Results Analysis - 2010-11 Annual Report

Income is one of the major determinants of health and well-being. Income assistance programs help seniors by enabling them to secure their basic living needs, maintain their independence and continue as participating and contributing members of the community. The Ministry supplements federal financial supports for seniors (Old Age Security and Guaranteed Income Supplement) through the Alberta Seniors Benefit (ASB), Special Needs Assistance for Seniors (SNA) and Education Property Tax Assistance for Seniors (EPT) programs.

In 2010-11, approximately 147,600 of Alberta’s 407,500 seniors received monthly benefits from the ASB program, averaging about $173 per household; over 23,000 seniors (or just over 19,000 households) received support from the SNA program, averaging $945 per beneficiary, for a total annual grant expenditure of approximately $23 million; and over 100,000 senior households received rebates from the EPT program for the 2010 property tax year.