Re-index AISH, Premier Smith directs minister of social services

Alberta's premier has directed her minister of seniors, community and social services to adjust AISH and other income supports for inflation.

In a Wednesday letter, Premier Danielle Smith told Minister Jeremy Nixon she expected him to, "given the increasing pressures on seniors and vulnerable populations, ensure income supports, such as AISH and the senior’s benefit, are adjusted for inflation on a go forward basis."

Smith's government did not provide a timeline or cost to the changes on Wednesday.

“We will continue to flush out those details and as soon as we have them, we will get them to you," Nixon told CTV News Edmonton.

“It's a commitment to making sure we are helping our most vulnerable citizens but also working with the amazing organizations that serve across this province to serve our most vulnerable sector."

AISH, or assured income for the severely handicapped, is a program supporting Albertans with a permanent medical condition that prevents them from earning a living.

The provincial government in August – then with former United Conservative leader Jason Kenney at its helm – decided not to return to indexing AISH, which it had stopped in 2019.

At the time, the government said the program was already among the most generous in Canada. It planned to use a surplus to instead pay down debt and put some cash into savings.

The Alberta NDP feels re-indexing AISH now is too little, too late for some low-income Albertans who have been struggling amid rising inflation.

"(Smith) may not have been in the room, but that entire party is responsible for the damage that they inflicted on this group," said MLA Marie Renaud.

"She can try to distance herself from that, but she's the leader of a party that inflicted this damage. So, I think a public apology in the legislature would go a long way."

A political scientist at Mount Royal University in Calgary said the UCP government should provide more details now on a cost and deadline for the changes.

"A lot of people have been pressing for this, a lot of people want this to happen but for the folks struggling financially right now, tomorrow is too late for them," Lori Williams told CTV News Edmonton.

"So, this very vague sort of promise of something in the future is not going to settle their concerns or address their needs."

Smith also directed Nixon to address workforce challenges in the social services sector, make progress on Alberta's affordable housing strategy, develop a "broad strategy to significantly strengthen Alberta's network of food banks," work with the health ministry to increase capacity in seniors lodges and facilities, and work with the minister of mental health and addiction to align his own department's policies with those of a recovery-oriented system of care.

The letter also described Smith's goals for the government under her direction, including taking action on the affordability crisis, strengthening the economy, and improving emergency medical care.

Smith was elected the United Conservative Party's leader on Oct. 6 and was sworn in as premier on Oct. 11.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Saif Kaisar