Latest news with #AssuredIncomefortheSeverelyHandicapped
Edmonton Journal
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Edmonton Journal
Opinion: AISH clawback underscores Alberta's fraying social contract
There's a dangerous myth woven into Alberta's treatment of its citizens with disabilities: the idea that they should simply be grateful. Grateful for surviving, grateful for scraps, grateful for a system that does not support their well-being, but barely keeps them breathing. But gratitude is not justice, and survival is not dignity. Former premier Peter Lougheed once understood that. When he created the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH), it was visionary, a bold commitment to lifting Albertans with disabilities out of poverty and away from the stigma of welfare. It was a moral promise, not just a budget line, to protect those who could not protect themselves — not out of pity, but out of principle. That promise has been broken. Today, AISH is framed as 'generous,' but only in the most cynical of comparisons. Alberta pays slightly more than other provinces, in a country where every disability program leaves people below the poverty line. Bragging about being the best of the worst is not a mark of excellence; it's a distraction. The current rate of $1,902 per month sounds decent until you try to live on it in Calgary or Edmonton. After rent, utilities and food, most recipients are left choosing between medication and bus fare. This isn't generosity, it's slow deprivation, dressed in news releases. And now, the Canada Disability Benefit, a long-awaited federal program meant to lift people out of poverty, is being clawed back by Alberta. AISH recipients are told to apply, only to have every federal dollar deducted from their provincial benefit. What should have been a turning point is instead a trap. Alberta isn't supplementing, it's siphoning. This is not how a just society behaves. Justice means supporting people with disabilities not just in survival, but in well-being. It means recognizing that many want to work, but face unpredictable health conditions, chronic pain, PTSD or fatigue, which make conventional employment impossible. True justice offers flexibility, accommodation and stability, not punishment for failing to meet able-bodied expectations. Yet, the myth persists that people with disabilities should be content with what they're given. That mere existence should be enough to inspire gratitude. It's a degrading expectation. No one tells millionaires to be grateful for tax breaks. No one asks oil companies to be thankful for subsidies. But people with disabilities? They're told to smile while the social safety net is exchanged for a trampoline with a hole in it. I've seen what happens when the system fails. When an adult with a disability loses the parent they relied on, they don't just lose a caregiver, they lose their home, their structure and their hope. They fall, and there's no net. And when they spiral into mental-health crises, the system shrugs. This isn't a fluke; it's the outcome of choices made by people in power. And yet, Albertans with disabilities remain resilient. They remain proud. They are grateful, not for crumbs, but for every person who treats them with respect, for every doctor who listens, every stranger who sees their worth, every advocate who still has the energy to fight. But make no mistake, they are owed more than gratitude. They are owed justice. For justice is the price of civilization. Lougheed understood this more than 40 years ago. The current government has forgotten. Instead of defending dignity, they chase surpluses and weaponize austerity. But we, persons with disabilities, understand.
Calgary Herald
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Calgary Herald
Opinion: AISH clawback underscores Alberta's fraying social contract
There's a dangerous myth woven into Alberta's treatment of its citizens with disabilities: the idea that they should simply be grateful. Grateful for surviving, grateful for scraps, grateful for a system that does not support their well-being, but barely keeps them breathing. But gratitude is not justice, and survival is not dignity. Former premier Peter Lougheed once understood that. When he created the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH), it was visionary, a bold commitment to lifting Albertans with disabilities out of poverty and away from the stigma of welfare. It was a moral promise, not just a budget line, to protect those who could not protect themselves — not out of pity, but out of principle. That promise has been broken. Today, AISH is framed as 'generous,' but only in the most cynical of comparisons. Alberta pays slightly more than other provinces, in a country where every disability program leaves people below the poverty line. Bragging about being the best of the worst is not a mark of excellence; it's a distraction. The current rate of $1,902 per month sounds decent until you try to live on it in Calgary or Edmonton. After rent, utilities and food, most recipients are left choosing between medication and bus fare. This isn't generosity, it's slow deprivation, dressed in news releases. And now, the Canada Disability Benefit, a long-awaited federal program meant to lift people out of poverty, is being clawed back by Alberta. AISH recipients are told to apply, only to have every federal dollar deducted from their provincial benefit. What should have been a turning point is instead a trap. Alberta isn't supplementing, it's siphoning. This is not how a just society behaves. Justice means supporting people with disabilities not just in survival, but in well-being. It means recognizing that many want to work, but face unpredictable health conditions, chronic pain, PTSD or fatigue, which make conventional employment impossible. True justice offers flexibility, accommodation and stability, not punishment for failing to meet able-bodied expectations. Yet, the myth persists that people with disabilities should be content with what they're given. That mere existence should be enough to inspire gratitude. It's a degrading expectation. No one tells millionaires to be grateful for tax breaks. No one asks oil companies to be thankful for subsidies. But people with disabilities? They're told to smile while the social safety net is exchanged for a trampoline with a hole in it. I've seen what happens when the system fails. When an adult with a disability loses the parent they relied on, they don't just lose a caregiver, they lose their home, their structure and their hope. They fall, and there's no net. And when they spiral into mental-health crises, the system shrugs. This isn't a fluke; it's the outcome of choices made by people in power. And yet, Albertans with disabilities remain resilient. They remain proud. They are grateful, not for crumbs, but for every person who treats them with respect, for every doctor who listens, every stranger who sees their worth, every advocate who still has the energy to fight. But make no mistake, they are owed more than gratitude. They are owed justice. For justice is the price of civilization. Lougheed understood this more than 40 years ago. The current government has forgotten. Instead of defending dignity, they chase surpluses and weaponize austerity. But we, persons with disabilities, understand.
Global News
11-07-2025
- Health
- Global News
Alberta government sets deadline for AISH recipients to apply for CDB
In June, the federal government launched a $200-a-month Canada Disability Benefit (CDB). On Wednesday, Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) recipients received a letter from the Alberta government explaining, starting in October, an equivalent $200 will be deducted from their AISH benefit. 'We've been sort of waiting to hear what the next steps are, and it sounds like the steps outlined in the letter are the proverbial shoe dropping,' said Zachary Weeks, disability advocate. Amie Detwiler has relied on monthly AISH income for the past seven years, after suffering a stroke that paralyzed the left side of her body. 'It feels like the federal government said, 'We're going to help you,' and the provincial government is saying, no, we're not, actually,' Detwiler said after receiving the letter. Story continues below advertisement AISH is intended to guarantee a minimum level of support for people needing it. Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'Danielle Smith and the UCP are the only government in Canada that are essentially stealing this money away from working-age, really low-income, severely disabled people,' said Marie Renaud, NDP critic for the ministry of Assisted Living and Social Services. 1:57 AISH advocates question new ADAP program The province says the monthly AISH minimums will remain at $1,901 per month, plus personal and medical benefits — claiming that's more than any other province. The federal CDB would now make up a portion of those payments. 'We are pleased that the federal government is finally starting to pay their fair share to help support Albertans with disabilities,' the province said in a statement. But Detweiler said this feels to her like she's balancing the provincial budget. Story continues below advertisement 'I would like to advocate for people with disabilities to understand that it's not our responsibility to make our government whole financially,' said Detweiler.
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
AISH recipients in community housing will see rent hike under new Alberta regulations
Albertans who receive payments under AISH, or Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped, who live in community housing where rent is set at 30 per cent of income will soon see the amount increase by $220 a month. Changes to the Social Housing Accommodation Regulation, approved by cabinet via orders-in-council in May and June, will result in an AISH recipient who receives $1,901 a month paying $570 in rent. The current amount is $349 a month. The changes take effect Oct. 1 for new tenants or at an existing tenant's next annual rent review. AISH recipients used to have $735 of their monthly amount exempted from the eligible income used to determine rent. An order in council signed on May 15 by Assisted Living and Social Services Minister Jason Nixon removed that exemption. Personal benefits remain exempt. This set of benefits covers expenses such as some of the cost of medical equipment and supplies, special dietary needs and maintenance of wheelchairs and scooters. The changes are meant to "increase fairness" in how rent is assessed. People on government benefit programs like AISH and income support pay about 17 per cent of their income on rent. Nixon was not made available for an interview with CBC News. His press secretary provided a written statement instead. "Under the revised approach, rent for social community housing tenants and housing benefit recipients will be calculated as 30 per cent of total household income, treating household income from employment and assistance programs equally," Amber Edgerton wrote in an email. "This new approach aligns with the 2020 Affordable Housing Review Panel recommendations and creates a clear, standardized approach to rent setting that is fair to all tenants." Housing providers were notified about the change via a June 13 letter from an assistant deputy minister in Nixon's department. Irene Martin-Lindsay, executive director of the Alberta Seniors and Community Housing Association, said housing providers asked for the change to simplify how the rent is calculated. The current system creates inequities in rent depending on a tenant's circumstances, she said. Someone who is employed or on senior benefits is charged 30 per cent of their income or more depending on the size of the unit. Martin-Lindsay said providers will advocate with the government to ensure people on AISH get the support they need. "We agree with equitable treatment of income in principle, but we don't want to create hardship for anybody because we know that everybody's situation isn't the same," she said. "Do they have other medical costs that can't be covered? Do they have other expenses that are over and above? Housing is one piece of what you need to live on." Groups that advocate for people with disabilities say they hadn't heard about the changes until they were contacted by CBC News. Doug Manderville, president of the board of directors for Voice of Albertans with Disabilities, was once on AISH after becoming quadriplegic in his early twenties. He is upset the Alberta government will not allow AISH recipients to keep the $200 Canada Disability Benefit, making it an outlier among the provinces. Manderville says the rent increases will add more financial strain. "People with disabilities struggle enough, whether it be physically or mentally," Manderville said. "Struggle every single day, just getting up in the morning, just having proper services, proper care, proper housing, food on the table and now they have to worry about this … it's not fair." The government is taking additional measures to determine rent and rental subsidies. The Canada Child Benefit and Alberta Child and Family Benefit will be included as income for setting rent for people who receive rent supplements starting Jan. 1, 2027. The same benefits will be considered eligible income when determining rent in community housing at the start of 2028, which will result in rent supplements decreasing and rents increasing for this set of renters. Civida, a social housing provider in Edmonton, said 16 per cent of their tenants have AISH as their primary source of income. In a written statement, the organization said it plans to implement the changes. "We are preparing clear communication and resources to help residents understand and plan for the changes, including direct outreach, budgeting tools and additional supports."
Calgary Herald
20-06-2025
- Business
- Calgary Herald
Opinion: In Alberta's grab for federal cash, Albertans with disabilities pay the price
Starting in July, Canadians with disabilities are due to start receiving an extra $200 per month — except in Alberta, where that additional income will instead flow to the provincial government. Article content The federal Canada Disability Benefit is designed to address poverty and enhance financial security for working-age individuals with disabilities. Its primary goal is to reduce pervasive disability poverty and improve recipients' quality of life by providing them with consistent, additional income. Only $200 a month is completely inadequate to achieve this goal, but people with disabilities in Alberta will not even experience that meagre increase in their finances. Article content Article content Article content The Alberta government plans to claw back the benefit from any recipients receiving income support. People with disabilities face barriers to employment and consequently are more reliant on government income programs than people without disabilities. In Alberta, these programs include Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH). Article content Article content Any amount an individual receives under the Canada Disability Benefit will be deducted, dollar for dollar, from the amounts they are eligible to receive under AISH. In other words, Albertans who receive AISH will not benefit from the federal program. The Alberta government has cut $49 million in funding for the AISH program in anticipation of the amounts it will reap from clawing back the Canada Disability Benefit. Article content Alberta is the only province clawing back the benefit. It has justified its stance with the argument that AISH's benefits are higher than comparable income support programs in other provinces. But keep in mind that the maximum living allowance for a single person under AISH is $1,901 a month ($22,812 per year). In 2024, Statistics Canada estimated that the cost of a 'modest, basic standard of living' in Alberta would be between $27,886 and $29,736, depending on where in the province a person lived. AISH is insufficient to cover these costs, even with the extra $2,400 a year that the Canada Disability Benefit would provide if not clawed back. Article content Article content Alberta's decision to claw back the Canada Disability Benefit from AISH recipients is troubling enough on its own. But, Alberta will also have power under the AISH regulations to reduce or terminate the benefits of any AISH recipient who fails to apply for the new benefit. To receive the Canada Disability Benefit, an individual must qualify for a federal Disability Tax Credit. So, AISH recipients will be forced to apply for both the tax credit and the benefit, despite the knowledge that they will not benefit from either, and under threat of having their AISH benefits reduced or terminated. Article content Many people struggle to complete the Disability Tax Credit application. Finding a health-care provider willing to complete the necessary forms can be challenging, especially for the more than 650,000 Albertans in need of a family doctor. Cost is also a barrier, as health-care providers may charge fees as high as $300 to complete the forms.
