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Winners and losers in Alberta budget 2019

Click to play video: 'Alberta budget 2019: A look at how the UCP plans to balance the books'
Alberta budget 2019: A look at how the UCP plans to balance the books
WATCH ABOVE: Alberta's budget preserves health and education funding but there are cuts to cities, civil servants and universities. Tom Vernon takes a look at the nuts and bolts of the budget. – Oct 24, 2019

CORRECTION: A previous version of this Canadian Press story incorrectly stated that funding for libraries is being maintained at $37 billion in Alberta’s budget. This story has been updated to reflect the correct figure, $37 million.

Alberta’s United Conservative government tabled its first budget Thursday. Here is a look at who might be pleased and who won’t be so happy:

WINNERS

Bibliophiles: Government to maintain library service grant funding at $37 million.

Courts: Province to hire 50 new prosecutors and increase access to drug treatment courts.

Social services: More money to go to address human trafficking, sexual exploitation and caseload pressures in Community and Social Services.

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Hungry students: School nutrition program to be expanded with $15.5 million to schools and $3 million for non-profits.

Click to play video: 'Alberta budget 2019: Finance minister addresses lifting cap on post-secondary tuition'
Alberta budget 2019: Finance minister addresses lifting cap on post-secondary tuition

Patients: $160 million in increased funding for mental health and addictions treatment, opioid response and palliative care.

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LOSERS

Post-secondary students: Tuition freeze to be lifted. One percentage point increase in student loan interest rates.

Smokers: Cost of a carton of cigarettes to rise $5 to $55. Plans for a future tax on vaping products.

People with special needs: Province to end inflation indexing for special needs programs such as the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped.

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South Edmonton residents: A new hospital on the capital city’s south side is to be delayed three years to 2030.

Short-term renters: A tourism levy is to be introduced on short-term rentals such as Airbnbs.

Click to play video: 'Political scientist Duane Bratt weighs in on Alberta budget 2019: ‘This was not a shock’'
Political scientist Duane Bratt weighs in on Alberta budget 2019: ‘This was not a shock’

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