Indexing AISH with Consumer Price Index will make big difference’ says Nixon

Last week the provincial government announced an increase of six per cent for benefits provided to low income Albertans to be able to afford their basic needs.

The increase in AISH, Income Support, the Alberta Seniors Benefit and Alberta Child and Family Benefit is set to match the rate of inflation.

Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services, Jeremy Nixon told the Herald Wednesday this is probably the most exciting announcements he has ever been a part of.

“Our ability to come in and index AISH with CPI (Consumer Price Index) with that six per cent increase, is going to make a big difference for people to be able to not have to choose between rent and food and not have to choose between medicine and utilities and so that’s why we’re doing it,” said Nixon.

He said the other part of that is the fact that it is going to be moving forward.

“This is not going to just deal with inflation today, but as we move forward, we’re going to make sure that these folks don’t slowly end up in a situation where things become unaffordable for them. We’re going to help them keep up,” said Nixon.

He said the payments will not alter if the inflation rate changes, unless it goes up.

“If inflation goes down, their payments will remain the same until inflation starts to go back up again. I’m happy to clarify that; I don’t want people to think that if the economy starts to go down we’re going to start clawing back their payments, because that’s a very difficult thing to do,” said Nixon.

The Alberta government website states that benefit programs will be indexed effective Jan. 1, 2023. Albertans receiving AISH and Income Support benefits will see this increase on their January payments, which will be distributed on Dec. 22. Recipients of the Alberta Seniors Benefit will see this increase on their January cheques and recipients of the Alberta Child and Family Benefit will see the increase in their first quarterly payment in February 2023.