EDMONTON – Thousands of vulnerable Alberta families are waiting for assessments from Government of Alberta workers, but the government is cutting staff, says the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE).
“These families need help and they need it now,” says AUPE Vice-President Sandra Azocar. “The Alberta government has cut dozens of workers who complete assessments and help families access the resources they need.”
The first round of these job cuts came in November 2024. More are expected between now and spring 2025. As a result, AUPE estimates about 12,000 families are waiting for assessments, some for more than 14 months—and counting.
“Staffing in the Seniors, Community and Social Services (SCSS) department, which includes all disability services, has been in crisis mode for over a year. Caseloads are unmanageable, but families don’t have the luxury of waiting for months on end,” says Azocar.
“We are talking about people with severe physical and mental health issues who urgently need help to live safe and dignified lives,” she says. “Delays in assessment mean delays in getting help to vulnerable children, adults, and families.”
AUPE members are reporting caseloads of up to 200, well above the recommended maximum of 90-105. Not only are many assessments on hold, in some instances the caseworkers don’t even get to meet the families or the children they are trying to help.
The government hired 30-40 people in summer 2024 to address case overloads, but any benefit gained will be lost now that temporary workers are being axed and a new hiring freeze is in place.
“The government says staff are being let go because of a lack of work, but the reality is far from it,” says Azocar. “This crisis is the result of an artificial bottleneck, where families are not being assigned to caseworkers and new families that apply are not getting past the eligibility stage.
“How dare the government boast that Alberta is an economic powerhouse while attacking its most vulnerable citizens. It seems the government’s ‘Alberta Advantage’ doesn’t apply to those most in need.”
AUPE is western Canada’s largest union, standing over 95,000 members strong. Approximately 3,300 members belong to Local 006, which represents Government of Alberta employees in social services fields.
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AUPE VP Sandra Azocar is available for comment.
To schedule an interview, please contact Tamara Aschenbrenner, AUPE communications officer, at t.aschenbrenner@aupe.org or 780-904-1320.