There have been some significant impacts due to cutbacks in funding from the Alberta government affecting disability service groups including in Lloydminster, says Tami Smith, executive director with Inclusion Lloydminster.
In 2025, Alberta removed $49 million from AISH programs and $500,000 from Inclusion Alberta funding.
Smith’s comments came following the 15th Inclusion Breakfast hosted by Inclusion Lloydminster and Inclusion Alberta at the Lloydminster Exhibition on Thursday, May 7.
“Organizations that support persons with disabilities have also experienced funding cuts. Events like today are really important to generate some funds for us, so that we can be there to support families,” says Smith.
Thursday’s breakfast fundraiser tallied $161,481 to support children and adults with intellectual disabilities and their families.
AISH to ADAP
Last December, Inclusion Alberta raised concerns about Bill 12 cutting benefits by $200 per month for persons with disabilities. Also, reducing earnings exemptions from $1,072 to $350, and removing legislated cost-of-living adjustments. The group warned these changes will push thousands of Albertans with disabilities deeper into poverty and strip away appeal rights for those moved from AISH to ADAP.
CEO of Inclusion Alberta speaking in Lloydminster noted the difficulties over the last few months.
“Life is getting harder for people with intellectual disabilities,” Trish Bowman shared at the Inclusion Breakfast.
On July 1, most people who are on the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) program will be transferred to the Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP).
“They will see their income drop by $200 a month,” says Bowman. “We are talking upwards of 50-60,000 Albertans, who will have their income drop by $200 per month.”
Bowman notes that the government indicated clients would be given employment supports to recoup the $200.
“The expectation that people are going to be able to get and keep enough employment to actually be better off than if they [the government] had just left AISH alone is unrealistic,” says Bowman.
Improve AISH
Inclusion Alberta has advocated other options to improve employment possibilities by improving AISH, says Bowman, who notes people on AISH can work and earn up to $1,072 a month – fully exempt income.
“[The government] could have changed the clawback rate after the first $1,072 fully exempted. Also, they could have changed it so that if you earned too much money to be off AISH, you could still keep your medical benefits. They could have changed earning exemptions. They could have increased the disability employment supports available to people on AISH to help them find and keep work,” says Bowman.
Permanently unemployable
Dealing with the sentiment that getting on AISH is easy, Bowman says the old system had “pretty strong checks and balances.” She notes that some people are being allowed to stay on AISH with one caveat.
“The difference is they have now changed AISH to say that anyone who remains in AISH is permanently unemployable,” says Bowman.
“Being defined as permanently unemployable is a very devaluing label to place on people.”
People who move to ADAP are determined to have some ability to be employed.
Celebrating accomplishments
The Inclusion Breakfast event featured several stories of families and loved ones overcoming. A mother shared that she wants “more families to move from fear and uncertainty to hope.” The transition in her son’s life happened because of the programs and resources available through Inclusion Alberta and Inclusion Lloydminster.
“So many of the stories we tell are of people whom others would say are permanently unemployable. They are not. They enrich our communities. They gain employment. They improve their financial circumstances,” says Bowman. “But more importantly – they belong. They enrich our workplaces and our neighbourhoods.”
Making dreams come true
Inclusion Lloydminster is encouraging those who can contribute to consider becoming a Dream Maker by clicking on this link.
More details are available on the Inclusion Lloydminster website.
