Alberta restores full AISH/ADAP benefits for couples, retroactive to August
The province says affected couples will get retroactive payments by year's end, while AUPE calls the move only a partial fix to a program it says never should have been enacted.
Why it matters
The reversal affects the monthly income stability of thousands of Albertans with disabilities who were moved onto the lower ADAP program.
Alberta's government announced it is restoring full benefit amounts for eligible couples where both partners receive Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) or Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP) benefits. Affected clients will get retroactive payments covering the difference back to August 2026, when the reduced rate took effect, with payments arriving before the end of the year and no action required from clients.
Minister of Assisted Living and Social Services Nathan Neudorf said the changes respond to concerns raised by Albertans with disabilities and are meant to make assistance easier to access. The government also said it is simplifying applications and pushing for more accessible Employment Insurance.
A transition benefit will keep Albertans who moved from AISH to ADAP at the same monthly support level as AISH until December 31, 2027, and those clients can now use a streamlined process to apply to return to AISH, including nurse practitioners now able to sign required medical reports alongside physicians.
The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees welcomed the reversal but said it does not undo the harm caused since thousands were shifted from AISH to ADAP in July. AUPE president Sandra Azocar said ADAP still cuts monthly benefits by $200 and called the original rollout callous, saying the government owes Albertans with disabilities real change and an apology.
Compiled by the Alberta Daily Desk — an AI-written summary of reporting from the credited sources below, produced and reviewed under our editorial policy.