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The Alberta AISH and ADAP Application Checklist
Since 2 July 2026 Alberta has had two disability income programmes, AISH and ADAP, and a single application decides which one you go into. Either can be life-changing, and the application is detailed and easy to get wrong. Use this checklist to prepare a complete, strong one.
1 · Know which programme you are applying to
- Since 2 July 2026 Alberta has had two disability income programmes: AISH and the Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP).
- You do not choose between them. There is one Disability Income Assistance application, form DS2444A, and it is assessed for both.
- AISH is for a severe disability that permanently prevents employment.
- ADAP is for a severe disability that significantly impedes employment, continuously or episodically, but does not prevent it.
2 · Confirm you meet the basic eligibility
- 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.
- Your non-exempt assets, added together, are worth no more than $100,000. The same limit applies to both programmes.
- The home you live in, a vehicle, a second vehicle adapted for a disability, clothing, reasonable household items, an RDSP and a trust do not count toward that limit.
3 · Gather your personal and financial documents
- Government-issued photo ID and proof of Alberta residency.
- Social Insurance Number.
- Banking information for direct deposit.
- Your Notice of Assessment. Alberta names this one specifically, and a missing NOA is a common reason a file waits.
- Information on income, assets, and any other benefits you receive.
- Your partner's income and asset details, if applicable.
4 · Prepare the medical report
- The medical report is form DS2444B, and your health professional completes it, not you.
- List every diagnosis, condition, and the providers treating you, so nothing is left out of the report.
- Ask for it to be completed fully. Vague reports are a top cause of delay and denial.
- Include how your condition affects daily living and your ability to work.
- Attach supporting records: specialist letters, test results, hospital summaries.
- Ask what your health professional charges to complete the report, and arrange it early.
5 · Strengthen the application before it goes in
- Send a complete file. Benefits are backdated to the month AISH or ADAP received all of the information required to approve your application, not the month you first applied.
- Every week the medical report sits uncompleted is a week that never becomes payable.
- Describe a typical day and your real limitations. Don't understate them.
- Be consistent: your description and the medical report should tell the same story.
- Keep copies of everything you submit, and note the date you sent each piece.
6 · After you apply
- Respond promptly to any request for more information. Staff may ask for anything missing, and the backdating date waits until they have it all.
- If you're denied, you have 30 days to appeal. Count from the date on your decision letter and file well inside it.
- Not every decision can be appealed, and the route differs depending on whether the decision was medical or financial. Check which applies before you spend the 30 days on the wrong one.
- A denial often means something was missing, not that you don't qualify.
Want consultation and navigation help preparing your AISH or ADAP application?
Northridge provides non-regulated consultation and navigation support to help you understand the process, organize your documents, and prepare a complete application. We do not determine eligibility or guarantee approval. Start with a consultation.
+1 587-785-9276 · info@northridgenavigation.ca · Serving Alberta · Virtual & In-Person
Book a ConsultationThis checklist is general information, not legal or medical advice. These rules change, and both programmes changed on 2 July 2026. Confirm current requirements with Alberta Community and Social Services. © Northridge Capacity Assessment & Social Systems Navigation Services.