Alberta’s New Disability Assistance Program: Progress or Just Political Repackaging?

🔥 The Alberta government is about to make life harder for disabled Albertans.

The Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP) has been announced as a way to help disabled people find jobs while keeping financial and healthcare benefits. But serious concerns remain.

📌 The government now has the power to decide who stays on AISH and who gets moved to ADAP based on an employment assessment.
📌 Disability advocates were not consulted—this was done behind closed doors.
📌 Alberta doesn’t even have accessibility legislation to ensure workplaces are inclusive.
📌 If someone loses their job on ADAP, they might not be able to return to AISH, leaving them without support.
📌 Government-appointed doctors, not personal physicians, will decide eligibility—raising serious concerns about fairness.

The government claims this is about “helping” people find jobs. But with no guarantees of accessible employment and reduced financial support for those moved onto ADAP, it raises a serious question:

👉 Is ADAP really about empowering disabled Albertans, or is it just a cost-cutting measure disguised as reform?

ADAP: A Program with More Questions Than Answers

The government says ADAP will:
✅ Allow recipients to earn more while keeping some benefits.
✅ Ensure continued access to essential health benefits.
✅ Provide skills training for employment.

But here’s the fine print they aren’t highlighting:

📌 They have quietly given themselves the power to decide who should be moved off AISH.
📌 AISH applicants will face new eligibility rules—meaning fewer people will qualify.
📌 The financial support on ADAP will be significantly lower than AISH, increasing pressure to find work.
📌 There is no actual plan to ensure jobs exist or are accessible.

This means that thousands of disabled Albertans could lose the financial stability of AISH without a realistic path to sustainable employment.

The Lack of Consultation: Disabled Albertans Were Shut Out

One of the most alarming aspects of this announcement is that the disability community was not consulted before ADAP was introduced.

At the press conference, the only disabled individuals present were directly connected to the minister’s office and the Premier’s Council—hardly independent voices.

This was not a discussion with the community. It was a staged announcement.

💬 "If I knew they were about to drop a program like this, we would have expected to be consulted first. Instead, we found out in a press release."

The people actually impacted by this program weren’t given a seat at the table—but now they’re expected to trust that it has their best interests in mind?

The Government’s Hidden Agenda: Cutting Costs, Not Helping People

Policy experts and disability advocates are raising concerns that ADAP is not about improving employment—it’s about reducing costs.

📌 The core benefits for those moved from AISH to ADAP will be significantly lower.
📌 The pressure to work will increase, but there’s no investment in workplace accessibility to support these workers.
📌 New AISH applicants will also face stricter eligibility rules, reducing access to disability supports.

With Alberta’s unemployment rate for disabled people already disproportionately high, pushing people off AISH without a guaranteed path to employment is dangerous and short-sighted.

Alberta Lacks Accessibility Legislation—How Will These Jobs Even Exist?

Even if ADAP worked as intended, Alberta doesn’t even have accessibility legislation to guarantee disabled people can access workplaces.

💬 "They’re pushing disabled people into a workforce that isn’t accessible. There are no guarantees that jobs exist or that employers will accommodate them."

Instead of investing in workplace accessibility and inclusive hiring, the government is forcing disabled people into a system that isn’t built for them.

If this was truly about employment, they would:
✅ Create accessibility laws to ensure disabled Albertans can actually access workplaces.
✅ Provide real incentives for employers to hire disabled workers.
✅ Strengthen protections for disabled workers facing discrimination.

They have done none of that—but they have given themselves the power to move people off AISH.

What Happens If Someone on ADAP Loses Their Job?

One of the biggest concerns is what happens when someone on ADAP loses their job:

❌ Will they be able to return to AISH, or will they have to reapply under stricter criteria?
❌ Will they be permanently considered "employable," even if they can’t find work?
❌ Will there be safeguards in place, or will people be left without support?

💬 "The government will tell people they can reapply for AISH, but anyone who has dealt with these programs knows that’s not how it works."

This creates a huge risk that disabled Albertans will be caught in bureaucratic limbo, with no financial security if they lose their job under ADAP.

Government Doctors Deciding Eligibility? Another Red Flag

Another major concern is that government-appointed doctors will now determine whether someone qualifies for AISH or should be placed in ADAP.

📌 These doctors are not personal physicians who know the patient’s history.
📌 They may have quotas or financial incentives to reduce AISH approvals.
📌 Past third-party medical assessments for AISH have been criticized for biased decision-making.

💬 "Physicians and therapists who know the applicant should be making these decisions—not government-appointed doctors with political pressure to deny claims."

This raises serious concerns about fairness, bias, and whether disabled Albertans will get the support they need.

The Emotional & Psychological Toll on Disabled Albertans

Since ADAP’s announcement, I have personally received messages from people expressing deep fear about their futures—some even mentioning they are considering Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) if they lose their AISH support.

This isn’t just policy—it’s survival. The stress, uncertainty, and lack of control over their future is taking a devastating mental health toll on the disability community.

💬 "People are scared. Some feel like they have no way forward. When policy changes lead to that level of despair, something is deeply wrong."

This isn’t a hypothetical concern. It’s happening right now.

What Needs to Happen Now

📌 The Alberta government must guarantee that no one will be unfairly removed from AISH.
📌 There must be clear protections for those who cannot work or who lose their jobs.
📌 There needs to be real consultation with disability advocates moving forward.
📌 Alberta must invest in accessibility and employment solutions before forcing people into the workforce.

Disabled Albertans deserve better than this.

What You Can Do Right Now

💬 Raise awareness: Share this post with your network.
📢 Contact your MLA: Demand transparency on ADAP and its impact on AISH recipients.
🔎 Stay informed: Follow disability advocates speaking out on this issue.
💰 Support organizations fighting for real accessibility and disability rights.

🚨 If we don’t push back now, thousands of disabled Albertans could lose their lifeline. This is about real people’s survival. Let’s make sure they are heard. 🚨