Toronto, ON: Last week, the Government of Canada tabled the 2026 Budget, Masters of Our Destiny, outlining significant investments focused on strengthening Canada's economy, building communities and improving affordability for Canadians.

Key Points of the Budget Include:

• $142.1 billion in new spending and tax measures over five years, supporting economic growth, infrastructure, affordability, innovation and communities across Canada.
• A $45 billion commitment to Build Canada Homes, supporting the delivery of new homes, expanding affordable and non-market housing, and putting Canada on a path to ending homelessness within 10 years.
• Significant new investments in supportive, transitional and non-market housing through Build Canada Homes, including:
  • $3.6 billion over four years, starting in 2027–28, and $6.4 billion in future years to construct new supportive and transitional housing across Canada.
  • $1.8 billion over four years, starting in 2027–28, and $3.2 billion in future years to establish a new Integrated Supports Fund, supporting housing projects that integrate health, mental health, addictions and social supports.
  • $13 billion over 10 years, starting in 2028–29, to help triple non-market housing construction, with a target of 24,000 new non-market housing starts annually.
• $2 billion to support energy-efficiency retrofits in one million homes, helping reduce household energy costs and save Canadians an estimated $1 billion annually in heating and cooling costs.
• Making the Canada Caregiver Credit refundable, extending access to financial support for eligible family caregivers, including those who have insufficient income tax payable to benefit fully from the existing credit.
• Continued investment in disability inclusion and employment, including an extension of the Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities, with $65 million annually to support employment opportunities and greater workforce participation.
• Continued support for Inclusion Canada's Ready, Willing and Able initiative, promoting inclusive employment opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities and autism through partnerships with employers.
• Improvements to the Home Accessibility Tax Credit, allowing eligible individuals to claim an optional flat $1,000 for qualifying accessibility renovations, simplifying access to tax relief for people with disabilities and older Canadians.

Community Living Toronto (CLTO) welcomes these significant investments and measures announced in the Federal Budget, particularly those recognizing the importance of affordable housing, disability inclusion, employment opportunities and support for family caregivers. These commitments represent important steps towards building stronger, more inclusive communities and improving the quality of life of Canadians with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families

CLTO particularly welcomes the significant investments in Build Canada Homes and the federal government's commitment to expanding transitional and supportive housing. The $3.6 billion in capital funding for supportive and transitional housing, together with $1.8 billion for integrated health and social supports, provides an important opportunity to increase housing options for people who face additional barriers to finding and maintaining an appropriate home. It will be important to ensure that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are explicitly included in the design and delivery of these initiatives.

The Budget's decision to make the Canada Caregiver Credit refundable is also a welcome development. Family members play an essential role in supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, often providing care and assistance over many decades. Making this credit refundable will extend meaningful financial recognition to caregivers who may not have sufficient taxable income to benefit from the existing non-refundable credit. This is a positive step towards recognising the contributions and financial pressures experienced by Canada's family caregivers.

We also welcome continued federal investment in disability employment and accessibility initiatives, including the Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities and programmes such as Inclusion Canada's Ready, Willing and Able. Sustained investment in these initiatives is essential to building on progress and ensuring that people with disabilities have equitable access to meaningful work and economic independence.

In its pre-budget submission, Housing That Includes Everyone: Building Homes, Building Belonging, CLTO identified three practical priorities to strengthen the federal government's approach to inclusive housing: renewing dedicated housing support for people with developmental disabilities; establishing predictable repair and renewal funding to preserve existing supportive housing; and modernising CMHC mortgage financing policies to enable non-profit organizations to develop inclusive housing within mixed-income communities.

While the Budget advances important housing commitments, there remains an opportunity to build on these investments through more targeted measures for people with IDD.

"This year's Budget includes important investments that have the potential to make a meaningful difference in the lives of people with disabilities and their families. We particularly welcome the increased commitment to supportive housing, the recognition of family caregivers through a refundable Canada Caregiver Credit, and continued support for inclusive employment opportunities. These are important steps forward," said Brad Saunders, Chief Executive Officer of Community Living Toronto. "As these initiatives are implemented, we must ensure that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are intentionally included and that non-profit organizations have the resources and tools needed to translate these commitments into real opportunities and lasting outcomes."

CLTO looks forward to continuing to work with the federal government, housing partners and the developmental services sector to advance these commitments and identify further opportunities to strengthen housing, employment and community participation for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Click here to read the full Budget: Budget 2026: Masters of our destiny