Premier looks to address affordability

By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on August 8, 2023.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com

Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services Jason Nixon has been tasked with making home ownership and renting more affordable for Albertans.

Premier Danielle Smith has targeted Nixon in her latest mandate letter to ministers.

And she wants him to develop and implement an affordable and attainable home ownership/rental strategy that will focus on incentivizing construction of new housing and rental units while creating additional financing options for prospective homeowners. She also wants her minister to remove barriers for both home buyers and renters.

Smith’s letter says she wants the strategy to focus on middle-income and low-income people including seniors.

She’s also calling on Nixon to explore the feasibility of a short-term disability program to better facilitate Albertans’ return to work when they are medically able to do so.

Smith said supports for the vulnerable such as AISH and the seniors benefit need to continue to be indexed to inflation.

Smith said those Albertans with severe disabilities need seamless support from their first diagnosis through adulthood without interruption of those sports.

Smith is also calling on Nixon to ensure there is adequate funding for food banks and other operators so families in time of need have access to nutritional food.

Nixon is also being called upon to work with providers of seniors lodges to undergo a review of expansion to keep up with growth and demand.