The severity of Alberta’s fiscal problems hit home with many Albertans this week as Premier Prentice announced that the upcoming provincial budget will include an across-the-board five per cent spending cut.
alberta government spending
February 19, 2015
3:00AM
February 14, 2015
10:00AM
Alberta Premier Jim Prentice and Finance Minister Robin Campbell have made it clear the province will reduce government spending in its March budget.
December 1, 2014
9:00AM
Forty-one billion dollars. That’s the extra amount, over and above what was needed to keep pace with population growth and inflation between 2006 and 2013, this to fund Alberta government program spending in those years.
February 12, 2012
2:00AM
If, as the newly released census data indicates, youre one of many arrivals to Alberta in the last half-decade, heres the shortcut to understanding Albertas politicians: On budget day, they replay their favourite spend-now, tax-later 1980s tunes.
Some history: Between the fiscal years 1986 and 1994 (fiscal years end March 31), the province of Alberta ran nine consecutive deficits. That happened because for too long, politicians assumed boom-time revenues would soon return. They were mistaken.
February 11, 2012
2:00AM
As Albertans ponder Premier Alison Redfords first budget, they would be wise to ignore Finance Minister Ron Lieperts assurance that Albertans can [take] comfort in our fiscal situation. A closer look at the budget reveals a dearth of prudence and no credible plan to return Alberta to a balanced budget position.