This time of year, we all struggle to pay our bills, clear off the credit card debt from the holiday and get our finances in order before tax season arrives. Sometimes it feels like juggling five balls at once; just when you seem to have things in balance, someone tosses another ball in and we are challenged to find a new balance. However for people on a limited income, it is like trying to juggle all those balls with one hand tied behind your back. It becomes impossible and you become dependant on others to help.
Recently, there was an article in an Edmonton newspaper about AISH (Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped) recipients living in “dirt, debris and filth.” A ministry spokesperson was quoted as saying “AISH clients have the freedom to choose where they live,” but did clarify that ministry staff are investigating the situation after it was brought to their attention.
In this case, the handicapped people were paying $900 per month for food and rent. AISH recipients receive $1,188 per month, so that leaves only $288 to cover phone bills, cable bills, bus passes and any extra snacks or treats they might want. If someone has a handicap, they have higher needs, requiring additional services but those services don’t come cheap. I can’t help but question how much “freedom” these people have to move to another location. It seems very arrogant to say that an individual living on that much money has “freedom” of any sort. Why is it that we expect those with mental and physical handicaps to be financial and budget experts and manage on a fraction of what we do?
It may be easy to point the finger at the owners of the facility but how can they be expected to provide healthy meals and full cleaning staff while charging the same or less than regular apartment rent? I believe the government could not provide these services on what they pay, so they pass the buck on to private operators and expect them to perform magic.
People with handicaps are also limited in the amount of money they can earn by working before their income is clawed back. People on AISH can only earn up to an additional $400 per month before the government begins to cut back their payments. This makes it almost impossible to transition off government assistance. It would not cost the government any extra money to let people earn an additional $1,000 or more per month without clawing back AISH funds. While most people on AISH cannot work, why not remove barriers for the few that can?
I am aware that some extra benefits, such as prescriptions and medical services, are covered by the provincial government. In some cases, there are also some very good subsidies for rent available. For example, at one apartment building in St. Paul, the rent is $875 but subsidies can bring the rent down to $275 for those on AISH. Unfortunately, there are simply not enough of these subsidized rooms available. What happens if the handicapped person cannot get one of these apartments and is put on a waiting list? Where do they go until their name comes up?
As a taxpayer, I want my money to help those who are less fortunate have a decent quality of life. I don’t want them to struggle with additional burdens - why not raise their incomes to a level that is realistic in the current economy?
