Notice of motion calling for pause of changes to AISH and ADAP passed by Red Deer city council

A notice of motion, brought forward by a Red Deer city councillor asking the city to join other Alberta communities in advocating for the provincial government to pause changes to a program that helps people with disabilities, has been unanimously approved.

Red Deer city council supported the notice of motion, brought forward by councillor Cassandra Curtis, asking for Mayor Cindy Jefferies to advocate for the provincial government to immediately pause the recent changes to the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) and the Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP).

The motion also calls for “the Government of Alberta to undertake meaningful, accessible consultation with persons with disabilities, advocacy organizations, and community partners, including medical professionals.”

As well, it calls for the province to publicly report on the social and economic impacts of these changes before moving forward.

Further to the motion, the City of Red Deer supports community well-being and has a vested interest in ensuring that individuals with disabilities receive adequate financial support from other orders of government that lifts the recipients out of poverty and does not create new barriers to pursuing employment.

The motion states Red Deerians are concerned about amendments to AISH that were legislated in the passing of Bill 12, Financial Statutes Amendment Act, on Dec. 9, 2025.

The passing of the bill supports the creation of ADAP and will transition many of those on AISH onto ADAP automatically.

The concerns, according to the motion, are around a lack of definitions about employability and the fact that there is no right to appeal placement on ADAP. There is also a concern that benefits can be changed by regulation while regulations have not yet been created.

In addition, Bill 12 revokes a requirement that the provincial government increase benefits on an annual basis as part of cost-of-living adjustments.

Curtis said it’s important to advocate with experts on the matter and for those who are directly impacted.

She said it’s critical for effective policy reform and helps to reduce unintended consequences.

“I think that as leaders, we do what we can to ensure that nobody in our city is left behind,” she said.

Curtis explained changes to ADAP will mean people with disabilities will receive $200 less per month, from $1,900 to $1,700.

There will also be, she added, a large portion of people who cannot work, cannot find work, or will not be able to work at the level needed to replace the $200.

“Something else that came out of Bill 12 is it repeals the legislative schedule requiring the provincial government to increase benefits on an annual basis,” she said. “There will be no indexing, and this will lead to more downloading on our municipality, possibly when it comes to the increased unhoused population with substantial barriers.”

Curtis said this is already a gap in the community, given the lack of supportive housing and the general housing shortage.

“There are people in our city that already have access to employment supports without any barriers that are having difficulty obtaining employment, and this includes youth that are already competing for entry-level jobs,” she added.

Currently, there are over 79,000 Albertans on AISH. Other municipalities that have joined the call include Lethbridge, Edmonton, Calgary, and communities within the Inter-City Forum on Social Policy, among others.

Deputy Mayor Kraymer Barnstable questioned whether council should get involved when it’s a provincial government issue and out of Red Deer’s control.

He said he doesn’t underestimate the value of advocating for citizens as they’re in the midst of other advocacy efforts. Despite that, he ultimately supported the motion.

Curtis explained that no socio-economic assessment has been done on the policy, and therefore, we don’t know what the unintended consequences are going to be.

“Another thing to consider is we have a shortage of psychiatrists in our city, and when it comes to even medical practitioners and trying to attract that talent to Alberta, there are concerns this is going to add to an increased workload,” Curtis said.

“If we do not advocate for individuals who cannot advocate for themselves, who will be?”

Councillor Adam Goodwin said it’s important to weigh in on these types of things occasionally because residents are the ones who will feel the consequences.

“[There are] unintended consequences and then there’s the clearly noticeable consequences that are going to come, which will be increased homelessness, increased strain on our emergency services,” Goodwin said.

Councillor Dianne Wyntjes said she also heard similar concerns from citizens who receive government support.

“I believe that council can be a voice for those who are affected by poverty and by this decision,” she said.

Councillor Chad Krahn said in previous roles, he worked with people on AISH and dealt with the program. He said it’s a program that needs a lot of reform, including in how it affects people.

He believes some of the changes made by the government are long overdue.

“In terms of this particular case, in reducing funding for our most vulnerable, we have to take a long look and be careful about what the ripple effects will be on our community and what that looks like for those people,” Krahn said. “I think this is a reasonable use of our voice to the provincial government as well, in chorus with other municipalities that are also really concerned.”

Meantime, councillor Tristin Brisbois said she understands the provincial government has to make cuts, but doesn’t believe this is the right place to make them. She said it will end up costing everyone more in the end.

Councillor Jaelene Tweedle said in her other role, she helps a lot of people who also happen to be on AISH. She said the people who are in the program range from adults to seniors and those with physical disabilities to those with PTSD.

“We are the closest level of government to the people that are served, and the further removed you get, the more willing you are to make decisions without seeing what the repercussions are,” Tweedle said. “At the end of that day, if the government does nothing with this, our citizens know we spoke up for them.”

The ADAP is scheduled to launch on July 1, 2026.

The government says the ADAP will empower Albertans with disabilities to pursue meaningful employment while continuing to receive the supports they need.

According to information released by the provincial government in March, the province says the ADAP is being designed based on the input of Albertans with disabilities.

The input has led to multiple decisions, including increasing the employment income exemption for single clients on ADAP to $700 per month.

In addition, current AISH clients who meet the criteria will automatically remain on AISH, unless they choose to transition to ADAP to benefit from ADAP’s higher employment income exemptions.

Another decision, Alberta’s government will cover the cost of one medical assessment for current AISH clients who transition to ADAP on July 1 and later choose to be reassessed for AISH.