For thousands of Albertans with disabilities, the close of 2025 was marked by profound uncertainty. The provincial government's plan to reform its primary income support program, Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH), has left recipients anxiously awaiting details, particularly concerning the introduction of new medical review panels.
The Core of the Controversy: Medical Panels and Reduced Payments
Central to the proposed changes is the creation of the Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP), set to launch in July 2026. While ADAP offers fewer clawbacks on employment income, its base payment is lower. The pivotal—and for many, frightening—element is a new medical review process. These panels will have the ultimate authority to decide if an individual is medically able to work.
Those deemed able to work would be placed on ADAP, receiving a maximum of $1,740 per month. This is $200 less than the current AISH payment of $1,901 (scheduled to rise to $1,940 in July 2026). For the approximately 77,000 Albertans currently on AISH, this potential reduction is not just a number.
"Going from $1,900 a month, which is already below the poverty line, to $1,700 a month, for many, will push them into the deep poverty threshold," advocates warn. The fear is that the panels will act as a stringent gatekeeper, redefining disability in a way that excludes many who currently qualify.
A Fundamental Shift in Defining Disability
Disability community advocate Zachary Weeks calls the reforms "one of the largest restructurings of disability income support in decades." The greatest anxiety, he notes, stems from the unknown. "The greatest fear is the fear of the unknown, and that's what we've consistently seen throughout the rollout of this," Weeks stated.
Trish Bowman, CEO of Inclusion Alberta, highlights a critical philosophical shift. Currently, AISH eligibility requires that a disability "significantly limits your ability to earn a livelihood." The new system, she explains, appears to change that to being "permanently unable to work."
"They're changing that to be 'you are permanently unable to work,' which is kind of an illusion," Bowman said. "There's no way of determining, with accommodation and support, who and who isn't able to work, or (who has a) limited ability to do that."
Broader Cuts and the Canada Disability Benefit Clawback
The proposed changes arrive alongside other contentious financial decisions. Last spring, the Alberta government cut $49 million from AISH funding. Furthermore, Alberta has announced it will be the only province to claw back dollar for dollar any money received from the new federal Canada Disability Benefit, using the federal program's introduction as partial justification for its own funding reduction.
Minister of Assisted Living and Social Services Jason Nixon announced the overhaul in February 2025, stating it was driven by recipients who wanted to earn more without losing benefits. He assured current AISH recipients there is "no risk of them not receiving disability supports" of some kind.
However, for those living on the financial edge, the transition from a known, albeit imperfect, system to one with new medical gatekeepers and lower potential payments has created a climate of fear. As the July 2026 implementation date approaches, disabled Albertans and their advocates continue to rally, seeking clarity and fairness in a restructuring that will directly impact their livelihoods and well-being.
