{"id":3016,"date":"2026-04-13T16:05:07","date_gmt":"2026-04-13T16:05:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/3016\/"},"modified":"2026-04-13T16:05:07","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T16:05:07","slug":"councillor-warns-aish-overhaul-could-put-strain-on-calgary-services","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/3016\/","title":{"rendered":"Councillor warns AISH overhaul could put strain on Calgary services"},"content":{"rendered":"

Calgary city council is wading into the debate over planned changes to provincial disability support, as Ward 8 Coun. Nathan Schmidt calls for a more collaborative approach.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In a notice of motion set to be heard at the April 14 executive committee meeting, Coun. Schmidt is seeking approval for Mayor Jeromy Farkas to write a letter to the Government of Alberta to halt implementation of the Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP) and proposed cuts to the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH).<\/p>\n

The motion also calls on the province to consult directly with people with disabilities, advocacy groups and municipalities, as well as publicly report on the social and economic impacts before moving forward.<\/p>\n

Coun. Schmidt said the motion came about after hearing concerns from advocates and constituents, and follows similar calls from other Alberta municipalities, including Edmonton, Red Deer, Camrose and Lethbridge.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy focus was specifically on the effects this could have on Calgary, but knowing that we\u2019re not alone in asking for this is definitely helpful,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe united front with municipalities is, I think, always beneficial.\u201d<\/p>\n

Under the proposed provincial framework, the majority of current AISH recipients, roughly 23,000 Calgarians, would transition to ADAP starting July 1. According to the Government of Alberta website<\/a>, under ADAP, recipients would lose $200 a month in benefits and anyone earning more than $700 a month would see a reduction in their benefits. Under AISH, income over $1,000 caused reductions.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

For Coun. Schmidt, those seemingly small reductions are massive for those living paycheque-to-paycheque.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we\u2019re talking about people who are on AISH, a couple of hundred dollars a month can be the difference between affording food, transit and the place they live,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe concerns are really around the uncertainty of how they will be able to function with dignity in our city.\u201d<\/p>\n

The motion also highlights the financial burden this will place on the city, community organizations and taxpayers, which will have to fill the gaps created by these cuts.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe as a city will bear the brunt of the potential negative effects of this type of change, because of the programming that we fund and deliver to people who have income insecurity,\u201d Schmidt said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Frontline organizations are already stretched thin<\/p>\n

Gabriella Wong Ken, co-founder of Good Neighbour and a practicing nurse, said demand for basic needs like food and clothing is already high. If ADAP goes forward, she expects it to only get worse for her clients, many of whom are on AISH or other social service programs.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re already accessing services where they can get free or low-cost clothing and food and hygiene items from us, just based on their current income level,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, that likely will just continue to get worse.\u201d<\/p>\n

She added that the nonprofit is already serving more than 200 people a day, which is stretching their resources thin. She warned that Good Neighbour isn\u2019t the only organization feeling the burden.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the nonprofit sector as a whole has been sounding the alarm for many years now about how the demand for everything has gone up exponentially, and how a lot of our services just cannot keep up anymore,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Wong Ken pointed out that this will further strain Alberta\u2019s healthcare system and worsen the health of Albertans already facing difficult situations.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re talking about folks who already are living with disabilities and likely have extensive health needs. So this will likely also put more stress on our healthcare system, which is already stressed,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re also impacting people\u2019s mental health, their social ability, their ability to go out and enjoy their life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Like Coun. Schmidt,\u00a0 Wong Ken emphasized the need for meaningful consultation before any changes move ahead.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think being able to pause this decision and really take the time to do some proper engagement with them, I think will be crucial and will actually show the government what would be beneficial for folks that are on these programs,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

If approved by committee, the motion will move forward to the regular council meeting to be considered for approval in late April.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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