Funding support
Go fund me
Knowledge of the funding opportunities available for people with disabilities in Ontario can help in all aspects of life. SCIO staff are here to help connect you with information on funding sources and community supports to reduce stress and get you closer to your goals. Here is a summary of some current sources.
Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP)
If you need help with your living expenses, you may be eligible for the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP).
ODSP income support provides monthly financial assistance to help with the costs of basic needs, like food, clothing and shelter. Income support also includes benefits, like drug coverage and vision care, for you and your eligible family members.
Employment services and supports are also available to help you find and keep a job and advance your career.
Disability Tax Credit (DTC)
Tax credits and deductions are available for you and for your supporting family members and caregivers. These credits help to reduce the amount of income tax you and your supporting persons have to pay, given the unavoidable additional expenses of living with an SCI.
Being eligible for the DTC can open the door to other federal, provincial, or territorial programs such as the registered disability savings plan, the working income tax benefit, and the child disability benefit.
You are eligible for the DTC if the government approves you after a completed Form T2201, Disability Tax Credit Certificate, is submitted. A medical practitioner has to fill out and certify that you have a severe and prolonged impairment and must describe its effects.
See the eligibility criteria for the disability tax credit to learn more about the requirements.
Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP)
A registered disability savings plan (RDSP) is a plan that is intended to help parents and people who are living with a disability save for your long-term financial security if you are eligible for the disability tax credit (DTC).
Contributions to an RDSP are not tax deductible and can be made until the end of the year in which you turn 59. Contributions that are withdrawn are not included as your income when they are paid out of an RDSP. However, the Canada disability savings grant, the Canada disability savings bond, investment income earned in the plan, and the proceeds from rollovers are included in your income for tax purposes when they are paid out of the RDSP.
You will be eligible for an RDSP if you are eligible for the disability tax credit (DTC), have a valid social insurance number, are a resident of Canada and are under the age of 60.
Get more information about eligibility, who can contribute to an RDSP, and much more.
Ontario Assistive Devices Program (ADP)
Funding for education
The Bursary for Students with Disabilities (BSWD) and the Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment for Persons with Permanent Disabilities (CSG-PDSE) can help full and part-time post-secondary students with the costs of their disability-related educational services and equipment. A person may receive assistance for the disability-related accommodations they require, such as note-takers, tutors, interpreters or technical aids while they’re in post-secondary studies.
Other sources of funding for education include the NEADS National Student Awards Program, the Severe Permanent Disability Benefit and the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP).
Depending on need and circumstances, there are a variety of other sources to help people with a disability with funding for different things. Contact your local Service Navigation Coordinator at SCIO to learn more about what is available.
