Starting this month affordability payments will begin for Albertans, according to the provincial government. The online portal meant to facilitate these payments will open on January 18.

Families with household incomes below $180,000 per year will soon receive a total of $600 for each dependent child under 18 over six months. Eligible parents can apply for affordability payments by creating or confirming their Verified Account and applying for benefits via the online portal or in person at a registry office or through Alberta Supports when the portal opens.

Eligible kinship or foster caregivers caring for a child under the age of 18 are automatically enrolled in the program and do not need to sign up to receive their affordability payments. They will receive their first payments at the end of January.

  • Payments will be delivered the same way as regular monthly benefits, whether by automatic deposit or physical cheque.
  • Monthly payments will be rolled out starting January 31.

“Most Alberta seniors and families will be able to apply for and receive monthly affordability payments that will provide real relief and help to offset inflationary pressures," said Matt Jones, the Minister of Affordability and Utilities.

In order to use the portal, eligible parents and seniors will be required to have a Verified Account. To ensure that the application process is as smooth as possible, the province is encouraging Albertans to sign-up for their Verified Account or confirm they have an existing Verified Account with accurate information as soon as possible.

All Albertans 65 or older with household incomes below $180,000 will soon be eligible for $600 over six months in monthly affordability payments.

"Albertans receiving the Alberta Seniors Benefit are automatically enrolled in the program and do not need to sign up to receive their benefits. The distribution of additional monthly payments will begin on January 31."

Eligible seniors who are not receiving the Alberta Seniors Benefit will need to apply for affordability payments by creating or confirming their Verified Account and applying for benefits via the online portal or in person at a registry office or through Alberta Supports when the portal opens on January 18.

"We have designed a secure system that will allow eligible Albertans to apply for benefits quickly and easy. Our top priorities during the development of the inflation relief portal were privacy, security and accessibility. I’m proud of the work our civil servants have done over the last two months to bring this much-needed program to life," stated Minister of Technology and Innovation Nate Glubish.

All clients accessing AISH, Income Support or PDD are automatically enrolled in the program and do not need to sign up to receive their benefits. They will receive their first $100 payments starting January 31. The province underlined that payments will be delivered the same way as a client’s regular monthly benefits, whether by automatic deposit or a physical cheque. It should also be noted that beneficiaries will also be notified directly about their enrollment in the payment program and related information.

"These payments will be treated as exempt income by the AISH and Income Support programs and will not impact eligibility or financial benefits."

Parents in these programs with children under 18 can also receive $600 in additional payments per child. They will need to apply online or in person for these payments starting January 18.

"With critical steps such as targeted relief payments, we are helping millions of individuals and families meet their basic needs and offset the impact of today’s inflation."

Alberta’s government will use CRA 2021 tax data to verify eligibility based on income. Applications can be submitted until June 30, with payments being retroactive to include previous months when a person was eligible.

"Once the application process is successfully completed, most Albertans will receive payments at the end of that month. Exact timing will vary for each individual," a press release from the province stated.