Fear and anxiety within Alberta’s disability community over AISH changes

Editor’s note: This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, check out the online chat at 988lifeline.org. In Canada, the Suicide Crisis Helpline number is 988.

As the province’s new Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP) comes into effect in July, many in the disability community are anxious and worried about the uncertainty ahead.

ADAP, the province says, encourages those on disability supports to find employment, and provides less financial support than the current Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) program.

According to the program guide, the maximum allowance for clients will be $200 less than the amount available through AISH. Under the AISH program changes, clients will have fewer income exemptions as the program will primarily support individuals who can’t work, while ADAP will offer more employment income exemptions for those who are working.

Nearly 80,000 Albertans currently receiving AISH will be moved to ADAP on July 1, which has been creating anxiety and worry for many in the disability community since the changes were first announced in early 2025.

It’s also come to the forefront for Albertans after an AISH recipient and critic of the government’s changes to the support system reportedly died by suicide this past week.

Fifty-seven-year-old Bruce A. Johnson from Empress, Alta, wrote in a letter shared to Facebook that his anxiety and stress have “skyrocketed” after saying the Alberta government succeeded in saving money by “getting this useless person off AISH, through the only way possible to me: Death.”

It describes a challenging ordeal throughout his personal life and in finding work and maintaining steady employment over the course of four decades and longer.

“My depression started to get worse and worse as time went by, as it became clear that the government wasn’t backing off, that it really was going to go through with transferring almost everyone on AISH to ADAP, reduce our benefits, and expect us to find employment, or else,” his letter reads.

Responding to another report on X, NDP leader Naheed Nenshi says it should never have happened and that “Every Albertan deserves a life of dignity.”

“The government must change course. They can stop this dangerous transition, develop a better program, and treat all Albertans living with a disability with the respect they deserve,” he said.

Joanne Dorn, the executive director of Cerebral Palsy Alberta, says, “Any loss of life is devastating, and this situation has deeply impacted the people within the Alberta disability community.”

She says that with the monthly allowance of under $2,000 on AISH, it is already tough with the high cost of living, and many who rely on the disability supports are fearful about the uncertainty ahead.

“People, I think, at this point in time, if they haven’t already received confirmation that they are able to remain on AISH, I think their biggest fear is as of July 1, they are gonna lose the income if they do not have a job,” Dorn said.

“So, a more clear understanding given to those individuals, I think, would be the best.”

Premier Danielle Smith was asked about this on the Corus radio show Your Province, Your Premier, Saturday. She says her government is restructuring the program into three different pathways with varying levels of support.

“If there’s no possibility of earning a market income, that’s a severely handicapped pathway; if there’s partial, then you’ll go into the program where you can work to the level that you’re able to; and then if you can work completely and you just need the medicare, you’ll be able to get that,” she said.

Dorn has a young adult son, Joshua, with a disability, and they’ve been informed that he’ll continue being on AISH.

She has a message for others in the disability community and the Premier.

“You’re not alone. We’re here to help, and together we’ll get through this,” Dorn said.

“For Danielle Smith and everybody else, I truly believe that it was done with good intentions to provide more support. But unfortunately, I think the way it was communicated out left a lot of gaps.”