What’s New in Benefits

1. Canada Disability Benefit (CDB)
Regulations are in force as of May 15, 2025. The legal rules for how the benefit works are now official.
Applications opened June 20, 2025. The first payments were set to begin in July 2025.

Eligibility criteria include:
Approved for the Disability Tax Credit (DTC)
Aged between 18-64
Filed most recent tax return
Resident status criteria (citizen, permanent resident, certain other statuses)
Benefit amount: Maximum of $200/month (i.e. $2,400/year) for the July 2025 to June 2026 period, adjusted based on income.
Concern in Alberta: The CDB is being considered “non-exempt income” for AISH recipients — meaning it could reduce what people receive under AISH if Alberta treats it as income. Inclusion Alberta

2. Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP) & Changes to AISH
The Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP) is a new provincial program set to begin July 1, 2026.
Under ADAP, applicants for disability income assistance will be assessed for either ADAP or the existing AISH program, depending on individual needs and capacity to work.
There will be a single, combined application for AISH/ADAP.
Health & benefit supports: ADAP promises to include the same health benefits as AISH, regardless of employment income (within certain limits), and supports for employment will be expanded.
Benefit rates / earnings exemptions (how much income you can earn without losing benefits) are still being decided.
Concern: The ADAP discussion guide proposes all current AISH recipients be moved into ADAP, but one worry is that some may get $200/month less under ADAP than under current AISH.

3. Accessibility & Standards Updates
The federal government (via Accessibility Standards Canada, under the Accessible Canada Act) has published a revised Standard on Employment (Standard CAN/ASC-1.1:2024, revised in 2025) to raise expectations for inclusive, accessible workplaces, especially under federally regulated entities.
In Alberta, there’s increased coordination between the province and Accessibility Standards Canada (via a Memorandum of Understanding) to align accessibility standards (especially for the built environment and building codes) to ensure more consistency. Accessibility Standards Canada

Issues & What to Watch
Clawback risk: Because of how provinces treat the CDB (if it’s non-exempt), recipients under provincial programs like AISH might see reductions in those benefits. Advocacy is needed to ensure that provincial programs do not reduce supports when someone gets the CDB.
Survey & public input on ADAP: As of early September 2025, there are town halls, surveys, and feedback sessions open in Alberta about the ADAP proposals. It’s an important window to influence how the program will actually work.
Benefit adequacy concerns: Many advocates believe that the $200/month maximum for CDB is too low to meaningfully address poverty or cover costs for many people with disabilities. There are calls to increase the amount and to broaden eligibility criteria.