001. Understanding Alberta’s New Disability Assistance Program (ADAP)

Welcome to the relaunch of We Advocate , a podcast where lawyer Gordon VanderLeek and disability advocate Annie VanderLeek break down the Alberta government’s proposed Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP) and what it means for Albertans living with disabilities.

In this first episode, they explore the government’s goals for ADAP, how it compares to the long-standing AISH (Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped) program, and why the change has many people worried.

In This Episode

• What is ADAP?
  The Alberta government plans to launch ADAP in July 2026 as a “modernized” program that runs alongside AISH, focusing on those who have some ability to work.
• A Two-Track System:
  ADAP will apply to people who can work in some capacity, while AISH will remain for those who cannot work due to permanent disabilities.
• The Financial Impact:
  • Current AISH benefit: $1,901/month, rising to $1,940 in 2026.
  • ADAP benefit: $1,740/month — a $200 reduction for those deemed able to work.
    The government says this can be offset by increased earnings — but many question how realistic that is given Alberta’s job market and support limitations.
• Health Benefits & Positives:
  ADAP promises continued access to health and prescription benefits even for those working, which Gordon and Annie agree would be a positive — if it’s implemented as promised.
• Concerns About Stigma & Reality:
  Annie points out that the new program risks reinforcing stigma — implying people on AISH aren’t working by choice, when most already face barriers that prevent full employment.
• Bigger Picture:
  Rather than scrap and rebuild, the hosts question: Why not improve AISH instead? They argue the system already allows people to work within set income limits and simply needs refinement, not replacement.

Key Takeaways

• ADAP introduces a two-tier system that separates people with disabilities based on perceived ability to work.
• The $200 monthly reduction creates additional financial strain in an already tight cost-of-living environment.
• Health benefit continuity could be a positive change, but details remain unclear.
• The government’s claim that the disability community asked for this reform appears unsupported by public feedback.
• Gordon and Annie emphasize the need for transparency, advocacy, and community awareness before ADAP rolls out in 2026.

Transcript

Welcome to We Advocate. I'm Gordon at Wilson, the state's lawyer here in Calgary,
Alberta, and I work alongside people with disabilities every day in my legal
practice. And I do that together with my wife Annie, who's a disability advocate
with the law firm, welcome Annie, to this first episode of the relaunched We
Advocate podcast. Thank you. Yeah, glad to be here. I'm a disability advocate that
works alongside Gord in a division of the firm called Disability Advocates,
and today I'm your, and today your co -host. Together, we're taking a look at the
Alberta government's proposed new Alberta Disability Assistance Program or ADAP.
You know, it's interesting whenever you're dealing with government.
in Alberta. So when we say ADAP, we mean the Alberta Disability Assistance Program.
And the government first teased this, I think, in February of 2025, but now have in
the summer of 2025 launched a discussion paper talking about this new program.
We don't yet have legislation, but we have this discussion paper,
and there's been some town halls and other conversations on the part of the
government, it's being pitched as a modernized alternative to the H program.
Again, another acronym, the H program is assured income for the severely handicapped.
So that's a program that helps Albertans with long -term disabilities who cannot
support themselves by working, and it provides them with some supports. And the
government is saying, we want to make a bunch of changes and have come up with
this new ADAP program, and that's set to long.
kind of the goals. What is the government saying is the goals with regard to ADAP?
And part of this podcast is we want to dissect that program,
give as much solid information as possible to our listeners. So we thank you for
listening in. And let's jump into, I guess, high level. What, if you had to explain
to somebody who knew nothing about the program, what would you say is the
government's stated goals for ADAP? Well,
I think they're looking at it as a parallel program to ASH, so it sounds like AASH
will still be there alongside ADAP, and that it will be more so with a view to
work. So ADAP is then for anybody who has any ability to work at all.
And so for myself, it just raised a million questions. We decided that if we were
thinking that, maybe someone else was thinking that as well. And so I wanted to
find a way to get some of that information to you so that you could then see how
it fits in your family and delve deeper and possibly look to the good parts and
maybe the parts that we need to hopefully push back against for the government. So
it's very much looking at work as a primary sort of difference or stated difference,
though I believe that Aish also has lots of
just work. People are able to work on Aish as well. So that's what raised a lot
of questions to me. And so I thought if we could just talk together, then we could
figure out how that sort of fits. Yeah, and I think we'll jump into sort of what
does it mean in terms of moving from AASH to ADAP, but just note these are changes
that are going to occur in July of 2026. So at the time of this recording,
here we're in the in October of 2025.
We are looking, the government has stated that this was going to be effective as of
July 1 of 2026. So I like what you said,
Annie,
and it was reminding we did a seminar a few weeks back to a parent support group
here in the area. And I remember starting the presentation saying,
I have more questions than answers. With that being said, that we didn't want, the
fact that there are more questions than answers at this
It doesn't stop us from saying, let's launch this podcast and let's try to get some
information in there. So maybe let's anticipating that we've got, you know,
less than 12 months ahead, right? July 1st of 2026, there's going to be a
transition in this new program. Let's maybe start to give it in kind of historical
context, a little bit of history with Aish. You know,
how did we get to this point here in the fall of 2025 as we're talking about the
Aish program and these proposed changes with the new ADAP program? Yeah,
so just a little history on Aish. The premier at the time, Peter Loheed,
started it very much as a visionary program. No other provinces in Canada had any
sort of program like this. So this was something that was designed to support people
with permanent disabilities. Very much designed under, to make it a separation from
welfare. They found that there was people with disabilities that were not able to
support themselves. And so they wanted to differentiate the welfare program for those
people and also reduce some of the associated stigma that was part of that.
as far as,
yeah, just with some increases and so on with some of the benefits over the years,
there is a rising caseload from when they started to now. So that's some of the
history up to now. So I think that may be part of why they're looking at the ADAP
program. So some of it is to find out sort of more their thinking on it.
But that was the history. I'm very proud of that history. I feel very blessed to
be in a province that is looking at people with a disability as contributing people
who we are here to support when they aren't able to do it themselves. Right.
And the current benefits under Aish is $1 ,9101, right?
That's the current amount. They're talking about that increasing to 1940 in 2026,
but 1901 is the current amount under AASH, and the maximum benefit under the ADAP
program is stated to be $1740, so $1 ,740,
and that'll be effective of July 1st of 2026. So a reduction in the total amount.
I mean, if you look at what it's going to be in 2026, it's $200 less in terms of
the benefit. But really,
the key takeaway for this new program, because it's not the clearest,
right? When you, you know, it took me a while to a couple times to read through
the discussion paper saying, like, well, what are they doing here, but it's almost
like a two -track system, right? If somebody has disabilities in Alberta, you're going
to fit in one of the programs. So everybody from Aish is going to move over to
the ADAP program as of July 1st. That in and of itself is creating a lot of
stress in the community going, well, I don't even like, what are the rules about
this new program? And I'm going to make less. I can barely make it as it is right
now. And I'm going to have $200 less a month on that.
in Alberta are on the Aish program, and that number has been trending upward,
perhaps with better diagnosis and more knowledge about the system, but the budgets
for the government have been burgeoning, and I think this is perhaps one way in
which they're attempting to rein in, have some budgetary constraint with regard to,
you know, the overall fiscal situation for the province. So again,
the summary would be, we're focusing on the ability to work, right? So ADAP is for
people who can work, and AASH is for people who can't work,
both of which, you know, they need permanent disabilities. It's interesting. To get
on Aish, you have to have a permanent disability. It's not transitory or temporary
in nature. You have to prove it's permanent. But now you're either in a category
where there's no way you can work or you have some ability to work. And we're
going to get into some of the details of that and certainly future episodes of this
podcast. But that's the distinction. So it's kind of a two -track system. You're
going to fit in one or the other. And we'll see, you know, have to get into
medical evidence to be able to prove that and different maximum amounts. what the
government has said is that this is a program which is going to enhance the ability
of people to earn more money if they can work, almost as if that was a problem
under the current system, which I know you and I have some opinions with regard to,
well, but, you know, it's allowed under the current system. So we'll get into that
in, you know, in a second. But just for our listeners to understand, eight,
Eight, you know, there's, there's, there's, you're going to fit in one category or
the other. And,
you know, ADAP is for if you can work, Aish is for if you can't work. Maybe a
bit of an oversimplification and we're going to get into the details, but that's a
good way to start to understand what are these different rules and how is it going
to, how's it going to affect me? Well, and I think, I think for people to
understand it would be still one application process, and they would determine whether
you were ADAP or ASH is what it's looking like. And again, like you said,
a huge question on my head is all applications had to be able to prove that
someone couldn't earn a living already for anybody to be accepted into ACE. And so,
you know, big questions to me on, on, you know, what are they talking about?
That already was part of the program. But maybe we'll get into that sort of as we
go. If we're looking at sort of first impressions, if you will, with regard to the
program, I want to try to keep balanced. I mean, admittedly, I see a lot of
negatives about this program. And we've listened to the town halls that were held
earlier in, in September of 2025. and just looking at the chats and people posting,
there is very negative comments with regard to that. I've yet to meet a person
who's either associated with or supporting somebody who's connected with the H program
to say this is a positive thing. Everybody's stressed about it. Interestingly, the
government's statements are, well, they're doing this in response to the, you know,
to request on behalf of the disability community, let's just be clear, no one on
Aisha has been asking for this. This is coming from somewhere else. I don't think,
you know, I would challenge the government with regard to the statement saying
they're doing this because it didn't come from the, this came from some other
source, not from the disability community. With that being said, I just want to
acknowledge, you know, call it a bias and a perspective.
In this podcast, we're going to try to be as balanced as possible and just get to
the facts and have our listeners judge how it affects their particular family.
And I'm going to ask you a minute, Annie, about some of the initial concerns that
you have. But one of the things, if we're looking at any potential positives,
The one that jumps out at me that they have stated, and again, all we have to go
on is the discussion paper and what they've said in the town halls and in other
statements, is that they want continued access to health benefits.
So even if you work, you're still going to be able to have health benefits.
So on balance, that's actually a pretty big positive if, in fact, that turns out to
be true. and we're going to have to test the government to see if that.
to do that. So it's making the assumption that someone can work enough to sort of
not get any of the health benefits or any of the, they've made too much income in
order to maintain Aish in itself, which is a very small number of people.
Correct. But with that, I mean, the other thing to add in with regard to the Aish
program, they look at the income levels of the person who's on Aish, but they also
look at the income levels of a spouse or partner, right? So in some cases, you
could have it that the person is really not able to work, but they have an able
-bodied partner, common -law spouse, or in Alberta called an adult and independent
partner, or they're married to somebody who has a better income and is able to
earn, that could, even though they're unable to work,
that Aish is going to look at the family income in a couple situation, right? So,
so that, you know, your points will taken. And I think in a future episode, we're
going to, you know, bring guests on that talk about, well, what are some of the
economics of this situation? And, and you're right, it's hard for people to work.
And that's kind of the economic reality that we find ourselves in this. But, I
mean, looking at it singularly with regard to the health benefits, I guess the point
I would make is when I talk to families that have children with long -term
disabilities, having continued access to health benefits is a big deal. If you get
somebody on, and I think you've had the same experience, right? That somebody who's
on schizophrenia, I mean, those drugs are super expensive. And if it wasn't covered,
I mean, that person may not qualify for the parents' group benefit plan at work, at
the parents' workplace. So, or if the parents have deceased, they're not there
anymore, or they're retired and they no longer have those health benefits, it is a
big deal that they can get their drugs covered, you know, have access to the other
benefits of Aish. Maybe in a future episode, we can get into a detailed analysis of
what are the current benefits, but it's more than the 1901 per month that exists
right now. The health benefits for many families, you know, arguably has a bigger
financial impact than the 1901, depending on the cost of the drugs that are in
place? Give me some reaction to that. Well, I think some of the questions that came
up with me when that first came out as being a big
benefit, first question to me was, well, why can't you just do that on the ACE
program? Is that put the same, you know, it's a very important thing. I think it's
great. But I don't understand why we need a new program in order to actually
implement that. That is well said, and our listeners will get a bit of a theme out
of this. I think our initial impression is, why don't you just fix the H program?
Why are you blowing it up effectively? Like, why are you creating this new ADAP
program and then making people go through a whole process, and we'll talk about that
in future episodes? So, Yeah, that may be a theme that people hear from us is to
say the solution might be, let's improve the age program. Let's not blow it up with
this new one, I guess. This feels like a wholesale, like a significant, almost
seismic shift in the age program. Getting back to what its original intention was,
as you articulated earlier in this podcast. So talk a little bit about, like, high
level, if you had to pick a few kind of main concerns that we have in terms of
evaluating this program or at least becoming familiar with what are the risks that
we see on the horizon with regard to the ADAP program, maybe just highlight a few
of those that you see. Well, the $200 a month is huge.
When you look at the percentage of what they have coming in to start Um, you're
going to have people who have budgeted as per, um, having the 1901 or 1940,
if that's what it is in, in January. And, and will be in a rental situation.
Um,
you know, I know someone who, you know, their rent is 1650 a month. They are
working at present. And so if that person then lost, um their job and the um the
amount being given now is 1740 that person has 90 dollars a month to do the rest
of their life like clothing you know a car rent car maybe gas food um for 90
dollars like it it's impossible and so um i think it's putting people in very
precarious situations with that 200 it's just a big amount sometimes you know
sometimes some of us will look at the 200 and think well
benefit program. The feds launched this summer, summer of 2025 that is giving
Canadians with long -term disabilities $200 a month. Alberta's clawing that back.
So in addition to this new ADAP program, there's stresses around the Canada
disability benefit clawback. So they're not getting that, they're missing out on that
benefit. But your point's well taken, particularly in the, you know, we're here in
Alberta, and this is an Alberta program,
and it may be different in rural Alberta compared to, you know, places like Calgary
or Edmonton or Red Deer, bigger cities. Rent is expensive, and my goodness gracious,
it's going up. We've all, for the last number of years, kind of post -COVID, have
seen in inflationary times, right? So in the context of everything is more expensive,
just seeing what things cost at Costco. You know, you're just doing your regular for
every Albertan. I think it's a trite point to say the cost of living has gone up.
It's just harder, you know, gas is up, groceries are up. And so if somebody is
below or at the poverty line,
your points will take in $200 a month is a big deal. Well, and most people that
I'm working with are unable to do it on the 1901. And so now you're going to make
it even lower as far as being able to rent a place on their own. And so the rent
part is a huge part of it, but also food costs are up. So also we don't have
enough information yet, I think, about what their plan are, like what the plan the
government's doing as far as the, um, the work portion. So, um,
but I think one of my big concerns with when I'm looking at the ADAP program is
it's the insinuation that people on the age program are, um,
are not working because, you know, but if they just were on the ADAP program, all
of a sudden they would be able to work. And, and and it's just not reality and
it's assuming that it makes the assumption almost that people are lazy and if we
just put them in a different program so that they had to work then they would be
able to work and so that that just again if you look back to what I said the
visionary part of why um age was put in place in the first place it was very much
about the associated stigma on people. And I feel like that is coming back through
this ADAP program because of how it sort of makes it look like it's all, the work
is the important part rather than what somebody with a disability can offer the
world, that only if they work, then they will get more. And so I have a lot of
concerns about that, but I don't know what they're meaning as far as what type of
work are you meaning that they're going to do because at this point, um, everyone
is told that they, when they're applying for Aish, they have to be able to prove
that they can't earn a living, not that they can't work. I encourage everybody to,
if you are able to work at all, um, and that makes your life better than that's
what you need need to do. And now it's changed that you have to do that when most
people that I'm working with are not able to sort of, number one, work very many
hours if they are. It needs to be very supported. And oftentimes they can't maintain
that. And so then the fear is also that, you know, if they lost a job, they're
back down to that 1740, are they going to be able to sort of cover their expenses?
And there's just a big fear on, well, now I have to prove myself somewhat. Now the
proof is that I have to be able to prove that I can't work, whereas before it was
tied to the fact that I have a disability, now it's tied to, you know,
can I work or not. And there's something, when you're talking to someone who already
doesn't have a belief in themselves very much for a lot of them, because they're
the stigma of everybody's sort of, when you talk to somebody,
you ask them, what do you do as a job? So a job is very much part of it. And
so if someone isn't able to work, it's hard for them to sort of
feel like they're accomplishing something, whereas it really has nothing to do with
that. It has to do with the disability is what is what's keeping them away from
it, not they themselves. Yeah, and I think the other risk is the whole, you know,
the whole assessment process. And all we have right now in the discussion paper is
it says the people under ADEP have some ability to work, some ability.
Well, what does that mean, right? We don't know how it's going to be interpreted,
but you're right. There does seem to be this focus of, there's just a whole bunch
of people on age that could work, but they're just sitting at home doing nothing
because there's no incentives for them to work, which, as you've stated, there's
already an incentive. You can't earn an income. Absolutely. Both, and they've had
different amounts. I think the current amount is 1 ,072 for a single person. It's
more for a couple where one of them's an age recipient that they can earn more.
So there's already systems in place to encourage people to receive some, and then if
they earn more than that, then there's some clawback. And eventually, if you earn
too much, there's a full clawback. But, yeah,
that gets back to our point of saying, well, just fix the system, fix the age
program. You don't have to, you don't have to reassess it.
support it. I think that whole employment piece, I have a lot of, I think you and
I share a lot of concerns about that because it may be devoid of reality. Like,
our employers prepared to hire these people, where are the supports in place? What's
that going to cost the government or, you know, what kind of job are they going to
do with that? So lots of concerns beyond the basic, it's less money. How are people
going to make ends meet? Are they going to be supported? These are supported. These
are things we're going to want to look at and proceed. So as we sort of wrap up
this first episode, it feels good to start podcasting again. I know we had this
years ago and then it was on hiatus, but we really felt compelled to restart the
We Advocate podcast to talk particularly about this program and get some good
information on there. So I think we've raised some concerns. We're going to try to
identify the positives and get good information.
that information out and find out what some of the concerns are that we maybe
haven't even thought about. But I just think that it's very important that people
have the information. Information is power. And so from that, we can then make
decisions on how to move forward to to fight that this program isn't put in place.
Maybe Aish needs changes, that's okay.
But my big fear is how it's going to make people with a disability feel less than.
And I really want to put a stop to that. Yeah, indeed. Well, let's wrap it up
there. And in our next episode, we're going to talk about who qualifies for the
ADAP program and get into what we know from the discussion paper about eligibility
applications and appeals. Thanks for listening. And yeah,
if you find this useful, please subscribe so you don't miss future episodes. If you
have other ideas, give us some feedback through the social media channels or give us
a call directly. And we're happy to chat.