Pandemic spending, no tax increases: Some highlights from the Alberta budget

EDMONTON — Alberta’s United Conservative government tabled its budget Thursday. Here are some of the highlights:

— No new taxes or tax increases.

— Deficit of $18.2 billion on estimated revenues of $43.7 billion.

— Spending of $57.3 billion before expenditures on COVID-19 and cancelled crude-by-rail      contracts.

— Spending on COVID-19 to be $1.1 billion. An extra $1.8 billion as needed.

— Taxpayer-supported debt of almost $116 billion by March 2022. Annual debt interest      charges almost $3 billion.

— Capital spending to be $20.7 billion over three years.

— Heritage Savings Trust Fund pegged to reach $16.7 billion.

— Personal income tax to generate an estimated $11.6 billion.

— Corporate income tax estimated to be $1.9 billion.

— Cannabis tax to come in at $105 million.

— Public sector compensation, excluding physicians, set at $21.5 billion. To fall to $20.8 billion by 2024. 

— Compensation for doctors to remain steady from $5.2 billion now to $5.3 billion by 2024. 

— $3.1 billion to diversify economy and expand aviation, tech, pharmaceutical and tourism sectors. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 25, 2021. 

The Canadian Press