Getting married on ODSP?

[Marc Rocheleau]

Hi all,

I tried sending this e-mail to the list the other day but I'm not sure
it went through. My apologies if it did, I figured I'd try again in
case it didn't.

I am new to the list and just recently started looking at the rules of
ODSP more closely. Living with my parents, it hasn't been bad for me
up until now. With my girlfriend and I looking to get married in the
next few years however, it seems like it'll be a bleak future for us.
She is completely healthy and works but, from what I can gather, our
incomes will be considered as one once we're married. This would mean
that if she makes more than $1,000 a month I'll be cut off from my
payments -- especially considering she's started saving for her
retirement and the future as well.

My questions are the following:

1) Does this sound right?
2) If I do get cut off from payments as a result of her wages, would I
still be elligeable for ODSP's drug/dental benefits plan?
3) I've looked it up but have only heard vague mentions: Is the
government looking at reviewing the ODSP program in an attempt to make
it work more efficiently?

I know the auditor general just released something regarding ODSP and
Ontario Works but, from what I can tell, it is a complete joke and
doesn't address its real issues -- such as the program's ineptitude to
provide enough for the basic cost of living and essentially penalizing
those who choose to get married in the future.

Any help would be much appreciated. There's so much information,
misinformation and confusing language out there that I thought it'd be
useful to hear from people who have their own experiences with the
program.

Thanks in advance!

-Marc

--
“There is no shame in being who you are. There’s only shame in not
going down swinging to protect it”

[abrowne]

Marc,
My answers in bold beneath your questions.

---

From: Marc Rocheleau <marcroc...@gmail.com>

I am new to the list and just recently started looking at the rules of
ODSP more closely. Living with my parents, it hasn't been bad for me
up until now. With my girlfriend and I looking to get married in the
next few years however, it seems like it'll be a bleak future for us.
She is completely healthy and works but, from what I can gather, our
incomes will be considered as one once we're married.

Yes, by marrying your girlfriend she is forced to
follow ODSP rules too and in a sense is forced to
carry the whole load.  This has been a liability on
many marriages between ODSP recipients and
non-recipients.  Your income is combined as a
"benefit unit" of two and whatever earnings she
gets, fifty percent of her net income will be taken
off of you.  If she makes an average income (above
minimum, but not rich), you can find yourself with
very little or even no eligiblity.  This not only penalizes
the spouse ON ODSP, but the spouse that is working,
as he or she works for half their money and is expected
to use this income to support both (or all) of you when
most families nowadays can't get by without 2 incomes.

This would mean that if she makes more than $1,000 a month I'll be cut off
from my payments -- especially considering she's started saving for her
retirement and the future as well.

She will be able to make more before you are
disentitled, but it depends on a lot of things.

My questions are the following:

1) Does this sound right?

Of course, it is not right.  I can't save for my
retirement because of who I am married to.  I
am forced to work for much less money because
of who I am married to (50% of my income is
taken off my husband's cheque and he really
doesn't get much for himself and our total
household income is not enough to support
all of us!)  Some of my well-meaning friends
think I would be better off if I divorce him
(which we did separate several times in the
past because of this and one time, for more
than a year).  But when that happens, ODSP
forces the recipient to sue for support, so I
would end up supporting two households
instead of one still on one income.  So you
can't win in either case.

2) If I do get cut off from payments as a result of her wages, would I

still be eligible for ODSP's drug/dental benefits plan?

You can get assessed as to your drug and health
needs and apply for extended health coverage
if your needs exceed your combined budget;
also if she has drug and health coverage, this
would be unlikely.

3) I've looked it up but have only heard vague mentions: Is the
government looking at reviewing the ODSP program in an attempt to make
it work more efficiently?

There is a short-term scope review of the social
assistance program, whereby a committee of
Toronto-based "experts" are reviewing the system
for some quick fixes (that don't involve new legislation)
that can benefit both OW and ODSP, such as
removing some of the stupid rules.  Unfortunately,
the spousal situation would require legislation to
change it, so it is not likely to be captured in this
short-term review.  However, we do have to be on
our MPPs case to make sure they do not just scrap
the special diet, which is something many people
in our community are fearing might happen.

I know the auditor general just released something regarding ODSP and
Ontario Works but, from what I can tell, it is a complete joke and
doesn't address its real issues -- such as the program's ineptitude to
provide enough for the basic cost of living and essentially penalizing
those who choose to get married in the future.

Of course, it doesn't ... when the Provincial Auditor
lives in a day what OW recipients live on in a month,
of course he doesn't have a clue.  It is our job to
keep writing letters to the editor, MPPs etc. to make
sure people understand what people are actually
living like on OW or ODSP and why most of them
are not working ...

Angela

---

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[Lorene]

My cousin and her hubby are both deaf. My cousin was on ODSP. Her
hubby has a job nearby Toronto. He makes good money like over $25-30
grand per year. My cousin still gets to keep her drug and dental card
for her and her hubby to use. I think they are subject to hand in the
hubby's paycheques once a month to ODSP.I never thought to ask about
that. If her hubby makes less, the ODSP will make up the difference,
otherwise if he makes too much, she still gets to keep the dental and
drug cards, regardless, as there is no drug or dental benefits at the
hubby's job. He has been at the same job for 10 years.

Lorene

[Marc Rocheleau]

Hi again,

Just wanted to thank Angela and all for the information they've
provided, it is much appreciated, even if the reality of ODSP is
pretty depressing. The one thing I do like with ODSP is the job
placement agencies they have, I'm using one and they helped me get
something... very small. Being blind, it's definitely hard getting
work, despite having graduated from a college journalism program (that
I did while blind too.) Right now I am only working on minimum wage
for four hours a week since the job market is so terrible -- it
probably doesn't help that I live outside of Windsor as well, the
place with the worst unemployment in either the province or Canada: I
think it's Canada though.

I was actually asked to be interviewed and I'm featured in a video the
government used to help promote the benefits ODSP provides, mainly
their job assistance support. While it is something I do endorse and
believe in, I really wish now that I hadn't taken part in the video. I
didn't realize then how flawed the system actually is and feel kind of
bad for possibly helping to promote a false belief that everything is
peachy -- it most certainly isn't.

I am lucky in the sense that the person who owns the job placement
agency, which is licensed by ODSP, is blind as well. He really fights
for people and that's what you need -- someone who understands that
disabled people should be treated with the same respect as anybody
else. He worked at a company and was let go after losing his eyesight
and had to build everything from the ground-up. It's pretty amazing to
think about.

Right now it almost seems like those with a disability need to open up
their own small business to earn any money and obviously that's not
feasible for the majority of people on ODSP I'd assume. Perhaps I will
use my writing talents to pitch some freelance articles about the
current situation with ODSP to help bring attention to the issues
being faced by many. I just can't comprehend how they can have a
system in place that discourages those with disabilities from getting
married, whether it be in a common law capacity or not: That's
borderline descrimination and robs several people of their dignity.
How fair is it that people with disabilities should be penalized for
conditions that are beyond their control? It makes no sense to me.

Apologies for the rant there. I just wanted to thank those who chimed
in again and felt like sharing my own experiences with others. Perhaps
it's time to write some letters to my local MP and MPPs.

-Marc

> from mypayments -- especially considering she's started saving for her

> retirement and the future as well.
>
> She will be able to make more before you are

> disentitled, but itdepends on a lot of things.

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[Christy Parks]

seems like this post hasnt been commented on in a while and ive searched everywhere for an answer on getting married while BOTH r on disability. how would that work out?! i see many where at least one has a job and whatnot but never the case where both receive odsp. me and my fiance would really like to get married but dont know what will happen to r finances as the both of us need them for r own personal disabilities. 

[L B]

Here’s a link that talks about married couples on ODSP: https://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/documents/en/mcss/social/directives/odsp/income_Support/2_3.pdf

Calculations of how much one would get as a basic income on ODSP based on family size can be found at: https://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/en/mcss/programs/social/directives/odsp/is/6_1_ODSP_ISDirectives.aspx

Calculations for shelter costs based on family size and the amount of rent paid can be found here: https://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/en/mcss/programs/social/directives/odsp/is/6_2_ODSP_ISDirectives.aspx

If you live in subsidized housing you should be okay but check with your housing provider to double- check the rules.

I have no lives experience so perhaps others on this forum can share tips based on what they experience.

Good luck. I pray ODSP doesn’t block your marriage. It shouldn’t.

Louise

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