Manitoba Government Invests Historic $81 Million to Increase DSP Wages

March 2023 marked a historic announcement for people with intellectual disabilities in Manitoba!

As you may have heard, if you listened or read the Manitoba Budget, Community Living Disability Services received the largest increase to its budget since the inception in the 1960's. The budget outlines more than $81 million to the service providers of Community Living disABILITY Services and Children's disABILITY Services to raise the average funded wage rate to $19 per hour. This represents a 19% increase to the overall budget.

This announcement was a culmination of years of consistent and persistent advocacy by many advocacy groups, organizations and individuals. Our community can be incredibly proud that the intentional and determined advocacy is beginning to pay off. This announcement brought relief and optimism that we will be able to stabilize and heal from the past years of incredibly challenging times, and hope for significant improvements for Manitobans with intellectual disabilities and their families.

From the Budget Speech:

"We have heard from Abilities Manitoba and other organizations that these historically low wages hurt the quality of care for people with intellectual disabilities. We are taking action with $81 million to establish an average funded wage of $19 per hour for all disability service workers funded by our government. We have heard the sector loud and clear. Madam Speaker, we are investing over $640 million in the disability services this year. We are providing help for more Manitobans with disabilities than ever before."

From the Budget Papers:

This investment represents a 19% increase from the previous year and is the largest single investment in Community Living disABILITY Services since the program’s inception and includes:

• $79.7-million earmarked for increasing the funded wage rate from $15.11 per hour to $19 per hour for frontline residential, respite and day service workers providing Community Living disABILITY Services;
• $2-million earmarked for increasing the funded wage to $19 per hour for front-line workers providing Children’s disABILITY Services; and
• $21.4-million to expand the capacity of the Community Living disABILITY Services program to support new entrants."

You can view the full budget here

Thank you to everyone involved for their tireless efforts to raise awareness and impact change.