for Dentures
Health benefits are a critical part of the Ontario Disability Support Program. Appropriate access to and funding for health benefits is crucial to make sure that ODSP recipients have access to necessary health-related items like medications, diabetic supplies, wheelchairs, and dentures. The ODSP needs to approach its discretion broadly to ensure that individuals on the …
Social Security Tribunal: Access to Employment Insurance for those Suffering From Addiction
People who pay in to the Employment Insurance (“EI”) system are eligible for EI Regular Benefits when they lose their job. Too often, people who lose their job due to issues around addiction are denied EI due to the way the law treats addictions in this context. Someone claiming benefits can be disqualified from receiving …
Federal Court judicial review application: access to CPP disability benefits
The Canada Pension Plan is a social insurance program that is meant to help those who find themselves disabled and unable to work. To qualify for a CPP disability pension, a person must be “suffering from a severe and prolonged mental or physical disability.” A disability is considered to be severe when a person is …
Social Security Tribunal: Participation in Appeals in the Public Interest
Prior to April 2012, a body called the Review Tribunal had the responsibility to hear appeals of decisions about Canada Pension Plan (CPP) issues. That Tribunal was replaced with the Social Security Tribunal (SST) in April 2012. ISAC to argue that the SST made a legal error when it refused to allow us to participate …
Ontario Disability Support Program: Access to the Program for Persons with a Disability
The Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) provides monthly supports to low-income Ontarians who meet the law’s definition of “a person with a disability.” In Ontario, “disability” is defined broadly, and includes people with both permanent and temporary medical conditions who are experiencing “substantial” impairments and restrictions. ISAC is concerned that there are people who should …
Social Assistance: The impact of Ontario’s new social assistance computer program (OPSEU v. Ontario)
In November 2014, Ontario’s new social assistance computer program went live. The computer program caused wide-spread problems, including recipients receiving the wrong benefit amounts, getting faulty suspension letters and not receiving health-related benefits. The union representing ODSP workers started arguing that the computer system is resulting in violations of the Charter rights of social assistance …
Criminal Law: Mandatory Minimum Fines and Poverty
In 2013, Canada changed sentencing laws to require anyone convicted of an offence (or discharged) to pay a mandatory “victim surcharge” regardless of whether or not they can afford to pay the fine. Every person who is convicted of a criminal offence is required to pay a “victim surcharge”, regardless of whether or not they …
