Latest news with #AssuredIncome
Calgary Herald
24-05-2025
- Health
- Calgary Herald
Opinion: No one should have to struggle to live because they can't find accessible affordable housing
Article content As we mark National AccessAbility Week from May 25 to 31, we celebrate the invaluable contributions of Canadians with disabilities. But we must also acknowledge a sobering reality: Alberta's affordable housing crisis continues to push people with disabilities into poverty, isolation and unsafe living conditions, especially when accessible options are so few and far between. Article content Article content Article content For more than 50 years, Accessible Housing has worked to ensure that Albertans with physical disabilities can live safely and independently in homes that meet their needs. But today, the challenge has never been greater. Demand for accessible, affordable housing far exceeds supply and the consequences are serious. Article content Article content Across Alberta, people with disabilities are disproportionately affected by housing instability. Many rely on the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH), which provides a maximum monthly income of $1,787. With average rents for a one-bedroom unit in Calgary now at almost $1,700, there simply isn't enough money left over for necessities such as food and medication, let alone accessible features that support independence. Article content The problem isn't only affordability — it's access. In Calgary and Edmonton, just two to three per cent of affordable housing units are fully accessible. For people with mobility challenges, that can mean living in a unit where they can't use the bathroom independently, reach kitchen counters or safely exit during an emergency. Others may be forced to remain in hospitals or care facilities longer than needed because no accessible housing is available in the community. Article content Article content This is more than a housing shortage. It's a human-rights issue. Article content When people cannot find housing that meets their physical needs — or afford it even when they do — their health, safety and quality of life are all at risk. They become isolated. They lose autonomy. Their physical and mental health deteriorates. And their sense of inclusion and dignity — something we celebrate during AccessAbility Week — becomes harder to sustain. Article content A recent United Nations report raised serious concerns about Canada's support systems for people with disabilities, including the lack of accessible housing and other essential services. These concerns are also reflected in ongoing legal and policy debates across the country, as we ask ourselves whether we are truly doing enough to support the rights and well-being of people with disabilities.
CBC
26-03-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Alberta to claw back federal disability benefit from AISH recipients
The federal government is rolling out a new Canada Disability Benefit this summer, but qualified recipients in Alberta won't see the extra money if they already receive payments under AISH, or Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped program. The Alberta government plans to reduce AISH payments by $200, the monthly amount for the federal benefit. Jason Nixon, Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services, defended the clawback. Payments for a single person on AISH are $1,901 each month, which he said is the highest in Canada. He said the federal government set a minimum of $1,811 for provinces to meet. "We're going to continue to be committed to it and have already exceeded what the federal government has asked us to do," he said. "We can't continue to have rates as high as we have in our province compared to the rest of the country and then continue to grow indefinitely without seeing serious consequences to our AISH programs long-term." The first month of eligibility for the federal benefit will be this June with the first payments starting in July. To be eligible, individuals need to be aged 18 to 64 and have been approved for the Disability Tax Credit. Frustration and fear AISH recipients are frustrated they won't get the benefits of the new federal payment. Charli McDonald said her husband receives AISH due to multiple disabilities that prevents him from working. McDonald said life is expensive when you have a disability. For example, some of the medical aids her husband needs for mobility are partially or not covered by the Alberta government. She said rent in Grande Prairie is not cheap either. McDonald said people are frightened and despondent about the clawback. She said she is furious over the government's reasoning. "Basically insinuating that you should be thankful that we're giving you this and that we're not reducing your payments," she said. "It was so gross, the whole statement. I was just disgusted." Marie Renaud, the NDP MLA for St. Albert and critic for community and social services, said she has heard many stories about the hardship the clawback will cause after asking for them on social media. Renaud said they include people who live in rural Alberta who skip medical appointments with a specialist in larger centres because they can't afford the travel. "It makes the difference between food bank usage or not," she said. "I heard from all kinds of disabled people that this makes a difference between [their] children being able to participate in sports or for [them] being able to buy new clothing or … being able to get a bus pass this month. "That's how desperate people are." Renaud said it was hard to get the government to admit they were planning to clawback the benefit in the first place.
