'No cuts to AISH financial benefits' says minister in charge of program

No cuts to AISH The provincial government said on Saturday it will not be cutting funding for the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped program.

Edmonton — Albertans living on Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped are breathing a little easier after the province said it wouldn’t cut funding for the program.

A Postmedia report published Friday indicated the government was reviewing and possibly making cuts to the program. The minister responsible for the program dismissed that on social media on Saturday.

The statement from the community and social services minister reads in part “The focus of my review has been on service delivery, and finding ways to streamline operations.

I will continue with that review.

Let me state definitively that there will be no cuts to AISH financial benefits.”

One AISH recipient tells CTV News Edmonton any cuts to her monthly assistance could mean having to choose between food, utilities or medication.

“If they're not going to be cutting back, they're going to be cutting back somewhere else and the AISH workers, their case loads are getting high, so you cut it any further and it's going to be more than tight, it's going to be, you know it's going to be very painful financially,” said Jo Neville.

Members of the opposition NDP are taking some of the credit for the statement, saying they pressed the government to publicly commit to maintain funding.