AISH and ADAP: What Albertans with Disabilities Need to Know

Alberta is the province I call home, so when something changes with disability supports here, I pay attention.

Not only as the founder of Accessible Compass, and not only as someone who lives with a disability myself, but also as the President of Voice of Albertans with Disabilities (VAD), an Alberta nonprofit that has been supporting and advocating alongside people with disabilities for decades.

This one is personal for me.

What is AISH?

AISH stands for Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped. It has long been one of Alberta's main disability income-support programs for eligible adults whose medical conditions substantially limit their ability to earn a living.

But AISH isn't just about a monthly payment. For many Albertans, access to health benefits and other supports can be just as important.

Now Alberta's disability-support system is changing with the introduction of ADAP.

What is ADAP?

ADAP stands for the Alberta Disability Assistance Program.

The province has introduced ADAP as a new disability assistance program for Albertans with disabilities who may have some capacity to work.

AISH will continue, but the introduction of ADAP creates a different path within Alberta's disability-support system.

And naturally, people have questions.

What happens to AISH?

Who will qualify for ADAP?

What happens if I can only work a few hours?

What if my disability fluctuates?

Will my health benefits change?

What happens if I try working and can't continue?

These aren't small questions when your income, medications, housing and basic financial security may depend on the answer.

Disability Doesn't Fit Neatly Into a Box

This is something I understand personally.

I had a stroke while I was five months pregnant, and my life changed overnight. I had to learn how to navigate disability benefits while also learning how to navigate an entirely different life.

That experience is ultimately what led me to create Accessible Compass.

Disability isn't always predictable.

Someone might be able to work today but not tomorrow. Someone might manage ten hours a week but never forty. Another person may not be able to work at all.

And someone's capacity can change over time.

That's why the details of programs like AISH and ADAP matter so much.

My Work With Voice of Albertans with Disabilities

I'm also incredibly proud to serve as President of Voice of Albertans with Disabilities (VAD).

VAD is a great Alberta nonprofit with a long history of supporting people with disabilities, advocating for accessibility and helping Albertans navigate systems that can sometimes feel impossible to understand.

My involvement with VAD is especially meaningful to me because the organization played a role in my own journey after my stroke.

I know what it feels like to need help finding your way through these systems. Today, being able to advocate alongside other Albertans with disabilities is something I don't take for granted.

Accessible Compass and VAD are separate organizations, but there is a common thread behind why this work matters to me:

People with disabilities deserve information, support and a voice.

What Accessible Compass Will Do

As ADAP continues to roll out, I'll be following the changes closely.

Accessible Compass will continue updating our Alberta information as details become available, including information about AISH, ADAP, eligibility, working while receiving disability assistance, health benefits and where to go when you need additional help.

And when you need more than information on a website, organizations like Voice of Albertans with Disabilities https://vadsociety.ca/ are an important part of Alberta's disability community.

My goal with Accessible Compass isn't to tell you which program is "better."

It's to help you understand what exists, what you may qualify for, what questions you should be asking and where you can turn for help.

Because I've been on the other side of this.

I've been the person trying to figure out what I was entitled to while dealing with a disability I never expected.

That's why Accessible Compass exists.

And because Alberta is home, I'll be watching AISH and ADAP closely and doing my best to make the information easier for Albertans to understand.

You shouldn't need to become an expert in government programs just to find the help you're entitled to.

Accessible Compass provides general information and navigation support. It is not legal advice or an official Government of Alberta resource. Program rules, eligibility requirements and benefit amounts can change. Always confirm current information with the Government of Alberta.