By Charles Lefebvre

Report released

Report into Alberta’s finances says province has spending problem

Sep 3, 2019 | 12:06 PM

EDMONTON, AB — A panel tasked with looking into Alberta’s finances says Alberta has a spending problem which needs to be fixed.

Janice MacKinnon, chair of the Blue Ribbon Panel on Alberta finances, presented her report Tuesday morning alongside Finance Minister Travis Toews.

“Alberta faces a critical financial situation that demands decisive action,” the report reads. “At the same time, this is an opportunity for the province to look beyond just short-term quick fixes to reduce spending.”

Panel members were tasked by Premier Jason Kenney in May to examine the province’s finances and find plans to balance the budget without raising taxes.

The panel says when looking into the report, they compared Alberta’s spending with other provinces, and says Alberta’s spending per capita is the highest in Canada, and has been the highest for more than 20 years. The report also says Alberta’s spending would be $10.4 billion less if the province matched the level of spending of Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia. The report says if Alberta followed these provinces, they would have a $3.7 billion surplus.

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“Raising taxes is not the answer,” MacKinnon said in a news release. “Alberta has a spending problem and the government needs to act quickly and decisively to reduce its spending. The province needs to go beyond merely cutting spending to transform the way programs and services are delivered.”

The report also makes multiple recommendations, which includes reviews of health care and education in Alberta.

The full report can be viewed here.

Toews says his department will be using the report to help plan the province’s budget, which will be tabled this fall, though no date has been announced.