Alberta’s NDP government tabled its 2018-19 budget on Thursday. Here is a look at some of the winner and losers:
Winners
Parents: Spending on K-12 education will rise to $8.4 billion from $7.8 billion and some of that boost to be used to reduce school fees. The government plans to spend $22 million more on affordable child-care spaces and $6 million more on school lunch programs.
Students: Tuition will remain frozen for post-secondary students. Advanced education spending will jump to $6.1 billion from $5.5 billion.
Watch below: Alberta Finance Minister Joe Ceci says the government will do salary reviews of post-secondary executives and school superintendents.
The environmentally conscious: The government plans to spend $5.3 billion over the next three years on climate initiatives that include everything from transit projects to home efficiency programs.
The disabled: The Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) program is to get a boost of $62 million to $1.1 billion.
READ MORE: Highlights from Alberta Budget 2018
Losers
Non-unionized civil servants: A salary freeze for all non-unionized government workers is being extended to 2019. Overall compensation for all public-sector workers is budgeted at $26.6 billion, about half of all government spending.
Future taxpayers: Debt is pegged $54.2 billion this year. The budget projects an $8.8-billion spending deficit in the year ahead. The budget is not expected to be balanced for another five years.
Watch below: The Alberta NDP tabled its 2018 budget on Thursday. The budget will see increased spending on education and new schools. Laurel Gregory has more on what the budget means for families.
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