What is Bill C-19?
Bill C-19 is an act of legislation that includes changes to the Canadian disability tax credit. Passed by the Parliament of Canada in June 2022, Bill C-19 stipulates that people who have type 1 diabetes automatically qualify for the disability tax credit. Specifically, Bill C-19 removes the previous requirement that people living with type 1 diabetes must prove they spend at least 14 hours per week on activities related to administering insulin.
What is the disability tax credit?
The disability tax credit is a non-refundable tax credit that helps people with a chronic illness or disability – or their supporting family member – reduce the amount of income tax they have to pay. By reducing the income tax burden, the disability tax credit offsets some of the extra costs related to a person’s illness or disability.
What does the passing of Bill C-19 bill mean?
There are approximately 300,000 Canadians living with type 1 diabetes at this time. They will now all automatically qualify for the disability tax credit. There will be no longer be any requirement to demonstrate or prove the amount of time spent on diabetes management or insulin administration. This will help ease the financial burden caused by the necessary and life-saving expenses that people with type 1 diabetes face.
If you have type 1 diabetes, contact the Canada Revenue Agency to learn how you can apply for and receive the disability tax credit.
