In a controversial move at the close of the fall legislative session, Alberta's United Conservative Party (UCP) government used its majority to pass Bill 12, the Financial Statutes Amendments Act. The legislation has ignited fierce opposition from disability advocates, who argue it fundamentally and arbitrarily redefines disability support in the province.
A Drastic Redefinition of Disability
The core of the bill creates a new, two-tiered system for Albertans with disabilities. It categorizes individuals solely based on the government's assessment of their capacity for paid employment. One category is for those deemed capable of work, and the other for those deemed incapable. Critics, including author and advocate Heidi Janz, label the bill a "Trojan horse" for its sweeping changes.
Most alarmingly for opponents, the bill provides no clear public criteria for determining employability. Instead, it automatically assumes all 77,000 current recipients of the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) program are employable. These individuals are to be transferred to the new Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP), which critics characterize as a workfare program.
Passed on a Day of Significance
The timing of the bill's passage has added to the outrage. The UCP government advanced Bill 12 on December 3, 2025, which is recognized globally as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
Earlier that same day, Family and Social Services Minister Jason Nixon posted on social media, stating, "Today, on International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we recognize the contributions Albertans with disabilities make..." He added that the government would "keep working hard to empower Albertans with disabilities."
Advocates see a stark contradiction. "If that's their idea of 'celebrating' Albertans with disabilities," Janz writes, "it's a celebration that disabled Albertans would much rather skip."
Unanimous Opposition from the Community
Contrary to government messaging, the disabled community and its allies have voiced strong, unified opposition to ADAP. Rallies, like one held at the Alberta Legislature in Edmonton on October 30, 2025, have demonstrated public dissent.
The opposition is broad-based. Former chairs and members of the government's own Premier's Council on the Status of Persons with Disabilities have joined numerous support organizations in calling for the government to pause or scrap ADAP entirely.
These groups are demanding meaningful consultation with disabled Albertans to design support systems that prioritize security and dignity, rather than using paid employment as the primary measure of an individual's worth or right to full societal inclusion.
The passage of Bill 12 sets the stage for a significant shift in Alberta's social safety net, one that leaves thousands of vulnerable residents uncertain about their future support and firmly at odds with the provincial government.
