Alberta still on track for $10.3B deficit, but signs point to growing economy
EDMONTON — Alberta remains on track to rack up a $10.3-billion deficit this year but Finance Minister Joe Ceci says the economy is rebounding and it’s time public sector workers step up to help keep it going.
“Alberta is back in the saddle,” Ceci said Tuesday as he presented the second-quarter update to the 2017-18 budget.
“Now we have more choices to make — and they will be careful, considered choices about the services Albertans value, about how to return to balance with cuts that are compassionate and investments that will pay off.”
The update predicts the Alberta economy will grow by four per cent in 2017 — up from the 2.6 per cent forecast in last spring’s budget.