Alberta budget presents plan to balance books in five years
The 2018 Alberta budget includes more spending, a slightly lower deficit from last year and a plan to balance the books in five years.
Achieving that goal will still depend on oil prices and revenue from two pipeline projects not yet completed.
The budget, as in past years, increases funding for core services in education, health and community services.
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The deficit for 2018-19 is expected to be $8.8 billion — a tad lower than the $9.1-billion shortfall last year — and overall debt is anticipated to grow to just over $54 billion.
Finance Minister Joe Ceci says that’s the price for making sure Albertans won’t do without the services and programs they have come to rely on.
He says the government is still working to diversify the economy so Alberta doesn’t have to rely so heavily on wild swings in revenue.