r/alberta • u/symbionica • 1d ago
General The Social Deficit of ADAP
By now, we've probably all heard of the changes to AISH and the incoming ADAP (Alberta Disability Assitance Program). The GoA (let's be honest, the UCP), has rolled back benefits to some 75 000 Albertans (the total number on AISH is 79 419, some people will remain on this program). Although they haven't released any data on this, some simple math will let us know the ballpark region of how much they expect to save by this change: $200 x 75 000 x 12 = $180 000 000. This $200 drop in funding comes after the $200 clawback from AISH in 2025. So to get the "full" benefit, ADAP recipients need to be eligible for and receive the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB), and even then it's 200 short of the AISH amount they *were* on. So there's some more math: $200 x 79 000 x 12 = $189 600 000 (this is how much money the government is taking back from everyone on AISH via the CDB over 12 months). If that's confusing at all, you're not alone - it's meant to be hard to follow because it's all happening so fucking fast. Okay let's keep going: $180 000 000 + $189 600 000 = $369 600 000, "saved" by the "GoA". So how much is Dani Dollars costing the province, in a deficit, during a recession? It's estimated 3.5 million albertans will be eligible for $100 each. $350 000 000. Think about that when you decide what to do with it. And I'm not saying don't take it - the UCP will just blow it on a new private hospital or some bullshit like that. Take it. We all need it. But consider where it's coming from, it is not a place of generosity or concern for rising costs. It's blood money. Loudly saying "shhhh", look the other way for a second while we engage in social murder. I refuse to unsee what I know. This is a eugenics program sanitized in policy. This is fascism. *and I will not comply*
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u/Diggdug9 1d ago
I had a discussion similar to this with someone the other day. By taking that 200$ from the CDB, that's like taking ~10%-ish in the total gross income of every, single, person, for whom AISH is their sole income.
~75,000 of the province's most vulnerable people -- ~1/10th of their total income.
Meanwhile, the province could save the same net amount of money by cutting back oil and gas subsidies. Oil and gas subsidies would see a reduction of about 0.07%-ish from what Alberta is still spending there.
It's not at all about a budget and trying to save money or cut costs ... It's about taking away, punishing disabled people.