Minister rules out cuts to AISH payments but advocates still have concerns

Rajan Sawhney, Alberta's minister of community and social services, ruled out cuts to Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) payments in a statement posted on social media Saturday.

"To those of you who have had a sleepless night, due to the stress of yesterday's news, let me provide you with some reassurance," Sawhney said on Facebook, adding that no changes had been made to the AISH program and that an ongoing review was focused on service delivery.

"Let me state definitively that there will be no cuts to AISH financial benefits."

Sawhneywas responding to a Friday report from the Calgary Herald that the United Conservative Party government was considering cuts to AISH in 2021. CBC News has not independently confirmed the report.

• Leave AISH payments alone, Opposition and advocates tell Alberta government

On Friday, a spokesperson for Sawhneydidn't dispute the report that cuts were being considered as part of the provincial review, writing that the government was taking a close look at all of its programs, including AISH, in efforts to ensure "they are delivered sustainably."

AISH payments are received by approximately 70,000 Albertans. Those who are permanently unable to work due to medical conditions receive about $1,600per month.

CBC News has reached out to the provincial government for additional information.

Parent says she wants stability

Kathy Marasco, who lives near Chestermere, has a 33-year-old son with autismwho receives AISH payments. AISH takes care of her son's necessities rent, groceries and utilities.

"I was panicking [when I read the news]. Not so much for my son, because I think if worstcomes to worst, my husband and I are going to be able to say, 'OK, we can manage,'" Marasco said. "But there are many of my son's friends other adults that he interacts with, and I know they struggle.

"If there's any cuts to that, I just don't know where those cuts would come from. Do they give up a place to live or a place to eat nutritious food?"

Marascosaid she doesn't have any animosity when it comesto how the needs of Albertan adults with disabilitiesare managed, but said whispers of instabilityareunhelpful.

"It's just this constant threat hanging all of our heads saying, 'OK, what are they going to cut? What are they not going to provide? What's next, basically?'" she said.

Advocate thankful for minister's statement

Trish Bowman, CEO of Inclusion Alberta, said she was relieved to readSawhney's statement on Saturday.

"It would've been nice to hear that yesterday, because certainly thousands of Albertans really were incredibly concerned yesterday, so this is great news," Bowman said.

In a statement, Alberta'sOpposition called Saturday's statement a "small win" for disabled Albertans, but stressed that the government's move last year to halt indexing of the program had already "clawed back" benefits.

• 'It really upsets me': AISH recipients worry about halt to indexing
• People with severe disabilities feel 'duped' by Alberta government, AISH recipient says

Bowman said the deindexing was a "huge disappointment" given the rising cost of living in Alberta.

"People living on AISHwhen it's not indexed have less money to make ends meet," Bowman said."So indexing was very welcomed, it was disappointed when it was deindexed and we'd certainly like to see that back on the table in the coming months and years, for sure."

At the time, the Alberta government said suspending indexation would save nearly $210 million by 2022-23, andSawhney said the government would look at resuming indexation when the budget was balanced.