Latest news with #AssuredIncomefortheSeverelyHandicapped
Edmonton Journal
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Edmonton Journal
Cam Tait: Alberta's official disability advocates dropped the ball on CDB clawback
Article content The story goes that, back in 1955, an Edmonton newspaper columnist, listening to Bryan Hall on CKUA and aware of a sports announcer vacancy at 630 CHED, tapped out a piece saying Hall should apply. Article content Article content Article content Let's dig a little deeper. Article content Minorities, it can be said, have their own struggles — a subset of generational challenges. Article content I live with disability. Article content The generation of people living with disability before mine fought to have handicapped — the buzzword of the day — people living in the community rather than hospitals. Article content When I rolled on to the scene in the early 1970s as a young man old enough to accept the obligation of tugging on the communal rope to further the inclusion of people with disability, there were new things to advocate for. Article content Article content Curb cuts. Accessible transportation services. Innovative housing programs. Adequate income programs. Education support systems. Article content Article content And more. Article content While most of those boxes are checked off, there is always the need to do more: to reflect the increasing population of Albertans with disability, and the changing ways of society itself. Article content That brings us to today. Article content In Alberta, the big battle — and it is beyond big — is the provincial government maliciously clawing back the $200 federal supplement, the Canadian Disability Benefit, from people on the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped — the only province to show its graceless greed by taking it back. Article content The $200 a month, plus the province's $1,9021, would mean people receiving AISH would get $2,102 a month, or $25,224 per year. Article content More importantly, it would bring people receiving AISH closer to the Canadian poverty line — $24,252 per month.
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."
