The Alberta Government is Gutting AISH—What Happens to the 77,000 Albertans Who Rely on It?

🔥 The Alberta government has once again made it clear that disabled Albertans are not a priority.

This year’s provincial budget slashes $49 million from AISH, with further cuts planned in the coming years. At the same time, the government is pushing people off AISH and into a workforce that is not accessible—while also cutting the very employment supports that help disabled people find jobs.

This isn't just numbers on a spreadsheet—this is my community, my friends, and my peers. And while this crisis unfolds, another urgent issue is hitting disabled students across Alberta: educational assistants (EAs) are on strike, leaving thousands of disabled students without the support they need to learn.

📌 AISH funding is being cut by $49 million this year, with another $22 million slashed in 2026-27 and $6 million in 2027-28.
📌 More than 77,000 Albertans rely on AISH—how will they survive these cuts?
📌 Disability employment organizations are losing funding—so where exactly are disabled people supposed to find jobs?
📌 Students with disabilities are being left behind as educational assistants strike for fair wages.

This isn’t just an economic shift—it’s a direct attack on the financial security and education of disabled Albertans.

👉 Why is our government failing Albertans with disabilities at every turn?

The Cruel Irony: Pushing Disabled People to Work While Cutting Employment Supports

The government justified AISH cuts by saying it’s investing in employment supports for disabled people. They claim that the Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP) will help “employable” disabled Albertans enter the workforce.

But here’s the blatant hypocrisy:

🚨 They are cutting funding to employment organizations—the very groups that specialize in helping disabled people find jobs.
🚨 They have NOT introduced any new accessibility legislation to ensure workplaces are actually inclusive.
🚨 Even able-bodied Albertans are struggling to find stable work—so how will disabled people succeed in an economy where accessibility is an afterthought?
🚨 The $200 per month Canada Disability Benefit does NOT make up for these cuts.

The government says disabled people should work, but they are defunding the organizations that help them do just that. How does that make sense?

This isn’t about supporting disabled Albertans—it’s about pushing them off social assistance while removing the very safety nets that help them succeed.

This Budget is an Attack on Disability Advocacy

This government has a clear pattern of defunding organizations that fight for disability rights and inclusion.

🚨 The Self Advocacy Federation (Edmonton) was cut.
🚨 Disability Action Hall (Calgary) was cut.
🚨 SAIPA (Lethbridge) was cut.
🚨 Employment support groups are now on the chopping block.
🚨 Even Inclusion Alberta is facing funding challenges.

The government isn’t just cutting funding—they are silencing the voices of disabled people who fight for their rights.

Without these organizations, who will hold the government accountable? Who will advocate for disability rights? This is a calculated strategy—defund the voices that challenge them, then push forward cost-cutting policies with no opposition.

What Happens Next for AISH Recipients?

The government’s vision is clear: shrink AISH, push people onto ADAP, and strip away advocacy groups that could fight back.

But what does that actually mean for disabled Albertans as far as we can tell?

🚨 Fewer approvals for new AISH applicants.
🚨 More people will be reassessed and forced onto ADAP, which provides less support.
🚨 Without advocacy organizations, it will be harder for disabled Albertans to fight for their rights.
🚨 A growing number of disabled Albertans will fall through the cracks, left without financial stability or employment options.

This isn’t just a policy shift—it’s a disability rights crisis.

Educational Assistants Are on Strike—And Disabled Students Are Paying the Price

As if gutting AISH wasn’t bad enough, the government is also failing students with disabilities.

Right now, thousands of educational assistants (EAs) are on strike across Alberta. These workers provide essential support for students with disabilities—helping them access education, navigate classrooms, and participate in school.

Instead of addressing low wages and poor working conditions for EAs, the government has left school divisions scrambling to find solutions.

🚨 More than 3,700 students with disabilities were denied in-person learning during the strike until the courts forced the government to reverse course. This government isn’t just failing adults with disabilities—it’s failing kids with disabilities too.

This strike is yet another example of the Alberta government prioritizing cost-cutting over real solutions.

This Budget Ignores the Complexity of Disability in Today’s World

Disability isn’t a one-size-fits-all issue. Some people cannot work due to the severity of their disabilities. Others may want to work but face massive barriers in finding or maintaining employment.

Instead of addressing these challenges, the government is gutting financial supports and pushing employment initiatives that don’t fix the root problem.

📌 What happens to people with episodic disabilities who can’t sustain long-term employment?
📌 What about disabled Albertans who want to work but face systemic discrimination?
📌 How will people with complex medical needs navigate job expectations?

This budget treats disability as a black-and-white issue—you either work, or you don’t. But the reality is far more complex.

Disabled Albertans deserve better than a budget that prioritizes cost-cutting over real solutions.

Join Me for a Town Hall on These Cuts

💬 Want to discuss what this means for you? Join me and St. Albert MLA Marie Renaud for a special Town Hall next Wednesday at 6:30 PM.

We’ll break down the budget’s impact on AISH, ADAP, disability services, and the educational assistant strike—and more importantly, what we can do to push back.

📌 Details on how to register will be posted in the coming days. Make sure to follow me so you don’t miss out.

This is an issue that affects thousands of disabled Albertans—your voice matters.

What Needs to Happen Now

📌 The Alberta government must reverse its cuts to AISH and disability employment programs.
📌 Advocacy groups need sustainable funding to protect disabled Albertans’ rights.
📌 The EA strike needs a real solution, not temporary Band-Aids.
📌 Employment supports must be paired with real accessibility legislation—not just workforce expectations.
📌 Disabled Albertans deserve long-term financial security, not forced participation in an inaccessible job market.

This is not just about dollars and cents—it’s about survival.

What You Can Do Right Now

💬 Raise awareness: Share this post and let people know what’s happening.
📢 Contact your MLA: Demand answers on why AISH and disability employment supports are being cut.
🔎 Stay informed: Follow the voices speaking out against these cuts.

🚨 We cannot allow the government to push disabled Albertans into crisis. The fight isn’t over—let’s make sure they hear us. 🚨