SACPA meeting outlined potential impacts of Bill 12

By Lethbridge Herald on January 15, 2026.

Inclusion Lethbridge executive director Rene Plaizier and board president Bruce MacKay outlined the potential impacts of Bill 12 on people with disabilities during a packed Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA) Thursday.

By Joe Manio

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter- Lethbridge Herald

Critics of Alberta’s Bill 12 say it is unclear how the legislation improves the lives of people relying on the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) program. Disability advocates warn the bill could reduce benefits, remove protections and impose stricter eligibility rules, creating financial uncertainty for vulnerable Albertans.
At a Thursday meeting of the Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs, Inclusion Lethbridge executive director Rene Plaizier and board president Bruce MacKay outlined the potential impacts of Bill 12 on people with disabilities.

“Many people are employed in different ways and contribute to the fabric of our community,” Plaizier said. “We don’t know what the government means by ‘employment,’ and this seems like it will create two programs running side by side. To me, this points to increased administrative complexity rather than streamlining anything.”
“One of the reasons given for Bill 12 was cost savings,” she added. “But imagine managing two programs instead of one, with all the administrative procedures involved. And this is supposed to start in six months, yet there’s a lot we still don’t know about the forecast.”
The bill, formally the Financial Statutes Amendment Act, 2025, was introduced on Nov. 25 and received royal assent in December. It replaces AISH with the Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP) as part of a broader overhaul of disability supports and other financial laws. Key provisions take effect in stages, with ADAP scheduled to begin on July 1, 2026, when many current AISH recipients will transition into the new system.
The government says the changes aim to modernize disability assistance and encourage employment. Critics, however, warn the reforms could reduce financial security for recipients. Some could see monthly benefits drop by about $200 and face new expectations around employability, which advocates say may not reflect medical realities or workplace barriers.
According to critics, the legislation was a solution in search of a problem, and AISH was not broken—only in need of minor tweaks. Members of the disability community also say they are unfairly labeled lazy or freeloaders by the creators and supporters of Bill 12.
Advocates at the SACPA meeting called the bill “mean-spirited,” saying it cuts benefits, tightens rules and leaves recipients facing greater uncertainty. They say the changes are already causing anxiety among recipients, with some reporting thoughts about medical assistance in dying (MAID).

“We are hearing from people across the province talking about MAID because they’re losing hope,” Plaizier said. “This is a concern for Inclusion Lethbridge, and we hope it’s a concern for everybody. Please tell your friends and family—they need to know.”

Plaizier and other disability advocates are urging Albertans to raise their voices and hold politicians accountable. They encourage people to contact municipal, provincial and federal officials and continue spreading the word to protect the most vulnerable Albertans from financial uncertainty.