An Edmonton doctor says it's impossible for people to eat properly on social assistance.

Dr. Matt Rose is the medical director of the Boyle McCauley Health Centre, a non-profit community facility that helps inner city residents. He said he blames the provincial government for failing to provide impoverished Albertans with the means to buy adequate, nutritious food.

Rose said he writes out several prescriptions a day for meal supplements for his patients.

Alberta covers such supplements as Boost and Ensure, he said.

"They don't get enough money if they're on social assistance to really feed themselves, certainly as far as fresh fruits, vegetables go," Rose said.

"Social assistance programs recognize that they don't give people enough money for food. [Boast and Ensure] are certainly better than nothing. They're marginally better than doughnuts."

Rose said patients don't need cans of meal supplements, they need more money for proper food.

Employment and Immigration Minister Thomas Lukaszuk said the social assistance program is not designed to help people long term.

"If a person had to live on social assistance for a prolonged period of time, the answer would be no," said Lukaszuk when asked whether the province gives people enough to eat.

"This program is designed not to live on, but to patch you over."

Lukaszuk said his department's job is to get Albertans off welfare, and back to work.

With files from the CBC's Ann Sullivan