The Alberta Budget 2018 has been released. Have you taken a look? Why not? Well, too busy, let’s summarize it for you in four minutes. However, you can click on this link to read the Alberta 2018 Budget.
The Alberta Government released its 2018 budget this week. Crudely put, a budget is an estimate of what the government will spend and what it will receive and where the money will be spent. Budgets are not the most fun things to look at as they are usually hundreds of pages long with lots of numbers and sections, but it’s one of the most important government produced document to look at to know if your community’s interest or concerns are taking serious by the government.
This budget was based on a recovering economy; I guess blowing the success trumpet of the NDP Government so far with the recovery, highlighting the jobs created for the last year, 70,000, and growth expectations, efforts to diversify the economy while keeping social services in place. MLA David Shepherd weighs in, “Alberta Budget 2018 focuses on extending the province’s economic recovery to all Albertans and continuing to build a more resilient, diversified, and stable economy that is less vulnerable to oil price shocks – a recovery that is built to last for everyone”.
Do you remember just under a year ago, the NDP Government were touted as not knowing what they are doing, leading Alberta on a bankruptcy journey. You know what; today the story has changed from this budget and recent progress. At times I forget that it’s an NDP government and not a PC Government from the things they do but it works. It’s politics. They fight for pipelines, take on other NDP governments for Alberta’s interest, and show a pathway to balancing the budget. What else? Hmmm I guess this budget is to whisper to Albertans…”We’ve got your back. Give us another term!”.
This first article will be used to share the beauty of the budget and the next will share the missed opportunities.
The NDP’s biggest critics pilled in on Alberta’s mounting debt and balancing the budget; same money coming in as taxes, royalties and other ways the government gets money, as that going out through expenses.
“Budget 2018 focuses squarely on extending the benefits of the province’s recovery to all Albertans by continuing to diversify our economy, create jobs and protect the vital public services families depend on… Budget 2018 also sets the path to balancing the budget by 2023- 24 by ensuring public dollars are invested where they are needed most, while at the same time eliminating waste, controlling spending and finding efficiencies,” Alberta 2018 Budget.
“The recession is behind us and Alberta’s economy is looking up. Alberta’s economy is creating good, mortgage-paying jobs and Alberta led the country in economic growth last year and is poised to do so again in 2018. We will hold the line on spending increases and invest in new opportunities that create good jobs and diversify the economy. We will make sure the benefits of Alberta’s strengthening economic recovery will reach all Albertans and is built to last.” Joe Ceci, President of Treasury Board, Minister of Finance.
The budget predicts economic, employment growth, as well as population growth in Alberta. “Both the government and the Conference Board of Canada forecast Alberta’s economy to grow by 2.7 per cent this year, placing the province among the growth leaders in Canada and well above the national rate,” Alberta 2018 Budget.
I can say the budget is all round strong on jobs, diversifying the oil and gas dependent economy, support new sources of energy, strong on education, health, social services, and places its core hopes on new pipelines being built. Here are some key highlights of the budget:
Continuing capital investment in health facilities, including the Calgary Cancer Centre and the new Edmonton hospital. · Supporting the shift to better community-based care by funding hundreds of new continuing care beds. · Fully funding enrollment growth in the K-12 education system and reducing school fees. · Extending the post-secondary tuition freeze for the fourth year. · Creating 4,500 additional affordable child-care spaces through the Early Learning and Child Care Centre Program. · Reviewing the Persons with Developmental Disabilities Program to ensure it provides the right supports. Returning to balance · Reaching practical agreements with labour unions to control costs. · Continuing the salary freeze on non-union public-sector employees. · Cutting salaries and eliminating bonuses for some of the highest paid executives of Alberta’s agencies, boards and commissions. · Keeping the size of the Alberta Public Service flat. · Keeping health spending growth below population growth plus inflation. · Dissolving and amalgamating government agencies, boards and commissions. · Tightly managing discretionary spending across government in areas such as travel, conferences and hospitality.
