Skip to content

Alberta Government announces pay increase for workers supporting people with disabilities

The Government of Alberta will lend significant financial support to workers who support persons with disabilities.
31407041_web1_221223-RDA-Province-Funding-persons-with-disabilities-Nixon_1

The Government of Alberta will lend significant financial support to workers who support persons with disabilities.

The province is providing the sector with $24 million which will help retain staff and support workers. The additional funding will help funding, service providers, families and persons with disabilities will be able to find workers more easily, as wages will become more competitive.

An additional $2 million will be provided to disability service providers to help with increasing operational costs such as utilities and insurance. As inflation continues to increase cost pressures, this funding will help organizations keep their doors open so that Albertans receive the supports they need. The last time Alberta’s disability and family violence prevention sector received an increase for operational costs was in 2014.

“I want to thank the Government of Alberta for working with us over the past eight months to strengthen our province’s disability worker sector,” Dale Cena, founder, Alberta Disability in Action.

“Thanks to their hard work, and the advocacy of thousands of our fellow Albertans, thousands of workers and their families will rest a little easier this holiday season, knowing they are valued and appreciated.”

The Ministry of Seniors, Community and Social Services funds 179 Persons with Developmental Disabilities service providers and 69 Family Support for Children with Disabilities service providers. About 20,600 front-line social service workers will be supported with this investment, including about 19,500 disability support workers, 1,000 homeless shelter workers and 175 family violence prevention workers.

According to Jeremy Nixon, Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services, the funding amounts to about a 10 per cent increase.

“Providing care for vulnerable Albertans is a focus of our government, which is why Premier Danielle Smith put in my mandate letter to work with the social services sector to address workforce challenges within my ministry,” said Jeremy Nixon, Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services.

“Workers in disability services, emergency shelters and family violence prevention programs are providing critical support to thousands of Albertans. Our province cannot go without these individuals’ dedication, which is why we are proud to support them in their hard work for our most vulnerable.”