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Agencies that provide services to those with disabilities, helping them live independently in the community, say the government is trying to climb out of its deficit on the backs of the province's most vulnerable people.
The Stelmach government wants to claw back more than $6 million from these agencies over the next three months.
The agencies say it will be impossible to make the cuts without reducing services to vulnerable Albertans -- the same people Premier Ed Stelmach has vowed to protect from the impacts of the recession.
"Our people are very upset, and when families receive the news they will be even more upset," said Chrysalis CEO Lynn Groves Hautmann. "I know the majority of the agencies will simply say we need to consult with our boards and what you are asking us to do is unreasonable and we'll be seeking legal advice."
She said the agencies have legal contracts to provide services to people with disabilities and the Stelmach government can't just renege on those agreements.
She also questioned why the claw-backs are coming now in the last quarter and just before Christmas when the provincial government has known for months it needed to find $430 million in savings this year.
Bruce Uditsky, CEO of the Alberta Association for Community Living, said he thinks many agencies will balk at making the cuts because of the harm it will cause.
"They believe that it would be detrimental to the people they have an obligation to provide support and assistance to, and they don't want to be co-operating," he said. "In effect, they're saying the government decision is going to put people at risk and they will not co-operate with it. They are taking a stand on behalf of individuals and families."
Wildrose Alliance deputy leader Paul Hinman said it's shameful the Conservatives would make a move like this right before Christmas and jeopardize such vulnerable people.
Agencies in Edmonton and Calgary have been directed to submit plans for the cuts within five business days.
Paul Fujishige, Transitions Association executive director, says he doesn't know how to cut $125,000 from his budget in three months. "What it comes down to is cuts to direct services to people with disabilities," he said. "The only thing you can do is cut the number of hours or cut the wages of the employees."
Ryan Geake, whose agency Scope provides services to people with developmental and mental-health problems, says immediately cutting $200,000 from his organization will likely cost the province much more in emergency services as his agency's clients fall through the cracks.
He says the cuts don't fit with the premier's vow in the throne speech to protect vulnerable people from the ravages of the recession.
Groves Hautmann said agencies expect more cuts in the next budget. "We know this isn't just for the last quarter. There will be further cuts for 2010-11. Many agencies are looking at potentially closing their doors, and that would be pretty tragic."
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