Alberta
Province removes cost for residential addiction treatment
From the Province of Alberta
Removing financial barriers to addiction treatment
Alberta’s government has eliminated user fees for all Albertans accessing publicly funded addiction treatment beds.
Historically, Albertans were charged a $40 per day user fee for residential addiction treatment, often paid for privately or covered by Alberta Supports. This change, for example, would save patients participating in 60-day publicly funded residential addiction treatment roughly $2,400 that they would have paid out of pocket.
This cost prohibited many Albertans from accessing residential addiction treatment, including students, senior citizens, and people in the workforce who make too much to qualify for Income Support, but not enough to pay privately.
“For the first time in Alberta’s history, publicly funded addiction treatment will be extended to all Albertans. Previously, people struggling with addiction could only access residential addiction treatment if they received Alberta Supports or paid privately. We are giving all Albertans – regardless of their financial situation – the opportunity to recover and build a better life. Recovery is for everyone.”
This change drastically expands access to residential addiction treatment for all Albertans, transforming the system to make treatment accessible to everyone.
“It’s hard to see people who need treatment have to make difficult decisions about how to pay for it. Improving access so that people can get the help they need, without worrying about the financial cost, will change people’s lives, especially during a time of economic uncertainty. This will help Albertans get the support they need now and into the future.”
“Over the years that PEP has supported family recovery, we have heard numerous stories of life-time savings being depleted and homes being re-mortgaged to provide for a loved one’s step into treatment and recovery. The financial strain also impacts the family’s health and wellness in too many ways to mention. The magnitude of this shift in access and support to Albertans is huge.”
In lieu of requiring user fees from Albertans, the Alberta government has introduced a new standardized funding program for licensed agencies providing publicly funded addiction treatment services. This will result in better outcomes for Albertans as well as more consistent and stable funding for operators.
Albertans struggling with addiction can contact the Addiction Helpline at 1-866-332-2322 for support, information and referral to services. The toll-free, confidential helpline operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Quick facts
- The elimination of user fees applies only to Albertans accessing publicly funded addiction treatment beds.
- The RATA supports were accessed by clients in the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) and Income Support programs.
- The RATA benefit was previously accessed by about 200 AISH and 2,500 Income Support clients each year.
- In 2019, Alberta’s government licensed all treatment providers under the Mental Health Services Protection Act.
- Last year, the provincial government announced $140 million over four years to enhance the mental health and addiction care system and treat 4,000 more individuals.
- Alberta’s Recovery Plan provides a total of $25 million in capital funding to build five recovery communities across the province. The five recovery communities will add 400 publicly funded treatment beds to the province, which will have the potential to help more than 3,200 Albertans over two years.
From the Fraser Institute
By Tegan Hill
Amid the economic uncertainty fuelled by Trump’s trade war, its perhaps more important than ever to understand Alberta’s crucial role in the federation and its outsized contribution to programs such as the Canada Pension Plan (CPP).
From 1981 to 2022, Albertan’s net contribution to the CPP—meaning the amount Albertans paid into the program over and above what retirees in Alberta received in CPP payments—was $53.6 billion. In 2022 (the latest year of available data), Albertans’ net contribution to the CPP was $3.0 billion.
During that same period (1981 to 2022), British Columbia was the only other province where residents paid more into the CPP than retirees received in benefits—and Alberta’s contribution was six times greater than B.C.’s contribution. Put differently, residents in seven out of the nine provinces that participate in the CPP (Quebec has its own plan) receive more back in benefits than they contribute to the program.
Albertans pay an outsized contribution to federal and national programs, including the CPP because of the province’s relatively high rates of employment, higher average incomes and younger population (i.e. more workers pay into the CPP and less retirees take from it).
Put simply, Albertan workers have been helping fund the retirement of Canadians from coast to coast for decades, and without Alberta, the CPP would look much different.
How different?
If Alberta withdrew from the CPP and established its own standalone provincial pension plan, Alberta workers would receive the same retirement benefits but at a lower cost (i.e. lower CPP contribution rate deducted from our paycheques) than other Canadians, while the contribution rate—essentially the CPP tax rate—to fund the program would likely need to increase for the rest of the country to maintain the same benefits.
And given current demographic projections, immigration patterns and Alberta’s long history of leading the provinces in economic growth, Albertan workers will likely continue to pay more into the CPP than Albertan retirees get back from it.
Therefore, considering Alberta’s crucial role in national programs, the next federal government—whoever that may be—should undo and prevent policies that negatively impact the province and Albertans ability to contribute to Canada. Think of Bill C-69 (which imposes complex, uncertain and onerous review requirements on major energy projects), Bill C-48 (which bans large oil tankers off B.C.’s northern coast and limits access to Asian markets), an arbitrary cap on oil and gas emissions, numerous other “net-zero” targets, and so on.
Canada faces serious economic challenges, including a trade war with the United States. In times like this, it’s important to remember Alberta’s crucial role in the federation and the outsized contributions of Alberta workers to the wellbeing of Canadians across the country.
Show your Alberta side. Buy Local. |
When the going gets tough, Albertans stick together. That’s why Alberta’s government is launching a new campaign to benefit hard-working Albertans.
Global uncertainty is threatening the livelihoods of hard-working Alberta farmers, ranchers, processors and their families. The ‘Buy Local’ campaign, recently launched by Alberta’s government, encourages consumers to eat, drink and buy local to show our unified support for the province’s agriculture and food industry.
The government’s ‘Buy Local’ campaign encourages consumers to buy products from Alberta’s hard-working farmers, ranchers and food processors that produce safe, nutritious food for Albertans, Canadians and the world.
“It’s time to let these hard-working Albertans know we have their back. Now, more than ever, we need to shop local and buy made-in-Alberta products. The next time you are grocery shopping or go out for dinner or a drink with your friends or family, support local to demonstrate your Alberta pride. We are pleased tariffs don’t impact the ag industry right now and will keep advocating for our ag industry.”
Alberta’s government supports consumer choice. We are providing tools to help folks easily identify Alberta- and Canadian-made foods and products. Choosing local products keeps Albertans’ hard-earned dollars in our province. Whether it is farm-fresh vegetables, potatoes, honey, craft beer, frozen food or our world-renowned beef, Alberta has an abundance of fresh foods produced right on our doorstep.
Quick facts
- This summer, Albertans can support local at more than 150 farmers’ markets across the province and meet the folks who make, bake and grow our food.
- In March 2023, the Alberta government launched the ‘Made in Alberta’ voluntary food and beverage labelling program to support local agriculture and food sectors.
- Through direct connections with processors, the program has created the momentum to continue expanding consumer awareness about the ‘Made in Alberta’ label to help shoppers quickly identify foods and beverages produced in our province.
- Made in Alberta product catalogue website
Related information
BREAKING from THE BUREAU: Pro-Beijing Group That Pushed Erin O’Toole’s Exit Warns Chinese Canadians to “Vote Carefully”
Canada drops retaliatory tariffs on automakers, pauses other tariffs
Ex-NYPD Cop Jailed in Beijing’s Transnational Repatriation Plot, Canada Remains Soft Target
The “Hardhat Vote” Has Embraced Pierre Poilievre
The Pandemic Justice Phase Begins as Criminal Investigations Commence
The Net-Zero Dream Is Unravelling And The Consequences Are Global
Allegations of ethical misconduct by the Prime Minister and Government of Canada during the current federal election campaign
-
2025 Federal Election2 days agoOttawa Confirms China interfering with 2025 federal election: Beijing Seeks to Block Joe Tay’s Election
-
2025 Federal Election1 day agoBREAKING: THE FEDERAL BRIEF THAT SHOULD SINK CARNEY
-
COVID-192 days agoNearly Half of “COVID-19 Deaths” Were Not Due to COVID-19 – Scientific Reports Journal
-
2025 Federal Election2 days agoHow Canada’s Mainstream Media Lost the Public Trust
-
Media1 day agoCBC retracts false claims about residential schools after accusing Rebel News of ‘misinformation’
-
2025 Federal Election2 days agoReal Homes vs. Modular Shoeboxes: The Housing Battle Between Poilievre and Carney
-
International23 hours agoNew York Times publishes chilling new justification for assisted suicide
-
2025 Federal Election2 days agoPOLL: Canadians want spending cuts