EDMONTON - Albertans are scheduled to go to the polls May 29. Here's a look at some of the promises announced by the two major parties in the past few months:
United Conservative Party
— Create a new tax bracket that would deliver about $760 more for everyone making more than $60,000 a year. Those making less would see a 20 per cent reduction to their provincial tax bill.
— Extend the pause on the provincial fuel tax, with savings of 13 cents per litre at the pump, until the end of 2023.
— Put into legislation a guarantee not to increase personal or business taxes without approval from Albertans in a referendum.
— Contribute $330 million toward a new ´ºÉ«Ö±²¥ Hockey League arena project for the Calgary Flames.
— Follow a public health-care guarantee that no Albertan would have to pay for a doctor out of pocket.
— Introduce a 25 per cent discount for seniors on personal registry services, camping fees and medical driving exams.
— Bring in the proposed compassionate intervention act, allowing people with severe drug addiction to be forced into treatment.
Alberta New Democratic Party
— Ensure every Albertan has access to a family doctor, hire 4,000 more health workers and create 40 new family health clinics.
— Cover the full cost of birth control, including oral contraceptives, copper and hormonal intrauterine devices, hormonal injections and the morning-after pill.
— More support for schools by hiring 4,000 new teachers, and 3,000 educational assistants and support staff.
— Create a new tax credit to spur investment in areas including cleantech and critical minerals processing.
— Bring back the Rapattack program of elite aerial wildfire fighters that was cancelled in 2019.
— Table the proposed eastern slopes protection act to ban coal mining projects in the Rocky Mountains and surrounding areas.
— Bring in a fully costed economic plan that predicts a $3.3-billion surplus over three years. Raise the corporate tax rate to 11 per cent from eight per cent to increase revenue.
This report by ´ºÉ«Ö±²¥was first published May 16, 2023.
