Nenshi says clawback of AISH is theft from disabled
By Lethbridge Herald on August 29, 2025.
Alexandra Noad
Lethbridge Herald
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Alberta opposition leader Naheed Nenshi is accusing the UCP of stealing from disabled Albertans with their recent policy to claw back the federal Canada Disability Benefit (CDP).
Earlier this year, the Government of Canada announced it would be giving an extra $200 to people with disabilities through the CDP. In order to qualify, the recipient would first have to apply for the Canada Tax Credit and then apply for the CDP, both of which involve extensive paperwork that both the client and their primary care provider would have to fill out.
Those receiving Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) are required to apply for the CDB, but it will be counted as non-exempt income and be taken dollar-for-dollar from their AISH cheque.
Nenshi says this is a recipe for disaster, especially with health care providers already being stretched to their limits.
âFamily doctors are under unbelievable strain and now theyâre adding more work (filling out the forms), with no extra money to those folks that will cause waiting lists to grow even longer.
Zachary Weeks, a disability advocate, says the clawback is dehumanizing to people with disabilities.
âDecisions are being made by people whoâve never lived on AISH, who donât know what itâs like to choose between paying for food and medication.â
The clawback comes after the UCP caucus voted to increase their own rent provision for accommodationst in Edmonton to $2,200 a month. Meanwhile, AISH recipients are forced to meet all of their daily needs, including shelter, food and clothing, with only $1,901 a month.
If AISH recipients donât apply for the CDP by Sept. 5, they will lose $200 off their monthly AISH income, leaving them with only $1701.
Nenshi says the tight deadline is causing anxiety for people who are raising their concerns at his town halls.
Heâs getting phone calls from people worried over how they are going to make ends meet.
âEvery single day my caucus members and I get calls from people who have become so desperate that they say âshould I consider medical assistance in dying.â Thatâs what this government has done.â
While AISH payments are one of the highest disability benefits in the country, Nenshi points out recipients are still below the poverty line and Alberta is the only province cutting the federal CDB.
âWe have the ability to help every Albertan thrive and every Albertan to live a life of dignity on this land, so weâre calling on the UCP, for once in your careers, to admit you were wrong.Â
âYouâre the only ones in the country who are cutting this benefit. Everyone else is allowing people with disabilities to get just that little $200 a month, that little bit of dignity.â
17-16
Mr. Nenshi, you are very ignorant and attempting to shed ill light on our government again.
First of all, you obviously do not understand the Alberta Governmentâs AISH program. âAssured Income for the Severely Handicappedâ (AISH) provides a specific guaranteed financial assistance to those qualifying for the benefit. The AISH program provides the HIGHEST amount of financial assistance to recipients in all of Canada! AISH recipients also are provided with other assistance like dental/medical and urgent/emergency assistance. Recipients who are able to earn employment income are able to up to designated amounts without any âclaw backâ. There are other non-exempt and exempt sources of income clearly identified in the AISH Act/Program. Overall, an excellent program. There are however rules and conditions placed on recipients, one being claw backs on ânon-exemptâ income. The Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) is not exempt and therefore is clawed back, the AISH recipients, at the end of the day, retain their total amount of disability. This is totally fair, no recipient in the AISH program is being robbed!
Secondly Mr. Nenshi, your false claim that Drs. are being stressed by the âpaper workâ of AISH recipients applying for the CDBâŚ.. this is totally incorrect, AISH recipients are already certified by the Government of Canada as being disabled (if the recipient has filed their income tax returns.) Application for the CDB benefit is a simple application form consisting of three questions that is totally completed by the applicant (or their personal care attendant) NO ADDITIONAL MEDICAL COMPLETION OF FORMS ARE REQUIRED!
Nice try at lying to us Mr. Nenshi, what can we expect from you next?