Since COVID 19, many essential workers are finally getting the recognition and wage top-ups that they have deserved for decades. There is, however, at least one group of workers that has been left out; a group that nobody is talking about.

Residential Aids in group home settings work for non-profits and take care of the disabled. These workers have not only been forced to work extra hours, they have been put at higher risk by having to work at multiple locations throughout the community. These are the forgotten frontline heroes.

The government of Alberta’s single-site mandate for some workers, as well as their announcement to pay Health Care Aids an extra $2/hour, has caused severe short staffing levels at non-profit group home agencies in our province. Many workers have chosen their other places of employment during this pandemic as a result.

It is time for the Alberta government to step up and add additional funding to not for profit agencies who take care of society’s most vulnerable, so that they can add incentives to attract and retain workers during this crisis. We call on Premier Jason Kenney, Health Minister Tyler Shandro, and Community and Social Services Minister Minister Raman Sawhney to do the right thing and recognize the value of the work performed by Residential Aids by including them in the pandemic pay wage top-ups.