Albertans have so much to feel good about right now. Our economy is booming, our budget is balanced, and our taxes are low. Unfortunately, however, many families in West Yellowhead and across Alberta are struggling with high costs due to inflation right now. That is why our United Conservative government is working so hard to fight inflation and make life more affordable, while calling on Ottawa to take this issue seriously.
As you may know, our government is extending the gas tax cut for gasoline, diesel, and farm fuel. Countless residents have told me how much this tax cut has helped them during these challenging economic times, so I鈥檓 pleased it is being extended until at least the end of September. This is just one way we are making life affordable for working families.
Another way we are making life more affordable is by extending the electricity rebate for an additional three months. This program will now provide $50 rebates for a total of six months 鈥� July to December 鈥� amounting to $300 in rebates for over 1.9 million homes, farms, and small businesses. Many Albertans are starting to receive this series of rebates this month.
Further, our government is implementing a price protection program for natural gas, ensuring that Albertans will not experience European-style price spikes this coming winter. Also, we are providing more than $8 million to local school boards to address rising transportation costs and to help keep bussing fees low for Alberta parents.
These measures represent more than $2 billion in annual savings for Albertans and the most substantial efforts to address affordability of any province in Canada. Despite all these steps, however, Alberta cannot solve this problem alone. The federal government has driven this inflation crisis through irresponsible spending, money printing, and burdensome taxes and regulations on energy. Our government continues to call on Ottawa to get their irresponsible spending under control and to immediately suspend the federal carbon tax and fuel tax to provide relief to Canadians. If the federal government paused the collection of both these taxes, drivers would save about $22 more on every 100 litres of gasoline.
The measures highlighted above are just a few things we are doing right now to fight inflation and make life more affordable for Albertans, but I want you to know that we are continuing to work on new programs and initiatives to fight inflation and make life more affordable for working families. I look forward to updating you on this soon.
Our efforts to fight inflation and make life more affordable for Albertans stand in stark contrast to the carbon-tax-supporting NDP. While we are focused on keeping taxes low and jobs and investment booming, the NDP is focused on ways to spend money and raise taxes.
We have further to go to overcome this inflation crisis, but eight straight months of job growth, 200,000 new jobs since 2021, and the lowest unemployment since 2015 means Alberta is coming back strong.
Securing the future for diabetes care for Albertans
A diabetes working group is being formed to develop a comprehensive diabetes strategy for the province.
The government will work with representatives from across Alberta to shape a go-forward care plan to meet the needs of a growing population of Albertans living with this chronic disease. Any decision on treatments for diabetes will be informed by the working group. No changes will be made to the Insulin Pump Therapy Program. The program will continue as it was designed and will add access to the next generation of insulin pumps starting as soon as possible this year.
Building local infrastructure and creating jobs
Alberta鈥檚 government is supporting 78 road, bridge, community airport and water infrastructure projects that will create hundreds of jobs.
More than $58.7 million from the Water for Life and the Alberta Municipal Water/Wastewater Partnership grant programs will support 33 water infrastructure projects across the province. The projects will improve water and wastewater services and access to clean drinking water for rural communities and are expected to create 824 jobs during construction. Additionally, the Strategic Transportation Infrastructure Program will provide $27.4 million in grants to rural and small urban municipalities to build and maintain local transportation infrastructure, including local roads, bridges, and community airports. The funding will support 45 projects that will generate 210 new jobs.
Supporting innovation in hydrogen production
New hydrogen projects will share $20 million in funding to accelerate clean energy development in Alberta.
The Hydrogen Centre of Excellence, funded through the Government of Alberta and led by Alberta Innovates, is seeking project proposals focused on hydrogen production, storage, transmission, end use, increased competitiveness, and economic diversification. This will continue to position the province as a major global supplier of clean energy exports. The Alberta Advancing Hydrogen 鈥� Competition 1 program is now accepting applications. Information on how to apply is available on the Hydrogen Centre of Excellence website. Initial intake submissions are due Sept. 5, with full proposals of approved projects due Nov. 18.
Working together to stop elder abuse
Alberta鈥檚 government is acting on elder abuse by releasing a new prevention strategy to make our province safer for seniors.
A Collective Approach: Alberta鈥檚 strategy for preventing and addressing elder abuse is Alberta鈥檚 five-year strategy that will guide how Albertans, non-profit organizations, front-line workers, businesses, and governments will work together to prevent and reduce elder abuse. It also includes an updated definition of elder abuse that will provide clarity to community partners and promote standard data collection and information sharing regarding incidents of elder abuse. The strategy identifies opportunities to collaborate with partners, such as community organizations, front-line workers, law enforcement and the federal government.
Martin Long, MLA
West Yellowhead
