Alberta committed to holding spending increases to below inflation

As thousands of striking teachers rallied outside the Alberta Legislature on Thursday, the provincial government maintained Albertans expect spending increases to be held below inflation and to invest wisely in services such as education.
The government reiterated its plan to hire thousands of new teachers and educational assistants over the next three years, and spend $8.6 billion to increase school spaces in the coming years, according to the throne speech read by Lt.-Gov. Salma Lakhani to kick off the fall legislative session.
That plan continues to fall short for the 51,000 public, separate and Francophone teachers who walked off the job on Oct. 6, and will face back-to-work legislation next week.
‘The government has committed to holding spending increases to below inflation plus population growth. To accomplish this and ensure Albertans’ tax dollars are targeted to priorities, your government has launched a Cabinet and MLA review of all programs and grants across all government departments to reduce or eliminate spending that has become unnecessary or redundant,’ Lakhani read.
‘Albertans have been clear about their priorities, and this government is acting on them. Through this legislative session, we are putting those priorities into action with policies that strengthen health care, improve classrooms, protect freedoms and advance nation-building projects that strengthen Alberta’s role as the driving force in Canada’s future,’ said Premier Danielle Smith, in a statement.
Other issues outlined in the throne speech included federal and U.S. relations, immigration, and infrastructure which mentioned rolling out a commuter rail built out over the coming decades to ease the growing burden on the QE2 and Trans Canada highways.
‘We can’t, after all, keep adding lanes on these congested roadways forever. As Alberta continues to grow, public transit must be part of the solution,’ Lakhani read.
In health care, tax dollars and efforts will focus on increasing specialized chartered surgical centres to compete — along with AHS and other providers — to deliver more surgeries and treatments faster.
‘The outdated model of building massive new multi-billion-dollar hospitals that take half a decade or more to build – and then are almost always underused when opened – must end,’ Lakhani continued.
When it comes to justice and public safety, the province said it will increase funding for police, oppose federal gun seizure programs, and uphold parental rights and protect children from early gender transitions.
The provincial government said it will further diversify Alberta’s economy beyond energy to become an ‘AI superpower.’
‘Alberta will not stop there. Your government will continue to advance our province’s emerging industries in aerospace, defence, technology, value-added agriculture and forestry products, critical minerals, alternative energy and environmental technology while investing in infrastructure for tourism, arts, culture and sport.’
Sovereignty was another issue highlighted in the speech, and the provincial government said it believes in a ‘strong, free and sovereign Alberta within a united Canada.’
‘Sovereignty does not mean separation. Strength and self-determination do not have to mean national independence.
‘In fact, it is your government’s view that both Canada and Alberta can only succeed when a proper constitutional balance has been restored and Alberta is empowered to freely pursue its full potential while Ottawa focuses its efforts on key areas of federal jurisdiction.’