However, some of the most marginalized fell through the cracks as benefit eligibility was tied to employment conditions. Racialized and Indigenous women were particularly affected, due to precarious immigration status or working in informal sectors.
Women with disabilities were another group that did not receive adequate levels of support. The government consulted the disability community for advice on putting a disability lens on Canada’s COVID-19 response. The forthcoming Disability Inclusion Action Plan will include a new Canadian disability benefit, an employment strategy and a better process to determine eligibility for government disability programs and benefits.
Racialized communities have faced higher rates of COVID-19 outbreaks as a result of greater exposure to the virus as essential workers. At the same time, anti-Black racism, anti-Indigenous racism the frequency of anti-Asian hate crimes continues to rise. The new federal Anti-Racism Secretariat, which directs more than $50 million to anti-racism initiatives, and new support to Black-owned businesses are signs of progress but still falls short of addressing structural and systemic disadvantages along racial lines.
