CALGARY- This year’s “boring budget” has left Alberta out in the cold.
On Tuesday, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty delivered the 2014 budget, but there were few spending initiatives of note. With the deficit set to be eliminated next year, experts agree the government is simply gearing up for the big one.
“You’re always going to have these criticisms, but I think this is a budget is really setup for the 2015 election,” says political analyst Duane Bratt. “I don’t know if there will be a lot of chatter in a week’s time.”
Notably absent from the budget was any funding to benefit Albertans, besides the appointment of a couple of new judges and National Energy Board funding to speed up pipeline reviews.
Mayors in both Calgary and Edmonton were hoping to see infrastructure money, but more than half of the $1 billion promised is going straight to Quebec to fix Montreal’s crumbling bridges. The City of Calgary says it needs $4.5 billion from Ottawa over the next 10 years to go ahead with projects on its wishlist, as provincial and federal funding account more about 80 per cent of transportation funding.
“So, Minister Flaherty, we’ve got $12.9 billion dollars of unfunded transit infrastructure in Calgary,” said Mayor Naheed Nenshi. “Consider this an ask.”
One thing that could benefit southern Alberta is the money that’s been promised to help protect communities from natural disasters. The provincial finance minister adds he’s satisfied with what Ottawa has presented.
“Generally in terms of the federal budget, we’re supportive of where the budget is going,” said Doug Horner. “It’s in the same direction of what we’ve got in our previous budget.”
Albertans will also see changes when it comes to liquor and cigarettes. The government plans to increase taxes on cigarettes, which could mean price jumps of up to $6 per duty-free carton. The budget also promised to remove “red tape” for the beer industry, and amend a law that allows Canadians to take beer and liquor across provincial borders.
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