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Inflation hits highest levels in Alberta in almost four decades

Inflation is driving anxiety and exacerbating mental health issues said Meaghon Reid in a recent Calgary Herald article

22 June 2022

The latest inflation numbers came out and it has hit a level not seen since 1983 in Alberta. Many are struggling to make ends-meet explained Meaghon Reid, executive director of Vibrant Communities Calgary in a recent Calgary Herald article. She described the struggles many are experiencing:

“What we are hearing is fear. It’s fear. And the disconnect is that we are having this conversation every month . . . saying that this is unsustainable. It’s still unsustainable. The more it goes up, it’s unsustainable. And I think the longer this goes on without remedy, people are really starting to experience some panic and that is really justified fear.”

The article explains that for the 13,000 households in Calgary on Income Support or others on fixed incomes it is becoming even more difficult to keep up.

She also highlighted how inflation has brought a new demographic into poverty, including some middle income families are being forced to make tough decisions about what bills to pay, skipping meals and parking a car long term just to pay for a mortgage or rent.

Read the full article: Inflation hits highest levels in Alberta in almost four decades

Income supports in Alberta often don't meet basic needs

Provincial supports such as AISH and Alberta Works should be enough to cover basic needs. They should be indexed annually to reflect the rising cost of living and exemption rates increased to reduce barriers to work.

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