Eight. Social Assistance in Alberta

Wood, Donna E.

doi:10.3138/9781442609730-012

Cited by 4 publications

(5 citation statements)

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“…The eligibility requirements are much stricter than other disability programs. Recipients must have a permanent and untreatable condition (Wood, 2015). Those deemed eligible have the highest welfare adequacy of any family type discussed in this report, reaching 96 per cent of the poverty threshold (Table A14).…”

Section: Albertamentioning

confidence: 98%

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Two Decades of Poverty Reduction Politics in Canada: Better for Single-Parent Families and Single Working-Age Adults?

Notten,

Zohora,

Plante

et al. 2023

Canadian Public Policy

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Réduire la pauvreté est une tâche complexe. Nous cherchons à savoir si la situation des familles monoparentales et des adultes célibataires en âge de travailler s’est améliorée, dans un contexte politique qui priorise, du moins sur le plan rhétorique, la réduction de la pauvreté à l’échelle de toutes les grandes divisions administratives canadiennes. Ces deux groupes présentent des taux de pauvreté très élevés. Nous analysons les changements dans la pauvreté de 1999 à 2017 de manière relative (par rapport à l’individu moyen) et absolue (le pouvoir d’achat). En contrôlant les variables liées aux caractéristiques démographiques et régionales, nous constatons que le désavantage de pauvreté a diminué pour les deux groupes. L’amélioration des résultats pour les familles monoparentales est marquée et généralisée dans l’ensemble des provinces. Dans le cas des adultes célibataires en âge de travailler, l’amélioration est plus faible et se concentre dans les provinces qui connaissent une croissance économique vigoureuse. Ces résultats appuient l’affirmation selon laquelle les gouvernements ont priorisé l’inclusion des familles ayant des enfants à charge, tandis que l’inclusion des adultes célibataires en âge de travailler a été laissée en grande partie aux aléas de l’économie.

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Section: Albertamentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Even among recipients who did not return to social assistance, 68.2 per cent reported being unable to always meet their shelter and food needs (Azmier and Roach, 1997). In 2003, the program was restructured to offer better employment services, health benefits and child support services (Wood, 2015).…”

Section: Albertamentioning

confidence: 99%

Two Decades of Poverty Reduction Politics in Canada: Better for Single-Parent Families and Single Working-Age Adults?

Notten,

Zohora,

Plante

et al. 2023

Canadian Public Policy

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“…Perceptions of insecurity are tied to structural inequalities and disadvantage, and while economic precarity has become more salient for many, the experiences of people with disabilities makes those chronic stressors particular to them (Turner et al., 2017). With low employment rates, clustering in low paying jobs (Maroto and Pettinicchio, 2014), and less wealth, Canadians with disabilities often live in precarious states (Liu et al., 2013; Maroto, 2016; Maroto, 2019; Maroto & Pettinicchio, 2020; Morris et al., 2018; Shuey & Jovic, 2013) and are often left to rely on declining and restrictive government benefits (Crawford, 2013; Laidley & Tabbara, 2021; Maroto & Pettinicchio, 2020; Statistics Canada, 2021b; Wood, 2015). Not surprisingly, people with disabilities are also more likely to experience poverty (Pettinicchio and Maroto, 2017; Maroto & Pettinicchio, 2022; Wall, 2017).…”

Section: Chronic Stressors and Life Events: Disability Precarity And ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Economic precarity and changing levels of anxiety and stress among Canadians with disabilities and chronic health conditions throughout the COVID‐19 pandemic

Pettinicchio,

Maroto

2024

Canadian Review of Sociology

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Early in the COVID‐19 pandemic, multiple event stressors converged to exacerbate a growing mental health crisis in Canada with differing effects across status groups. However, less is known about changing mental health situations throughout the pandemic, especially among individuals more likely to experience chronic stress because of their disability and health status. Using data from two waves of a targeted online survey of people with disabilities and chronic health conditions in Canada (N = 563 individuals, June 2020 and July 2021), we find that approximately 25% of respondents experienced additional increases in stress and anxiety levels in 2021. These increases were partly explained by worsening perceived financial insecurity and, in the case of stress, additional negative financial effects tied to the pandemic. This paper understands mental health disparities as a function of social status and social group membership. By linking stress process models and a minority stress framework with a social model of disability, we allude to how structural and contextual barriers make functional limitations disabling and in turn, life stressors.

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“…Means-tested benefits exclude many groups, particularly those with limited access to labor and financial markets, leaving them in a continuous struggle to stay afloat (Bagenstos 2017;Brown 2015;Whittle et al 2017). To determine eligibility for provincial programs, people with disabilities are means-assessed based on their disability, the extent to which they can work, and their overall financial status and assets, including any family or household savings (Wood 2015). Among people with disabilities who were active in the labor force but unemployed in 2006, 30 percent were less likely to look for work because they believed they would lose their government supports if employed (Crawford 2013).…”

Section: Institutions That Limit Economic Insecuritymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Due to low or nonexistent employment income, one‐third of Canadians with disabilities receive income from sources other than the labor market, often from government transfers (Crawford 2013). However, means‐tested benefits typically mean households cannot exceed a level of allowable income and assets, which can disincentivize saving (Maroto and Pettinicchio 2020; Wood 2015). In turn, people with disabilities also have less savings and hold less wealth than people without disabilities (Maroto 2016; Maroto and Pettinicchio 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Living on the Edge: Institutional Supports and Perceptions of Economic Insecurity Among People with Disabilities and Chronic Health Conditions

Maroto

Pettinicchio

2022

Sociological Inquiry

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The growth of precarious employment coupled with declining social safety nets has increased economic insecurity among many households, leaving them without key resources to weather financial hardships like those brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. This has been especially true for people whose disabilities, health statuses, and already precarious economic situations have made them extra vulnerable. We combine survey (N = 1,027) and interview (N = 50) data for Canadians with disabilities and chronic health conditions to explore how mobilizing four types of institutional supports connected to labor markets, financial markets, family, and government influenced perceptions of current and future insecurity during crisis. Because employment income was only available to about half of our respondents, many relied on a combination of savings, family supports, and government programs to make up the difference. This paper demonstrates how marginalized groups make use of different supports within liberal welfare states during times of crisis.

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Eight. Social Assistance in Alberta

Cited by 4 publications

References 0 publications

Two Decades of Poverty Reduction Politics in Canada: Better for Single-Parent Families and Single Working-Age Adults?

Two Decades of Poverty Reduction Politics in Canada: Better for Single-Parent Families and Single Working-Age Adults?

Economic precarity and changing levels of anxiety and stress among Canadians with disabilities and chronic health conditions throughout the COVID‐19 pandemic

Living on the Edge: Institutional Supports and Perceptions of Economic Insecurity Among People with Disabilities and Chronic Health Conditions

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