Meanwhile in Canada

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Speaking of… The Alberta premier brought in legislation that rolls back track 2 MAiD. But she also cut back disability income amounts, tied them to employment when it’s 1000x harder to get and keep a job, and established clawbacks of the Canada disability benefit so disabled people won’t have access to MAiD, and will have a lower standard of living that was already stretched. It’s a backhanded “victory”. Typical of conservatives.
 
Kimmio Laughterlove said:
so disabled people won’t have access to MAiD, and will have a lower standard of living that was already stretched.
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Quebec, Ontario, and British Columbia together accounted for nearly 85% of all MAiD cases according to Health Canada's Sixth Annual Report on Medical Assistance in Dying (2024), released in November 2025.

  • British Columbia: 2,997 (18.2%)
  • Alberta: 1,117 (6.8%)
As of April 2026 , the 2025 full-year national report has not yet been released.

With regards to Alberta's lowering the standard of living which was already stretched:
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Alberta's program has historically provided one of the higher total welfare incomes for a single disabled person in Canada (around $23,732 annually in recent Maytree data for AISH households).

A new Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP) is launching in July 2026 for some clients (those potentially capable of some work), with a lower base benefit of up to $1,740 per month for singles, though existing AISH recipients get a transition benefit to maintain their current level until the end of 2027.

Key Comparison (Single Adult, No Children, Maximum Rates as of 2026)
  • Alberta (AISH): $1,940/month (~$23,280/year).
  • British Columbia (PWD): $1,483.50–$1,535.50/month (~$17,802–$18,426/year).
Alberta provides notably higher monthly cash support for eligible severely disabled individuals than BC's standard single PWD rate.

This gap has been consistent in recent years, with Alberta often ranking among the higher provincial disability supports in national comparisons. disabilityalliancebc.org

Good thing you don't live in Alberta!
 
Kimmio Laughterlove said:
www.canadianaffairs.news

Mixed signals: Alberta limits MAID and scales back disability supports

Disability advocates welcome Alberta’s limits on Track 2 MAID, but warn the new Alberta Disability Assistance Program could deepen hardship
www.canadianaffairs.news www.canadianaffairs.news
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The last sentence of that article is:

Even though Alberta’s disability social assistance is the highest in Canada, it still leaves people who rely on it living below poverty levels.

What is the poverty level and how many seniors and "abled" people fall below it in Canada?
 
met someone who is part sasquatch
who was there at the Ostirich farm when they were being culled *shudder* and who has divining rods and when i first used them they were randomly twisting lol then when i asked a question they found a rock which i then talked to and licked and bit and took home

❣️ this place
 
WhyCzar said:
The last sentence of that article is:

Even though Alberta’s disability social assistance is the highest in Canada, it still leaves people who rely on it living below poverty levels.

What is the poverty level and how many seniors and "abled" people fall below it in Canada?
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Too many. Nobody should be. Pulling oneself up by the bootstraps is harder if not impossible for many disabled people. Many also have extra costs incurred due to medical needs and lack of accessibility (maybe can’t cook for themselves, need a support person, have extra transportation costs, supplies costs etc)


Canada's official poverty line is based on the Market Basket Measure (MBM), which calculates the cost of a modest, basic standard of living. It varies significantly by region and family size, with 2024 monthly thresholds for a single person ranging from roughly $1,964 in Quebec to over $4,300 in Nunavut.
Statistique Canada +1
  • Official Measure (MBM):The MBM considers disposable income against the cost of food, clothing, shelter, transportation, and other necessities
    .
    • Regional Variation (2024 Single Person, Monthly):
      • Ontario:
        ≈
        $2,221
      • British Columbia:
        ≈
        $2,272
      • Alberta:
        ≈
        $2,381
      • Quebec:
        ≈
        $1,964
    • Family of 4 Example: For a family of four, the 2020 MBM thresholds ranged from in small Quebec communities to over in Vancouver.
    • Other Measures: The Low-Income Measure (LIM) is also used, which defines poverty as having an income below 50% of the median adjusted household income. Canada's official poverty line is based on the Market Basket Measure (MBM), which calculates the cost of a modest, basic standard of living. It varies significantly by region and family size, with 2024 monthly thresholds for a single person ranging from roughly $1,964 in Quebec to over $4,300 in Nunavut.
      Statistique Canada +1
      • Official Measure (MBM): The MBM considers disposable income against the cost of food, clothing, shelter, transportation, and other necessities
        .
        • Regional Variation (2024 Single Person, Monthly):
          • Ontario:
            ≈
            ≈
            $2,221
          • British Columbia:
            ≈
            ≈
            $2,272
          • Alberta:
            ≈
            ≈
            $2,381
          • Quebec:
            ≈
            ≈
            $1,964
        • Family of 4 Example: For a family of four, the 2020 MBM thresholds ranged from
          $
          38
          ,
          500
          in small Quebec communities to over
          $
          50
          ,
          500
          in Vancouver.
        • Other Measures: The Low-Income Measure (LIM) is also used, which defines poverty as having an income below 50% of the median adjusted household income.
 
Basic cost of living is high. Food costs are soaring. Rents are too high. Rates are too low. Disabled people are socially and economically marginalized - the most so of any marginalized groups. Those who belong to more than one marginalized group, struggle more on the whole. The fact that there’s anyone in poverty in a country like Canada is a result of entrenched bad policy - and some new bad policy. And attitudes to match. The abled general public is so used to it any attempt to change it is met with derision and we have MAiD now. It’s really bad. Disabled people in Alberta may be safe from MAiD but they will now be struggling more to get by than they already were previously. Or maybe some were doing just okay but now have to struggle without necessities so average Albertans don’t have to feel it. That’s obviously not okay. Anyone who thinks so has ice in their veins. Danielle Smith either isn’t thinking it through or thinks that charity will fill the gap — that’s not okay either. Food banks and other charities are underfunded as well.
 
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Cost of Living in Alberta (2025)
  • Monthly Expenses (Single Person):Estimates range between $2,600 and $3,500per month.
  • Housing: A one-bedroom apartment averages $1,716 in Calgary and $1,353 in Edmonton.
  • Utilities: Average monthly utility costs (electricity, heating, water) for a single person are approximately $194, with an additional $85 for internet.
  • Groceries: A single person spends roughly $350 per month on groceries.
  • Transportation: Monthly transit passes are around $100+, with lower gas prices compared to other provinces.
  • Living Wage (2025): The required wage to cover basic expenses varies by community, from $17.55/hr in Medicine Hat to $31.40/hr in Jasper. Major cities are higher, with Calgary at $24.45/hr and Edmonton at $20.85/hr.

Cost of Living in BC (2026)
  • Monthly Expenses (Single Person):Estimated between $3,500 and $4,200 to cover basic needs in urban centres.
  • Housing: Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in BC is approximately $2,030.
    • Vancouver: ~$2,400–$2,500 for a one-bedroom condo.
    • Victoria: ~$1,975 for a one-bedroom apartment.
    • Kelowna: ~$1,800 for a one-bedroom apartment.
  • Groceries: A single person spends roughly $400–$600 per month.
  • Utilities & Internet: Combined monthly costs typically range from $300 to $450.
  • Transportation: One of the highest costs in BC; gas prices average around $1.80/litre, and a one-zone transit pass in Vancouver is $111.60.
  • Living Wage (2025-2026): The hourly wage needed for a family of four (two working adults) to meet basic expenses:
    • Metro Vancouver: $27.85/hr
    • Victoria: $27.40/hr


    • Kelowna: $25.95/hr
    • Prince George:$23.15/hr
      Living Wage BC +7Cost of Living in BC (2026)
      • Monthly Expenses (Single Person):Estimated between $3,500 and $4,200 to cover basic needs in urban centres.
      • Housing: Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in BC is approximately $2,030.
        • Vancouver: ~$2,400–$2,500 for a one-bedroom condo.
        • Victoria: ~$1,975 for a one-bedroom apartment.
        • Kelowna: ~$1,800 for a one-bedroom apartment.
      • Groceries: A single person spends roughly $400–$600 per month.
      • Utilities & Internet: Combined monthly costs typically range from $300 to $450.
      • Transportation: One of the highest costs in BC; gas prices average around $1.80/litre, and a one-zone transit pass in Vancouver is $111.60.
      • Living Wage (2025-2026): The hourly wage needed for a family of four (two working adults) to meet basic expenses:
        • Metro Vancouver: $27.85/hr
        • Victoria: $27.40/hr
        • Kelowna: $25.95/hr
        • Prince George:$23.15/hr
          Living Wage BC +7
 
The ADAP Transition: Effective July 1, 2026, Alberta is moving many recipients from the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) to the new Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP).
  • Rate Reduction: Those moved to ADAP (deemed to have "some ability to work") will see a $200 monthly cut, receiving $1,740 instead of the 2026 AISH rate of $1,940.
  • Earnings Clawback: The monthly earnings exemption for both programs has been lowered to $350 (from $1,072 previously), which advocates argue punishes working individuals
That means the AB government will be getting most of the earnings of disabled people who can work some, while simultaneously lowering their benefits.
 
Disabled people in BC are living at 35% below the Market Basket Measure poverty line.

Disabled Albertans are living 30% below it.

I’m not greedy to think that doesn’t seem acceptable. It’s not acceptable for anybody but the solution is always to make it harder for people already at a disadvantage. That sucks. But hey…wars and pipelines.
 
Good, but no mention of UN concerns over MAiD expansion and disability rights in Canada. I think the big picture reason for this, is that lgbtq+ people who are not disabled, if stigma is overcome, can be more easily integrated into serving the ultra capitalist economy, fighting wars, etc. There’s a reason for the worldwide concern that’s not really altruistic, maybe not at all, coming from the top - it’s economic. It requires more expenditure on infrastructure and policy and more of a change in best business practices - to integrate disabled people into the status quo than lgbtq+ people who are able bodied and minded. So, that’s “kind of” Nazi-ish still. Mainstream abled Canadians largely don’t see it yet, or more sadly, don’t care. What I don’t understand (or, I understand that there’s prejudice at work and it makes me angry) is the world can clearly see hate toward other groups on the rise - but when disabled people speak out against MAiD policy, even though we have historically experienced genocide in similar times, we’re told it’s irrational to be concerned or that it’s a good, forward thinking, compassionate, thing for society. That has historical precedent, too - and it’s not good.

vancouver.citynews.ca

Canada called on to fill 'vacuum' in LGBTQ+ advocacy worldwide in face of Trump cuts

OTTAWA — The former U.S. diplomat for LGBTQ+ rights urged Canada to boost its support for gender and sexual minorities abroad, as American cuts to foreign aid loomed large at a development and human rights conference this week in Ottawa. At the same event, a South African government minister...
vancouver.citynews.ca vancouver.citynews.ca
 
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There’s been more concern generated over the expansion into mental illness but the concern should’ve been there a long time ago. And Alberta did the right thing with MAiD but not with other social policy regarding disability.
 
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Americans are probably always going to be more ultra-capitalistic - at least for the foreseeable future. It’s in their DNA (metaphorically). But we don’t have to be the same, and maybe we can show them a different path. With Carney, we’re moving their way, though. He’s presents more pleasantly than Pollievre - they’re both putting up an appearance of opposition to Trump but neither are opposed to what he stands for socioeconomically at the end of the day - the difference isn’t as stark as people assume. It’s not the end of the day quite yet. We can do better.
 
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