Alberta Premier Alison Redford will speak to Albertans in a state-of-the-province style address on CTV Calgary on Thursday evening.

Redford will speak at 6:50 p.m. MST and is likely to pay particular attention to the falling price of Alberta oil and the impact it will have on this year’s budget.

The province will release its budget in March and major cuts are expected.

Redford is being critisized for her overly optomistic budget projections ahead of last year's election which counted heavily on high oil prices.

Experts are now predicting a $3 billion deficit, which is more that three times higher than projected.

"She's got to be specific. There has to be detail in there she can't just say wait for our budget in March and we'll make some choices then. I think she's got to outline what the choices are at this stage," said Political Scientist Duane Bratt.

Opposition leader Danielle Smith says that premiers only take this course of action when they’ve waded into political trouble.

“We just found out about it, but I supposed like a lot of Albertans, we’re looking forward to hearing what she had to say. She’s been running away from answering questions on the issue of the budget and what she’s going to be doing about it for over a year. So, hopefully, we’ll get a little clarity in her address.”

The leaders of the Wildrose Party and the Liberal Party were quick to share their hopes for the speech.

“I suppose, like a lot of Albertans, we’re looking forward to hearing what she had to say,” Official Opposition and Wildrose Party Leader Danielle Smith said. “She’s been running away from answering questions on the issue of the budget and what she’s going to be doing about it for over a year, so hopefully we’ll get a little clarity in her address.”

“Redford can say ‘Listen, we screwed up, we made a mistake’, she can say that,” Liberal Leader Raj Sherman said. “You know what we’ve got to talk about, taxes, and we’ve got to take away a lot of irresponsible spending promises.”

NDP Leader Brian Mason warned that the Conservative Party made $6 billion worth of promises during the last provincial election campaign – and the premier will have to admit her government won’t be able to keep many of those promises.

Redford has promised that there will be no tax or fee increases.

The eight minute address will be broadcast on CTV stations across Alberta.