Minister of Health announces new financial support program for eligible Canadian thalidomide survivors

Application period for the new program is expected to begin in spring 2019 and remain open for five years

January 9, 2019 - Ottawa, ON - Health Canada

Today, the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Health, announced that the Government of Canada is launching a new financial support program for eligible Canadian thalidomide survivors. In Budget 2018, the Government of Canada recognized that some thalidomide survivors may have been excluded by the eligibility criteria under the Thalidomide Survivors Contribution Program (TSCP) and committed to addressing this concern to help ensure that all eligible thalidomide survivors receive the financial support they need.

A new program, the Canadian Thalidomide Survivors Support Program (CTSSP), will replace the TSCP. The CTSSP will provide a fair and comprehensive approach to identifying thalidomide survivors that is based on international best practices. The program will include a tax-free, lump sum payment to each survivor to help cover urgent health care needs, ongoing annual payments based on level of disability, and an Extraordinary Medical Assistance Fund (EMAF) to support survivors with extraordinary medical expenses such as specialized surgery not otherwise covered by provincial/territorial health care plans or home or vehicle adaptations.

Applicants who are eligible for the CTSSP will receive an ex gratia payment of $250,000, and ongoing tax-free payments. In addition, to account for an anticipated increase in the number of recognized thalidomide survivors, funds available through the EMAF will increase from $500,000 to $1,000,000 per year.

Survivors already supported by the TSCP will automatically transfer to the CTSSP and will continue to receive their benefits. They will also receive an ex gratia payment of $125,000 to equalize the ex gratia payments to survivors under the two programs.

The application period for the CTSSP will launch in spring 2019 and remain open for five years. More information will be made available when the program is launched.

Quotes

“The Government of Canada recognizes how much Canadian thalidomide survivors have already been through. We are committed to helping them to age with dignity. We realize that some thalidomide survivors may have been excluded by the previous program’s eligibility criteria. This new program will align with international best practices to help ensure that eligible thalidomide survivors receive the financial help they need.”

The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor
Minister of Health

Quick Facts

• In 2015, the TSCP was established to provide ongoing financial support to Canadian thalidomide survivors.
• The new CTSSP, which is expected to launch in spring 2019, responds to this commitment.
• The application period for the CTSSP will remain open for five years.

Associated Links

External Administrator website – Thalidomide Survivors Contribution Program
Health Canada – Thalidomide Survivors Contribution Program (TSCP)

Contacts

Thierry Bélair
Office of Ginette Petitpas Taylor
Minister of Health
613-957-0200

Media Relations
Health Canada
613-957-2983
Hc.media.sc@canada.ca

Public Inquiries:
613-957-2991
1-866-225-0709