Skip to content

Popular topics:

Alberta.ca Account
Part of Alberta Disability Assistance Program

ADAP eligibility

To be eligible for ADAP, you must meet general, financial and medical criteria.

Explore pages in:
Alberta Disability Assistance Program

General (age and residency criteria)

  • You are at least 18 years old and not eligible to receive an Old Age Security pension.
  • You live in Alberta and are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
  • You are not residing in a correctional institution or a facility designated under the Mental Health Act Forms and Designation Regulation, such as Alberta Hospital Edmonton.

Financial criteria

  • ADAP looks at the income and assets you and your spouse or partner have.
  • When you apply for, or get ADAP, you and your spouse or partner should:
    • apply for all other income you may be eligible for, such as Canada Pension Plan Disability (CPP-D), Canada Disability Benefit, employment insurance (EI) or Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) benefits
    • not have income or assets that are higher than the ADAP program allows

Income

  • Albertans on ADAP have their income reviewed monthly
  • ADAP clients will continue to receive the health benefits they need, regardless of how much they earn through employment.
    • Even after an ADAP client with employment income reaches the maximum income threshold and no longer qualifies for monthly financial benefits, individuals will continue to remain eligible for essential health supports to ensure ongoing care and stability through to age 65.
  • ADAP typically considers income reported on your income tax form and your spouse or partner’s income tax form.
  • ADAP does not consider a dependent child’s income.
  • How ADAP treats income depends on:
    • the type of income
    • whether you are single or in a family with a spouse or partner and / or dependent children, and
    • who receives the income
  • Some income is exempt – this means it is not counted and does not affect your ADAP monthly living allowance. It includes things like:
    • cash gifts
    • income tax refunds
    • registered disability savings plan (RDSP) payments
    • registered retirement savings plan (RRSP) payments
  • Some income is partially exempt – this means it is counted as part of its value and may affect your ADAP monthly living allowance. These are examples of non-exempt and partially exempt incomes:
    • employment income such as a wage paid by an employer, a training allowance or severance pay
    • self-employment income such as business, farming or professional income
    • passive business income such as interest, dividends, capital gains, trust and rental income
    • a spouse/cohabiting partner’s pension income such as Canada Pension Plan Disability (CPP-D), Employment Insurance (EI) and Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) benefits
  • Some income is non-exempt – this means it is counted at full value and subtracted dollar-for-dollar from your ADAP monthly living allowance. These are examples of non-exempt incomes:
    • spousal support payments
    • an applicant’s/client’s pension income such as Canada Pension Plan Disability (CPP-D), Employment Insurance (EI) and Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) benefits
  • Allowable income deductions, such as most Canada Revenue Agency employment deductions (for example, CPP and EI), are applied before exemptions.
  • Find out more about how ADAP treats income in the Your Guide to Disability Income Assistance – coming July 2, 2026.

Assets

  • Assets are items of value like cash, investments, property and vehicles that you and your spouse or partner have.
  • Some assets are exempt – this means they are not-counted and include things like:
    • a home or quarter section you live in
    • a vehicle
    • a second vehicle adapted for a disability
    • clothing
    • reasonable household items
    • registered disability savings plans (RDSPs)
    • a trust
  • Some assets are non-exempt – this means they are counted.
  • Non-exempt assets cannot be worth more than $100,000 when they are added together and may include:
    • cash
    • chequing or savings accounts
    • tax-free savings accounts (TFSAs)
    • registered retirement savings plans (RRSPs)
    • cash inheritances
    • a recreational property or home
    • recreational vehicles
  • Clients who receive assets are provided a temporary asset exemption and have 365 days to invest the asset in an exempt asset or it will be counted as a non-exempt asset and may impact ongoing program eligibility. This money may include:
    • an inheritance
    • a gift
    • funds from selling the main home or quarter section where you lived and that ADAP already considered exempt
    • funds from selling your main or adapted vehicle that ADAP already considered exempt
    • funds from an insurance pay-out to cover damages to, or loss of, your main home or vehicle that ADAP already considered exempt
  • Find out more about how ADAP treats assets in the Your Guide to Disability Income Assistance.

Medical criteria

  • You must have a severe disability that significantly impedes employment continuously or episodically.
  • ADAP will review the medical treatments, therapies, rehabilitation services, and training options available that may help improve your impairment.
  • Find out more about ADAP medical eligibility in the Your Guide to Disability Income Assistance – coming July 2, 2026 and the Disability Income Assistance Adjudication Guide – coming July 2, 2026.

Transition period

The following information applies to AISH clients who transitioned to ADAP in July 2026.

If you met one or more of the following eligibility criteria, you were automatically approved for AISH:

  • individuals with a severe and profound developmental disability, or who are deemed eligible for or are receiving Persons with Developmental Disabilities services
  • individuals with palliative or terminal medical conditions
  • individuals living in continuing care homes
  • individuals 60 years of age or older.

For clients who transition to ADAP on July 2, 2026, and believe that AISH may be a more appropriate program for them based on their circumstances, a new application and eligibility review will be required at that time to confirm they meet AISH criteria. This approach helps ensure individuals are connected to the program that best reflects their current circumstances and support needs.

The Government of Alberta will cover the cost of one Disability Medical Report for AISH clients who transitioned to ADAP in July 2026 and later choose to be assessed for AISH. This support is not time-limited and will be available whenever clients choose to access it.

Publication

Contact

Get information for Alberta Support Centre offices and other supports.

Related

Previous Benefit estimator