The UCP may be misreading the needs of rural Albertans with disabilities, said a shadow cabinet minister planning to introduce an accessibility bill this session.
Accessibility limitations can be particularly acute in rural Alberta because of travel distances, limited infrastructure and the centralization of services in larger centres, said Marie Renaud, the NDP's community and social services critic.
She noted that delivery of government services often involves filling out online forms, which means a lack of reliable internet in some rural areas compounds obstacles for people with disabilities.
"Maybe part of this government's hesitation is the thinking that this (legislation) is focused on big cities. But I think if we get this right and pass this legislation, rural Alberta is where we're going to see the biggest improvements," she said.
Jason Nixon, the minister of seniors, community and social services, said Renaud is wrong about the government's mindset.
"The speculation by the opposition is not true," Nixon said in an emailed statement to The Macleod Gazette.
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