Alberta Works...for farmers

The nature of farming is such that financial instability for the business can quickly lead to serious problems on the home front too. But it need not be.

Through Alberta Works, your local Alberta Human Resources and Employment office can help farm families through brief periods of financial difficulty and with long-term planning for the future.

Alberta Works recognizes that sometimes people find themselves in a situation where, due to no fault of their own, they face a financial emergency. Assistance, for example, may be available to farmers who face disconnection of utilities for their home and have no other way of paying the bill. One-time assistance may also be available to help cover the cost of other personal health, shelter or other items essential to health and well-being.

For the longer term, Alberta Works can provide stability through the Alberta Child Health Benefit, which provides free coverage for dental care, eyeglasses, prescription drugs, essential diabetic supplies and emergency ambulance services for children in low-income families. Parents must apply to receive the Alberta Child Health Benefit for their children. There is no cost to enrol and no premiums are charged. The program looks at the number of children in your family and the family’s income to decide if your children are eligible. For example, if you have one child and your after-tax income is about $24,000 your child may qualify for coverage.

If you would like to explore other careers or training options, Alberta Works offers information and services on career planning, training, employment assistance such as résumé writing or job search techniques, and workplace and labour market information that can help you identify jobs and skills that are in demand. You may also be eligible for jobs skills training to help you move into the workforce.