SHORT TERM

LONG TERM

• While the maximum monthly AISH benefit has increased several times over the past 20 years, long periods in which the benefit was not indexed to inflation has eroded its value.
• More recently, in October of 2019, the provincial government announced that AISH would no longer be indexed to the price of inflation. AISH remained at $1,685 until 2023. [2019 Alberta Budget]
• In 2023, AISH benefits were increased slightly, and indexation was reinstated.

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