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Opposition Leader Rachel Notley said seniors got a “raw deal” in this budget and the cuts amount to losing universal drug coverage for seniors.

“What we’re going to see is massive costs downloaded onto seniors or, in some cases, many seniors who simply can’t afford to take the drugs that their doctors prescribe that allow them to maintain a good quality of life … that allows them to stay out of hospitals,” she said at the legislature Thursday. “It is penny wise, pound foolish and cruel.”

The Special Needs Assistance for Seniors program, which helps low-income seniors buy items like foot orthotics and lift chairs, is also being reduced, to “focus on the most essential supports,” according to the budget. The government expects to save $8.2 million between 2020-2021 and $8.7 million in the next year through these cuts.

Seniors currently receiving the Alberta Seniors Benefit will see no changes, but the eligibility criteria for new applicants will change in 2021. Budget estimates show the government expects to spend $18 million more than last year on the program, though there are no details on the changes.

Lori Sigurdson, NDP critic for seniors and housing, said the funding cuts will create hardships for seniors.

“It’s so clear that this UCP government doesn’t care about seniors but they’re making elite corporations the priority,” she said. “They live on fixed incomes sometimes, so they’re going to have to reach in their pockets more for the things they need.”

Thursday’s budget also said an additional planned 1,197 housing units for Alberta seniors will also built over the next three years, and that the government will use online tools such as MyAlberta Digital ID to save money in the Seniors and Housing department.

lboothby@postmedia.com

@laurby