Inclusion Alberta

09/29/2025

Only 21 days until the school board and municipal elections across Alberta! Now is the time to get in touch with your local school board trustee candidates to explain that support of inclusive education for students with intellectual disabilities is your top priority.

We’ve collected many, not all, email addresses for candidates running for public or separate (Catholic) school boards. Please email your local candidates to express your support of inclusive education. We’ve provided possible questions for you to ask and a template letter inviting them to our upcoming virtual session 'Inclusive Education 101 for Trustee Candidates'. Find your trustee candidates and learn more at:

UPDATE: SEPTEMBER 19, 2025 SCHOOL BOARD TRUSTEE CANDIDATE FORUMS: We have compiled a list of school board trustee candidate forums that are open to the public to attend. If you […]

09/26/2025

“You’re starting from such a small pot, a small income to begin with, so any change is a big change relative to you,” -Darryl Learie, AISH recipient.

Check out the full story on the curated news page of our website here: https://inclusionalberta.org/curated-news-content/

09/25/2025

If you're in the Calgary area and have an intellectual disability or a loved one who has an intellectual disability, and are interested in learning more about creating meaningful employment, join us for a free workshop on October 18!

This session will share inspiring stories from families who have utilized their networks, individualized funding (FMS or FSCD), and partnerships to create and sustain employment opportunities for their family members with intellectual disabilities. Attendees will leave with insights and practical strategies to pursue employment opportunities and collaborate with FMS/FSCD support staff to plan and take action. Families, individuals, FMS or FSCD staff are encouraged to attend and gain tools for supporting people with intellectual disabilities to secure and maintain meaningful employment.

To learn more and to register your spot, visit: https://inclusionalberta.org/event/exploring-opportunities-for-creating-meaningful-employment-calgary/

09/25/2025

For free support in applying for federal disability benefits (such as the Disability Tax Credit, the Canada Disability Benefit, etc), reach out to Inclusion Canada's Barrier-Free Benefits Navigator!

09/24/2025

**Rotary Employment Partnership Highlight: D'Voughn at Edmonton Elks**

Inclusion Alberta’s Rotary Employment Partnership is creating life-changing job opportunities for individuals with intellectual disabilities while providing an untapped labour market to Alberta’s business community. The partnership has created over 900 jobs to date in diverse fields such as trades, hospitality, manufacturing, childcare, culinary, the arts and office administration. Real work for real pay.

This season, The Edmonton Elks welcomed a new Equipment Assistant, D’Voughn, to their team through Inclusion Alberta’s Rotary Employment Partnership.

In his role, D’Voughn supports the Equipment Staff by helping ensure players have everything they need, from cleaning and organizing gear and towels to providing properly prepared equipment for practices and game days. He also helps maintain the locker room, assists players with any equipment changes or replacements, and works closely with the athletic therapists by keeping players hydrated during practices.

D’Voughn quickly became an integral part of daily operations, ensuring the team is well-equipped for success each day.

Congratulations to D’Voughn on a great new job, and congratulations to the Edmonton Elks on gaining a dedicated and hardworking addition to your team!

Join inclusive businesses like The Edmonton Elks to take action to open doors, build inclusive workforces, and tap into an often-overlooked talent pool. Learn more about how you can tap into a valuable labour market by becoming an inclusive employer through the Rotary Employment Partnership: https://inclusionalberta.org/connections/rotary-employment-partnership-dvoughn-at-the-edmonton-elks/

09/20/2025

October 20, 2025 is municipal election day all across Alberta. Albertans will be voting for their local municipal governments including Mayor and Councillors, as well as for School Board Trustees. Individuals with intellectual disabilities, their families and allies have a chance to shape the future of our communities. Now is the time to make sure local candidates understand, are committed to and know your support of inclusive education.

Find information to consider when speaking to and voting for candidates in your local election that can help advance the inclusion of children with intellectual disabilities in your community at: https://inclusionalberta.org/connections/school-board-trustee-elections-make-inclusive-education-a-priority/

**SCHOOL BOARD TRUSTEE CANDIDATE FORUMS: We have compiled a list of school board trustee candidate forums that are open to the public to attend. If you are aware of any additional forums, please email us at info@inclusionalberta.org and we will add it to the list. Check out the list of school board trustee forums at: https://inclusionalberta.org/connections/school-board-trustee-elections-make-inclusive-education-a-priority/

09/19/2025

Inclusion Alberta’s Rotary Employment Partnership is creating life-changing job opportunities for individuals with intellectual disabilities while providing an untapped labour market to Alberta’s business community. The partnership has created over 900 jobs to date in diverse fields such as trades, hospitality, manufacturing, childcare, culinary, the arts and office administration. Real work for real pay.

Billy, an Arts and Sciences student at NorQuest College who is supported by Inclusion Alberta’s Inclusive Post-Secondary Education initiative, spent the summer working as a Gardening Assistant at the St. Albert Grain Elevator Park. A lifelong nature and wildlife enthusiast, Billy says that this summer job has been a great way for him to contribute his passion and expertise to the community he grew up in.

Billy’s expertise and care in tending to the site’s community garden plots resulted in over 300lbs of harvested produce being donated by the end of the season! In addition to his gardening duties, Billy also spends time at the reception desk where he greets and directs guests and had the opportunity to share his passion and interest in birds by leading several interactive public bird tours.

As Billy now shift his focus to his second year of studies in Art and Science at NorQuest College, he looks forward to returning to his position at the St. Albert Grain Elevator next summer.

Join inclusive businesses like the St. Albert Grain Elevator to take action to open doors, build inclusive workforces, and tap into an often-overlooked talent pool. Learn more about how you can tap into a valuable labour market by becoming an inclusive employer through the Rotary Employment Partnership: https://inclusionalberta.org/connections/rotary-employment-partnership-billy-at-st-albert-grain-elevator-park/

09/17/2025

October 20, 2025 is municipal election day all across Alberta. Albertans will be voting for their local municipal governments including Mayor and Councillors, as well as for School Board Trustees. Individuals with intellectual disabilities, their families and allies have a chance to shape the future of our communities. Now is the time to make sure local candidates understand and are committed to the role local government can have in advancing inclusion for children and adults with intellectual disabilities to live, work, and participate fully in our communities. It is also critical that School Board Trustee candidates hear your support for inclusive education.

Please find below some information to consider when speaking to and voting for candidates in your local election that can help advance the inclusion of children and adults with intellectual disabilities in your community.

-Alberta municipal elections: Key issues affecting the inclusion of individuals with intellectual disabilities: https://inclusionalberta.org/connections/alberta-municipal-elections-key-issues-affecting-the-inclusion-of-individuals-with-intellectual-disabilities/

-School Board Trustee elections: Make inclusive education a priority: https://inclusionalberta.org/connections/school-board-trustee-elections-make-inclusive-education-a-priority/

09/15/2025

“This ADAP program is going to fail on all the metrics that the government’s promised,” [Economist Gillian] Petit said.

“It’s going to fail to empower Albertans with disabilities because it removes their choice, and it’s going to fail to provide higher earnings exemptions. People are going to have lower benefits unless they’re working at least a part-time minimum wage job.”

Check out the full story from CTV Calgary here on our curated news page: https://inclusionalberta.org/curated-news-content/

09/08/2025

As Albertans prepare to vote for school trustees on October 20, 2025, they should know that some school divisions still utilize the practice of seclusion and have seclusion rooms.

Inclusion Alberta continues to call for a ban on these practices. These are not teaching strategies and cause harm to all children, especially those with intellectual disabilities who may not understand what happened or be able to speak up for themselves.

A freedom of information request revealed that in 2024–25, Alberta schools had 116 seclusion rooms in just 11 of 59 Public and Catholic divisions. Students were confined more than 7,000 times the year before.

Learn more about the use of seclusion and restraint in Alberta's schools, what you can do to help safeguard school-aged children and find some questions you can ask your local school board trustee in our latest Connections blog: https://inclusionalberta.org/connections/seclusion-rooms-in-alberta-schools-2/

09/05/2025

"The government seems clueless about the psychological harm they’re inflicting on people who face challenges most of us never imagine."

To read Don Braid's opinion piece in the Calgary Herald, find the link on our curated news page on our website here: https://inclusionalberta.org/curated-news-content/

*Raise your voice at a Government of Alberta telephone town hall event TODAY (Friday, Sept. 5) at 12pm*
You can call 1-833-380-0691 or join online here at the times listed above: https://video.teleforumonline.com/video/streaming.php?client=15500

*Raise your voice at The Premier’s Council’s town hall event September 8*
The Premier’s Council on the Status of Persons with Disabilities is holding a virtual town hall event on Monday, September 8 at 5pm where you can share your thoughts on the new ADAP program.
Zoom link to join the town hall meeting on Monday, September 8 at 5pm: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81449705788

To download the town hall invite, agenda, take the Alberta government's online survey on ADAP and learn more about the issues, visit: https://inclusionalberta.org/connections/adap-town-hall-raise-your-voice/

09/02/2025

UPDATE: There have been a few more 'town halls' added by the Alberta government. We encourage all individuals with intellectual disabilities who will be affected by these changes and their families and allies to join one or more of these events and raise your concerns. It is vitally important that your voices are heard by government on this issue, and this is an opportunity for you to do so.

*Raise your voice about the new ADAP program. Join town hall events on Sept. 4, 5 and 8*

UPDATE: There have been a few more 'town halls' added by the Alberta government. We encourage all individuals with intellectual disabilities who will be affected by these changes and their families and allies to join one or more of these events and raise your concerns. It is vitally important that your voices are heard by government on this issue, and this is an opportunity for you to do so.

*Raise your voice about the new ADAP program. Join town hall events on Sept. 4, 5 and 8*

The Alberta Government recently released their plan to make changes to the AISH program and create a new program called the Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP). This plan proposes that all current AISH recipients be moved to the new ADAP effective July 1, 2026, with a benefit that will be $200 per month lower. This change will result in many Albertans currently on AISH being in a more desperate situation than they already are, even further below Canada’s poverty line.

Learn what we know so far about the changes to AISH and the new ADAP program on our website here: https://inclusionalberta.org/understanding-proposed-changes-to-aish-the-new-adap-and-how-to-respond-to-the-adap-survey/

*Raise your voice at a Government of Alberta telephone town hall event: September 4 and 5*

1. Thursday, September 4 at 6 pm
2. Friday, September 5 at 12 pm
You can call 1-833-380-0691 or join online here at the times listed above: https://video.teleforumonline.com/video/streaming.php?client=15500

*Raise your voice at The Premier’s Council’s town hall event September 8*
The Premier’s Council on the Status of Persons with Disabilities is holding a virtual town hall event on Monday, September 8 at 5pm where you can share your thoughts on the new ADAP program.

According to the Premier’s Council: “The Premier’s Council will be providing advice regarding the ADAP and wants to ensure that this advice accurately reflects what people with disabilities, service providers, and employers want to say.”

Zoom link to join the town hall meeting on Monday, September 8 at 5pm: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81449705788

To download the town hall invite, agenda, take the Alberta government's online survey on ADAP and learn more about the issues, visit: https://inclusionalberta.org/connections/adap-town-hall-raise-your-voice/