THE BLEAK MARKET
Disability Without Poverty
The maximum monthly benefit available to Canadians living with disabilities is $1,428.50 — roughly $1,000 below the poverty line in cities like Vancouver.
As a result, many are forced to sell life-saving equipment and prescription medication just to make ends meet.
To confront Canadians with this invisible crisis, we created The Bleak Market: an underground black market featuring real, anonymized listings of the unthinkable — inhalers, mobility aids, insulin — posted by those with no other options.
The campaign struck a nerve, quickly gaining attention from media, disability advocates, and policymakers.
A few months later, the Senate passed Bill C-22 — landmark legislation aimed at reducing poverty and improving financial security for working-age persons with disabilities.
