The Alberta government tabled a budget Thursday that banks on the province’s economy rebounding from recent hard times.
FULL COVERAGE: 2017 Alberta budget
Here are some of the highlights:
- Revenue is forecast to hit $45 billion.
- The deficit is pegged at $10.3 billion.
- Tax revenue is forecast at $21.8 billion, up almost 6 per cent from year prior.
- Bitumen royalties are estimated at $2.5 billion while conventional oil royalties are pegged at $476 million.
- Operational spending is growing by 2.2 per cent.
- There is $4.5 billion earmarked over the next four years for infrastructure, including $100 million in new money to help First Nations get access to clean water.
- A new hospital in Edmonton at a cost of $400 million.
- A new continuing care centre in Calgary at a cost of $131 million.
- Red Deer is getting a new court house at a cost of $97 million.
- There is $14.5 million in the budget to hire more Crown prosecutors and support staff.
- Education funding hits $8.2 billion with money for 10 new schools and 16 more replacements and modernizations
- There is $566 million over the next three years for a variety of programs to help lower energy bills, such as low-energy light bulbs.
READ MORE: Alberta budget 2017 – Winners and losers