Alberta minister calls for automatic enrolment in Canada's new disability benefit

OTTAWA — Alberta Social Services Minister Jason Nixon is calling on Ottawa to scrap the standalone application form for the new Canada Disability Benefit .

Nixon said in a letter to federal counterpart Patty Hajdu that those receiving Alberta’s Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) and other provincial disability benefits should automatically receive the CDB.

“As social services are within provincial responsibility, I am … requesting that the federal government defer to Alberta’s provincial eligibility requirements to streamline access to federal disability supports,” wrote Nixon.

Nixon wrote in the letter that the federal application requirements, which could include paying out of pocket for a medical examination, present a “significant barrier” to access in Alberta and beyond.

“(W)e’ve heard concerns from Albertans with disabilities who are encountering barriers in applying for the CDB,” wrote Nixon.

Applications for the maximum $200 per month federal benefit opened in late June.

Medical examinations to determine one’s eligibility for the benefit can run upwards of $150 .

The Liberal government committed in the April 2024 federal budget to reimburse medical examination costs , but has yet to put forward details about what the reimbursement model will look like.

As it stands, Canadians with disabilities may claim these costs as medical expenses on their tax returns.

In the meantime, the province has committed to reimbursing medical examination costs for AISH recipients applying for the federal benefit.

Yusuf Ariyo, a support worker with the Edmonton-based Voice of Albertans with Disabilities, said the organization has seen an uptick in requests for help with benefit applications since the CDB rollout started.

“It’s our job to help them navigate the benefits system, but there’s limits to what we can do,” said Ariyo.

Hajdu’s office didn’t immediately respond to an email about Nixon’s letter.

National Post rmohamed@postmedia.com

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