Red Deer resident Betty Smith says her 28-year-old son, and many others with disabilities in Alberta who receive AISH, are being unfairly punished by the provincial government. (ID 24862552 © Dearisara | Dreamstime.com)

By Josh Hall | @Vancan19

alberta proud of highest rate in canada

Ottawa asked provinces to make AISH top-up exempt, but UCP sticking to its guns in choosing not to do so

Apr 5, 2025 | 12:58 PM

Alberta’s governing United Conservatives are adamant that current recipients of the provincial Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) program are eligible for a recently announced federal boost to the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) worth $200.

But there’s a catch — the $200 offered by the federal Ministry of Employment and Social Development is being applied by the Alberta government as ‘non-exempt.’

This means an Albertan AISH recipient, who is single, collecting the regular monthly sum of $1,901 will still get the same amount, because the $200 from Ottawa allows the province to lower its contribution dollar-for-dollar.

rdnewsNOW inquired with the federal ministry if this was the spirit and intent of the $200, or if it was meant to be in addition to each province’s current contribution.

“While recognizing that provincial and territorial authorities are ultimately responsible for determining how their programs will treat the new benefit, the federal government has called on them to exempt [as opposed to non-exempt] Canada Disability Benefit payments from counting as income in relation to provincial or territorial supports,” said Liana Brault, media relations, Employment and Social Development Canada.

Provincial Funding

New welding space open at Olds College for CACI students

13h ago

PLEDGE SIGNING CEREMONY

Red Deer Polytechnic joins growing movement to improve addiction recovery supports on campus

13h ago

STREAMING NOW

Red Deer local launches video podcast highlighting Indigenous resilience

16h ago

“Since provincial and territorial benefits do not fall under federal jurisdiction, the federal government cannot dictate to provinces and territories how they will treat the CDB.”

Brault added the federal government’s goal is to ensure all Canadians with disabilities are better off because of the CDB.

Ashley Stevenson, press secretary for Alberta’s Ministry of Seniors, Community and Social Services, said the UCP is proud to offer the highest disability benefit rate in Canada, adding that Alberta is one of just two provinces to exceed the federal government’s benchmark of $1,814/month for benefit rates of this kind.

rdnewsNOW asked why Alberta is deciding to make the $200 non-exempt rather than exempt.

“We are happy to see the federal government is finally stepping up to help support low-income Canadians with disabilities through the Canadian Disability Benefit (CDB). The CDB will be non-exempt income for AISH recipients, meaning Albertans on AISH will continue to receive the same overall monthly support that they do today,” said Stevenson.

“We are incredibly pleased that the federal government is finally starting to pay their fair share to help support Albertans with disabilities. Alberta’s government is committed to ensuring that our province continues to have the best disability programs in Canada.”

Stevenson also pointed to federal CDB regulations, which state:

“The intention is to see the combined amount of federal and provincial or territorial income supports for persons with disabilities grow to be comparable to the support provided through Old Age Security and the Guaranteed Income Supplement to fundamentally address the rates of poverty experienced by persons with disabilities.”

As Stevenson also noted, the AISH rate will see an annual indexed increase of two per cent, with over 80,000 recipients in the province.

Disappointment is being felt by many though, including Red Deer’s Betty Smith, whose 28-year-old son has been on AISH for 10 years.

In 2017, her son’s monthly AISH amount was $1,588; it became $1,685 in 2018, where it stayed until 2023 when it was hiked to $1,787. It was $1,863 in 2024 before arriving at $1,901 this year, which is equal to just below $23,000 per year.

Smith said her son is unfortunately unemployable, directing a pointed message at Jason Nixon, who is the minister calling the shots on this issue.

“I’d like to see Jason Nixon try and live on $22,000 a year and see what he could do with that. They’re looking for an easy fix for something, and they’re deciding to pull from the vulnerable. It’s very demeaning,” Smith told rdnewsNOW.

“It shows they really don’t care about the vulnerable.”

Smith surmises that ironically, one factor working against people with disabilities — in her son’s case, global developmental delays — is that employers, under the Alberta Human Rights Act, actually do have to pay those with disabilities the same as anyone else.

Employers tend to then go for those without challenges, she believes.

Smith’s son lives on his own, and can’t live with others, due to his challenges. He pays $1,345 for rent, plus he has to pay for power, groceries and transportation, among other things.

“That’s why there’s AISH. It’s very unfair by Jason Nixon to this this money that should be going to people with disabilities so that they can pay these things,” Smith continued.

“The government has said it’s fine paying $1,901 per month, so the new amount being given by the federal government shouldn’t be absorbed by the province.”

Smith ended, saying she simply doesn’t want to see her son out on the streets one day, perhaps after his parents are gone, because the government felt it could take money away from vulnerable people.

She also urged her fellow Albertans and AISH community members alike to contact their local MLA if they’re not pleased with the move.

Added Stevenson, “We invite all our provincial counterparts to step up and match Alberta’s generous rates.”

Stevenson noted AISH recipients also receive personal and medical benefits worth over $400 monthly. As well, she said, the projected cost of Alberta’s AISH program accounted for various things, including anticipated contributions of the new federal CDB — even though the province has been paying $1,901 per month since January.

The Ministry of Seniors, Community and Social Services was asked to clarify where the $200 per person it’s going to save will go, but they did not provide a response.

For local news delivered daily to your email inbox, subscribe for free to the rdnewsNOW newsletter here. You can also download the rdnewsNOW mobile app in the Google Play and the Apple App Stores.