Families Fear More Government Cuts Coming to Disability Supports in Alberta
This article was originally written on February 23 as an academic assignment for The School of Public Policy, before the Alberta 2021 budget was tabled on February 25th, 2021.
People with disabilities, along with their families, are bearing the brunt of inadequate supports across the country. In Alberta, as the provincial government looks to tighten its belt amidst a struggling oil and gas industry and a global pandemic, families are worried.
Since coming to power, the government has launched a review of the AISH (Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped) and PDD (Persons with Developmental Disabilities) programs, and in January, it initiated a review of the FSCD (Family Support for Children with Disabilities) program.
Having a disability, or a loved one with a disability can mean a lifelong battle against poverty. Canadians with disabilities are at least two and a half times more likely to be living in poverty than Canadians without disabilities and 27% of people with a mental-cognitive disability live in poverty.
Poverty puts a massive strain on individuals and their families, and eventually, on public finances. In 2017, among persons with more severe disabilities, 38% had unmet needs due to costs not covered by their employment or government programs. A recent study found that 1 in 3 Canadians with a disability were skipping doses and/or foregoing medication because they couldn’t afford it. Ultimately, poverty contributes to poorer health, increased interactions with police and justice, and worse education and employment outcomes.
The pandemic has made a bad situation worse. In 2020, Statistics Canada found that for Canadians with long-term conditions and disabilities, almost half reported that their general health was worse than before the pandemic, 77% needed but were not receiving therapies or services, and over 56% reported difficulty meeting essential needs.
In Alberta, there are approximately 680,000 people aged 15 and over with a disability. Nearly 40% of this population has a “severe” or “very severe” disability. The labour force participation rate for disabled Albertans sits at 64%, compared with over 80% for Albertans without disabilities. For those with developmental disabilities, the participation rate is just 35.6%. These jobs tend to be low-pay, part-time and precarious. This means that for many people with disabilities and their families, government support is a lifeline.
It is these supports that are coming under scrutiny in Alberta. Last year, the government de-indexed AISH benefits and later changed payment dates. Both actions created serious financial challenges for recipients with very little wiggle room in their budget. UCP officials also set off alarm bells over suggestions that eligibility for the program was under review.
The reviews are prompting organizations and academics to examine provincial policy on supports for people with disabilities. The University of Calgary, School of Public Policy recently released research examining income support programs across four provinces. They found that although the incidence of disability across provinces does not vary significantly, caseloads per 1,000 people are much lower in Alberta than in BC and Ontario. While there could be a number of reasons for this, the researchers postulated that AISH, Alberta’s program, might be “significantly more restrictive, in terms of eligibility and/or enforcement” than the programs in other provinces.
It appears another review is underway. In January, the government quietly conducted a public survey on its FSCD (Family Support for Children with Disabilities) program, to “make sure FSCD services are delivered effectively and sustainably.” The survey was open for 3 weeks and families currently in the program were given no notification of it. After what they saw with AISH, families are worried.
Politicians should consider cuts and changes to supports and services for persons with disabilities very carefully. At the very least, the government should be conducting extensive and inclusive engagement before making decisions about these people’s lives. Disabled Albertans were already struggling more than most Albertans, and the pandemic has been particularly hard on them and their families.
Arguably, given the economic climate Alberta finds itself in, the government will need to do something about its finances. Moreover, governments should periodically review the efficiency and effectiveness of their programs. But the timing is bad. And is this where Albertans want the axe to fall? Are reviews and cuts to disability programs really the best place for the government to put their efforts right now?
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About the Author: Cheryl Selinger is a Master of Public Policy candidate at the School of Public Policy. Her capstone research is analyzing Canadian housing policy for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Cheryl holds a BA in Geography, with a focus in human geography. Prior to her graduate studies, Cheryl worked in municipal government for over 20 years. She led research and analysis in a variety of roles and for the past 8 years specialized in social data and research. She has authored numerous reports and has been invited to present her findings at several international and national conferences.