With summer winding down and students returning to class, my colleagues and I are once again preparing for another session of the Alberta Legislature. This fall, we will continue to execute our Premier’s plan for a stronger Alberta. This plan includes taking steps to ensure that Alberta has the most advanced infrastructure in North America, the most innovative and competitive economy in Canada, the best performing health care system in the country and is in the best financial position of all the provinces. This is the future our government sees for Alberta and the future that we are working with Albertans to build.

Alberta on track to meet budget forecast

On Aug. 25, 2010, the Alberta government released its 2010-11 First Quarter Fiscal Update. It confirmed that Alberta is on track to meet this year's budget forecast and to be back in the black by 2012-13.

There has been some improvement in our revenue forecast, with increases in corporate income tax revenue and land sales. Spending has increased by about the same amount as revenue, mainly for emergency and disaster assistance for forest fires and flooding. We remain the only province with no net debt, as we are drawing on the savings from the Sustainability Fund, the province’s rainy day fund.

First Quarter Fiscal Highlights:

·         revenue for 2010-11 is forecast at $34.6 billion, up $602 million from budget, due mainly to an increase in land sales and stronger corporate tax revenue; 

·         expense for 2010-11 is forecast at $39.3 billion, an increase of $609 million from budget,  mainly for disaster and emergency funding;

·         deficit for 2010-11 is forecast at $4.76 billion; and

·         Sustainability Fund assets are forecast at $11.2 billion for year-end, an increase of $3 billion from budget.

The Alberta government will continue to take a balanced and cautious approach, keeping a close eye on spending while relying on the Sustainability Fund to off-set the deficit. We will continue to take steps to keep Alberta in a strong financial position, with advanced infrastructure, an innovative and competitive economy, and the best performing health care system in Canada.

For more information on the First Quarter Fiscal Update, you can go to http://www.finance.alberta.ca/. I also invite you to contact me with any questions you have about government or what we are doing for Albertans.

Stelmach encourages Albertans to start a conversation about the oil sands

Albertans have a lot to be proud of – our people and our province. This includes our energy resources and our commitment to responsible development and protecting the environment.

That’s why the Government of Alberta wants to tell the world the facts about the oil sands – information that’s often left out of news stories. Albertans play an important role in telling it like it is.

The Alberta government’s tell it like it is newspaper, radio and online advertisements are appearing across the province, encouraging Albertans to start a conversation about the oil sands. The ads provide a positive message about the oil sands and are grounded in the facts. They also include a link to online resources at www.oilsands.alberta.ca where there’s more information about the current state of development of the oil sands, as well as where the province intends to go in the future.

The tell it like it is campaign features simple facts like these:

• Alberta’s oil sands are the world’s second largest proven resource of oil; and

• the Alberta government supervises and strictly limits water use, monitors air quality 24/7 and requires by law that any land used for tailings ponds be returned to a productive state.

Help get out the real story to the rest of the world by visiting www.oilsands.alberta.ca and start a conversation today.

Alberta receives national awards for plan to end homelessness and First Nations economic development

Alberta’s approach for helping people most in need received countrywide recognition at the 2010 Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC) national awards ceremony. Alberta is a recognized leader in the nation when it comes to ending homelessness and promoting Aboriginal economic development.  The two award-winning initiatives are the first of their kind in Canada and set new standards for collaboration among funders, community leaders and service providers. 

A Plan for Alberta: Ending Homelessness in 10 years won the Gold national award. Spearheaded by Alberta Housing and Urban Affairs, this initiative shifts the role of government from managing homelessness through emergency shelters to ending homelessness by providing permanent housing and the supports needed to break the cycle of homelessness. When fully implemented, the plan will ensure homeless Albertans are permanently housed with the supports they need within 21 days of entering a temporary emergency shelter. Fifteen Alberta government ministries are involved and all of Alberta’s major cities have multi-year strategies to end homelessness which align to the provincial plan.

The First Nations Economic Partnerships Initiative, led by Alberta Aboriginal Relations, received the Bronze level award. The innovative program is delivered in partnership with Alberta Employment and Immigration to develop sustainable partnerships between First Nations, industry and government. Its unique cross-sector approach with industry and government strengthens First Nations economic capacity.

The 2010 Innovative Management Awards recognize governmental/public sector organizations that have shown new and innovative ways of cutting across bureaucratic boundaries and silos to address the complex issues facing society.  For more information on IPAC visit www.ipac.ca.

For more information on Alberta’s 10-year plan to end homelessness, visit www.housing.alberta.ca. For information on the First Nations Economic Partnerships Initiative, visit www.aboriginal.alberta.ca.