The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) and the province’s opposition parties are displeased with Alberta’s plan to increase spending while falling further in debt.
“Albertans simply can no longer afford this PC government,” said Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith. “After promising during the last election to balance the budget and stay out of debt, the PCs’ short-sighted and reckless spending will have lasting impacts on future generations and no doubt cause long-term pain as we deal with the debt we are taking on today.”
According to the Wildrose Party, Alberta’s 2014 budget will increase the province’s borrowing to a rate of nearly $14 million a day which will bring Alberta’s total debt to $21 billion by 2016.
"Premier Redford has not only broken her promise to balance the budget by this March, but she is on track to break it again and again for the next three years. Unless oil bails the government out, we can look forward to deficits well past the rest of her term," said CTF Alberta Director Derek Fildebrandt.
The CTF has calculated Alberta’s consolidated cash deficit (total expenditures subtracted from total revenues) for the next three years as follows:
- 2014-2015 $3.9 billion
- 2015-2016 $3.9 billion
- 2016-2017 $1.9 billion
“This government has continued its attacks on Alberta families, while making sure the richest Albertans and corporations are well looked after. This budget completely abandons middle-class and vulnerable people,” said NDP leader Brian Mason. “This budget is the next chapter in the tale of two Albertans. Times are good for PC insiders and corporations, while Alberta families will continue to see tough times ahead.”
Budget 2014 is the highest spending budget in the province’s history, but several organizations feel overlooked by the PC’s distribution of funds.
While the province plans to increase spending, representatives with the Calgary Board of Education predict the allocation of provincial funds will present the school system with additional challenges in 2014-2015.
“We are pleased that the government has provided funding for enrolment growth,” says Sheila Taylor, chair of the Board of Trustees. “However, funding for other cost increases has not been provided. Therefore, we believe our per-student funding will continue to decline.”
Friends of Medicare, a non-profit organization, believes Albertans will experience a decline in the quality of health services offered in the province as a result of Budget decisions.
The organization predicts:
- Less front line workers providing our health care services.
- Less beds in the system - both acute care and long-term care.
- More out-of-pocket expenses.
- More privatization of our health care services.
- So-called "results-based budgeting" in our health care system
"Our public health care system is the most effective when there is enough capacity," said Sandra Azocar, Executive Director of Friends of Medicare. "Unfortunately, today's budget further decreased capacity in an already-stretch health care system. This budget once again leaves us without any practical solutions to improve efficiency, quality, or timeliness in our health care system.