NDP Wanting More Albertans Included In Relief Payments

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The NDP opposition thinks there’s some other groups of Albertans that could use the inflation relief payments from the province.

Marie Renaud is the Community and Social Services Critic, she says many disabled Albertans are unable to meet the qualifications to receive the payments.

“Anything from brain injury, blindness, deafness, spinal cord injuries, whatever it is. We know that on average they earn less than their non-disabled peers, we know that they have more costs related to their disability for equipment or therapies or medication, whatever that might be. Unless they’re on AISH or income supports, they don’t receive this inflation help.”

Renaud says many single people and families without children are also unable to get the inflation relief help from the province.

She adds that some policy changes from the UCP are making the inflation situation worse.

“They removed caps on insurance and on utilities, they’ve raised tuition and costs have skyrocketed, they’ve cut social services and housing subsidies and poverty has just continued to escalate over the last three years. We know food bank use has exploded, we know homeless numbers have increased dramatically in large urban centres and in rural communities.”

You can listen to our full hot seat interview with Renaud below.

– Kyle Moore, Trending 55 Newsroom