SHORT TERM

LONG TERM

• The number of Edmontonians receiving social assistance through Alberta Works has been increasing.
• Alberta Works caseloads reflect underlying economic conditions with a time lag due to households that lack employment income and are accessing EI benefits first. This is particularly the case for the “Expected to Work” component of the caseload. Even after the economy has started to recover, Alberta Works caseloads can remain elevated for some time.
• Please note, for 2023, data was only available for January through September, so the average caseload for 2023 is not directly comparable to past years.

Government Transfers. Government income supports (also known as income transfers), as well as other social programs and services, play an important role in the prevention of poverty.

For many people, hard work is not enough to break the cycle of poverty. Barriers to accessing well-paid employment include: limited English language proficiency, lower education completion, unrecognized international credentials, social isolation, limited access to child care, conflicting work and family responsibilities, and even the difficulties of navigating government programs. These barriers disproportionately affect visible minority groups (particularly newcomers), Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, and lone-parent women.

This data has been collected from external sources and should not always be attributed to ESPC. We would be happy to provide you with a specific reference for the data that you have used. Please click on the text to the right to request sourcing information, report an error or omission, or provide your comments