009. Looking Back at 2025 And What Comes Next for Disability Supports in Alberta

Episode Summary:

In this reflective year-end episode, Gordon and Annie look back on a tumultuous year for Alberta’s disability community and look ahead to what 2026 may bring.

What began as conversations around Bill 12 and proposed changes to AISH has evolved into a year marked by uncertainty, fear, increased workload for families, and a growing sense of distrust between the disability community and government decision-makers.

This episode isn’t just about policy, it’s about people, lived experience, and the emotional toll of navigating constant change without clear answers.

Why this matters:

• Disability policy doesn’t exist in a vacuum, it affects real lives every day
• Uncertainty can be just as damaging as cuts
• Families deserve clarity, respect, and a seat at the table
• Advocacy doesn’t stop when legislation passes

Key Takeaways:

• 2025 was marked by uncertainty, not clarity, for people relying on disability supports
• Bill 12 has passed, but critical details remain unknown
• Regulations not legislation will determine real-world impact
• Families and caregivers are facing increased workload and emotional strain
• Repeatedly “proving disability” is dehumanizing and exhausting
• Government messaging often does not reflect lived reality
• Advocacy must continue after legislation passes
• Personal stories are one of the most powerful tools for change

Memorable lines:

“It wasn’t just the change it was the uncertainty around how it would be implemented.”

“Stories make us real. They remind government that we’re not numbers.”

“Even if we can’t control the outcome, we still have a responsibility to speak.”

Resources & Links:

AISH Program Overview (Government of Alberta)
https://www.alberta.ca/aish

Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP) – General Information
https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-disability-assistance-program

Bill 12 – Alberta Legislature
https://www.assembly.ab.ca/assembly-business/bills/bills-by-legislature

Disability Advocates – VanderLeek Law
https://disabilityadvocates.ca

Find and Contact Your MLA
https://www.assembly.ab.ca/members/members-of-the-legislative-assembly

Transcript

Welcome back to the We Advocate podcast. My name is Gordon Vanderleek, and we have an episode today that is kind of looking back and looking forward. Welcome, Annie, to the podcast.

When this podcast started and when we talked about what we talk about in the disability community, it’s been a tumultuous year. When we started this podcast, certainly what was in the public's mind was Bill 12 and all the amendments to the AISH rules, and we wanted to be a trusted source talking about that. So we thought in this episode we might have a few points where we're looking back as well as looking forward—what are some kind of year-end observations at the time this is being published on December 31st of 2025?

You know, you get into a more reflective time—the year gone by and the year forward. So with that being said, we welcome you. Thanks for those that have subscribed and are listening to our episodes, and that's meaningful to us when we get that feedback that people are enjoying the episodes. So first of all, thank you for that.

And I guess I'll start as an opening reflection that, you know, this year wasn't just about policy change, but the uncertainty surrounding the implementation of the change.

For those that have been—you know, I think in any province—governments change. They introduce new rules. So I think there's always that element of having to keep up with the rules. And as people who work in a law firm, we study the changes in the law and that's pretty regular and almost normalized.

But I think what's characteristic about 2025 is, okay, we know there's a change. The government is talking about the need for making change and, as they say, wanting to make it better—but there's a lot we don't know, right? If I think back of the prior episodes, Annie, there's a lot of times we said, well, we'll just have to see, because we don't have the details.

So that's an interesting observation as we look back on the year. And I think it's coupled with, as I think back to the town halls, times I'm reading posts on social media, and observations I've made to the media when they've inquired—it’s about a lack of trust. I think there's been an increased lack of trust of the government and their intentions, and why are they doing all of these things?

So, yeah, I think it's safe to say the changes to the AISH program are the most significant in years. And it's been upsetting and unsettling for many people.

Very much. I think a lot of me talking to—yeah, when we did seminars, when I've talked to people on the phone, when I've met with people, when I've read different things that people have written—different comments, whether it's posts or even just emails—there's just so much fear, I think.

And the fear, I think, comes very much from not trusting the people who are in charge because they don't feel seen or heard. And so there's this instability of now the person who's sort of going to control 2026 and what it's going to look like aren't listening to me and don't see me because they haven't asked me what I think about it.

And so I think that fear of instability and the loss of security they have because of that—because I think if they sort of knew that the people leading had their back, I don't think that's what they're feeling. And I think that's what creates the anxiety. And so I've heard that a lot.

The other part that I hear a lot is, oh, it was so much—it was so hard to do this in the first place. And now they're asking us to do Disability Tax Credit or Canada Disability Benefit applications. They're asking us to—looking ahead—worrying about, had lots of questions about, well, what do I have to do to move from, if it's going to happen, if there's going to be ADAP, what do I have to do to now move my loved one back up to AISH?

I think there's just a lot of fear about that.

What I find too is a lot of the people with a disability already have anxiety, and it's like increasing that amount, which again makes it harder for them to do what they need to do in life. And that creates more fear for them as far as, how in the world am I going to work when I'm so afraid?

And so I've heard that a lot, and a lot about how many times do I have to prove that I'm disabled, and how many times, how many different ways do I need to say it for them to truly understand how I'm struggling.

I think there's fear that there's going to be more than one program. So how am I going to know how to navigate that? And how am I going to know how to do what I need to in order to get the right supports?

But on that point, if I can interject, I think that's a valid point because part of the uncertainty—which can result in the anxiety—is people are going, I'm going to make less. People are starting with that assumption. You know, my benefits are going to go down.

And if they're barely making ends meet and costs are going up, then it's like, well, if I’m going to be forced into work, how am I going to find a job? Maybe people have been trying for a long time to find a job unsuccessfully. Am I going to get supports?

And we have this promise on the part of the government to say they're going to provide these wraparound supports—I think that's actually the phrase they used. And it's like, well, what does that actually mean? And how is that going to apply to me?

Now, granted, if government is introducing a new policy, they're kind of figuring it out as they go along, and they may have an idea. They're just not communicating the details. So it's very understandable when somebody goes, but I need to know the details.

So just that general uncertainty, right?

You know, maybe like in an employment situation, a company announces, well, we're going to do a bunch of layoffs, but we're not going to tell you who's going to get laid off. That’s very unsettling. You're going to go, well, what are my finances going to look like in 2026?

So I think as we look to the new year, there is a lot of uncertainty, as you've noted.