Petition Summary:

Alberta is clawing back the entire $200 Canada Disability Benefit from AISH and Income Support recipients — leaving disabled Albertans with nothing. This benefit was meant to lift us out of poverty, not be swallowed by provincial cuts. We demand that Premier Danielle Smith and Minister Jason Nixon end this cruel policy and let us keep the full benefit.

Petition Statement:

In July 2025, the federal government will begin issuing the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) — a $200/month payment meant to help lift disabled adults out of poverty. But here in Alberta, that benefit is being entirely clawed back from anyone on AISH or Income Support. This is estimated to save $45M in a year, on the back of the most vulnerable!

That means zero improvement for the people who need it most — those of us living on the edge, unable to work, and fighting every day just to survive.

Other provinces allow recipients to keep this benefit. Alberta is the only one clawing back the full amount. This is cruel, unfair, and must be reversed immediately.

My Story (Kristina Koivisto, Calgary):

I am the full-time caregiver for my adult son, who is severely autistic, epileptic and non-verbal. He relies on AISH — and so do I. I live with multiple sclerosis and mental health challenges, and I’m also raising my teenage son who has ADHD and a mild cognitive disability.

We live below the poverty line:

Rent: $1,700/month
Enmax: $650 minimum – $800+ in winter
Phones (for 3 of us): $300/month
Food: I rely on food banks just to get through the month

Steak? Salmon? Eating out as a family? That’s a dream. I stretch every penny so my teen can attend summer camp, play football, and avoid unsafe ways of earning money. I do everything I can to keep us afloat — emotionally, financially, and physically.

This $200 could have made a real difference, a trip or two to the grocery store. But the province decided to save money in this area and took it all back. Why are we being punished for being poor and living with challenging barriers? Why does Alberta think we don’t deserve dignity?

Our Demands:

We, the undersigned, call on the Government of Alberta to:

1. End the clawback of the $200 Canada Disability Benefit from AISH and Income Support recipients.
   2. Fully exempt all federal disability supports from income-tested deductions.
   3. Publicly explain how this policy is justified when other provinces allow their citizens to keep the benefit. 
    

Your Story Matters Too:

If you or your family are impacted by this claw back — as a disabled adult, caregiver, parent, or ally — please share your story in the comments. Your voice gives power to this movement. Together, we can show this isn’t just a policy problem — it’s breaking real lives.

Addressed To:

Premier Danielle Smith
Minister Jason Nixon (Seniors, Community and Social Services)
The United Conservative Party (UCP) Government of Alberta