A new report from the University of Calgary is raising concerns about the province’s overhaul of disability income support. Researchers with the university’s School of Public Policy examined the UCP government’s Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP), which will launch on July 1. ADAP will not replace Alberta’s existing disability benefit system - Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) - but it will provide more opportunities for employment for those residents, the government said. Right now, more than 80,000 Albertans use the AISH program. ADAP will reduce the maximum monthly benefit to $1,740 – $200 less than what AISH currently provides. That money will also be reduced by $200 for recipients of the federal government’s disability benefit. The Smith government says the transition will be covered by a separate $200 benefit, but only until Dec. 31, 2027. Policy experts have told CTV News that no matter what the benefit is - AISH or ADAP - both put recipients well below Canada’s poverty line. ADAP will also divide recipients into two groups based on their assessed ability to work. The province has said these changes are intended to improve long-term sustainability and encourage greater workforce participation. However, report authors argue the reforms could have the opposite effect, and they raise concerns about whether ADAP’s current design will achieve its stated goals. The report identifies what it calls “two structural gaps” in ADAP’s design. They include the absence of employer-side obligations to create accessible workplaces – and policy design choices, including reduced benefit levels, lower earning exemptions and weakened appeal mechanisms which may discourage employment rather than support it. “ADAP focuses really heavily on the individual recipient, but what we are arguing about is there’s really a big need for employer-side reform,” said report author Dr. Jennifer Zwicker. "Employment policy for people with disabilities can’t succeed if it only focuses on the individual and ignores the labour market that they’re trying to enter.” Instead of a two-tier system, the report recommends a unified program in which all recipients receive the AISH base rate of $1,940 dollars per month. As well as stronger employment supports, higher earning exemptions and continued access to medical benefits. They are also calling on a pause of the ADAP rollout to allow time for evidence-based redesign. Province says it will provide supports In a statement to CTV News, the provincial government said it plans to provide “customized, one-on-one support and access to resources” to ADAP recipients to help them learn new skills and work. “Employment services will include holistic wraparound supports designed to address a wide range of personal, social and practical barriers that may impact an individual’s ability to find and maintain employment. Supports include career planning, assistive technology and supported job placements, as well as resources to help employers break down accessibility barriers in their workplace,” said Jonah Pickle, press secretary for the minister of assisted living and social services. “At the same time, Alberta’s government is strengthening its engagement with employers to help create more employment opportunities for Albertans with disabilities. “Employment Services agreements already include dedicated employer support services that help businesses recruit, hire and retain a diverse workforce, including persons with disabilities. Strengthening these partnerships will help improve job matching, support successful workplace integration and increase long-term employment retention.” According to statistics, just 15 per cent of AISH recipients are employed. AISH not going away When ADAP officially rolls out next month, AISH will still exist for those that need it, the province says. All individuals who have severe disabilities that make them permanently unable to work will remain on the old program and receive the same benefits. The application process for both benefits requires recipients to be assessed to determine if they are deemed “able to work.” If an ADAP client’s ability to work or medical condition changes, they can apply for an AISH assessment. The Alberta government will cover the cost of one medical assessment for current AISH clients who switch to ADAP and later choose to be assessed for AISH.
