Moving Between Provinces

Every province runs its own disability programs. There is no national system. When you move from one province to another:

• Your provincial disability income stops
• You need to reapply in the new province
• Eligibility criteria may be completely different
• Waitlists can be months or years long
• Your diagnosis may need to be reassessed
• Programs you relied on may not exist in the new province

Federal benefits follow you across provinces. These do not change when you move:

• Disability Tax Credit (DTC) — Federal, follows you everywhere
• Canada Disability Benefit — Federal, $200/month continues
• RDSP — Federal, your savings and government matching continue
• CPP Disability — Federal (except Quebec, which has QPP)
• Canadian Dental Care Plan — Federal, continues in any province
• Child Disability Benefit — Federal, continues

• Income support: AISH — up to $1,901/month (highest in Canada)
• Children: FSCD — needs-based, not diagnosis-based (often faster than Ontario)
• Warning: Alberta claws back the $200 CDB from AISH recipients
• Trend: Families with autistic children moving from Ontario to Alberta for better supports is a documented pattern

• Income support: ODSP — up to $1,408/month
• Children: Ontario Autism Program — significant waitlists, interim funding model
• Advantage: CDB exempted from ODSP, includes drug/dental coverage
• Warning: OAP waitlists are very long

• Income support: Disability Assistance — up to $1,483.50/month
• Children: Autism funding transitioning to new model (July 2026-March 2027)
• Note: BC uses age 19 for adult transition (not 18)
• Advantage: RDSP fully exempt from asset/income tests

• Income support: Social Solidarity — up to $1,215-$1,780/month
• Important: Quebec has its own pension plan (QPP). If you were receiving CPP-D, you'll need to transition to QPP-D
• Language: Many services are primarily in French

• Generally lower income support amounts ($939-$1,219/month)
• Advantage: Independent Living Nova Scotia provides free DTC navigation for all 4 Atlantic provinces
• NL: New Disability Benefit ($400/month) as of July 2025
• APSEA provides sensory disability services across all 4 Atlantic provinces

Before you move:

1. Research the new province first. Use our province comparison tool or browse the directory for the destination province.
2. Apply before you move if possible. Some provinces allow you to start the application process before you arrive.
3. Get copies of everything. Medical assessments, diagnosis documents, service plans, funding letters — you'll likely need to re-submit all of it.
4. Plan for a gap. There will almost certainly be a period between when your old benefits end and new ones begin.
5. Contact advocacy orgs in the new province. They can guide you through the local application process.
6. Keep your federal benefits active. Update your address with CRA promptly to avoid disruption to DTC, CDB, RDSP, and CCB.

• Children's therapy funding varies enormously between provinces. Ontario provides $5,000–$55,000/year for autism (needs-based childhood budgets); Alberta's FSCD is also needs-based with no set dollar amount.
• Some families deliberately relocate to access better children's services. Research thoroughly before making this decision.
• School accommodations and Individual Education Plans (IEPs) don't automatically transfer. You'll need to work with the new school.