Overview

Budget 2023 secures Alberta’s future by growing the economy, creating good-paying jobs, strengthening health care and education, and keeping Alberta communities safe.

Health-care spending will set a new record this year. An additional $965 million will be used to improve ambulance response times, decrease ER and surgical wait times, and attract more frontline health workers to deliver the care patients expect and deserve.

Budget 2023 continues to provide a helping hand to families, students and those in need through affordability measures, increased education funding, and recovery-oriented mental health and addiction supports and services. Increased collaboration between first responders and community partners will help Albertans feel safe in their communities.

A new fiscal framework will ensure Albertans' hard-earned tax dollars are spent wisely by requiring all future governments to balance the budget, with certain exceptions, and use surpluses to first pay down debt and save for the future before investing in one-time initiatives.

The government’s latest budget update is now available online. Read the 2023-24 First Quarter Fiscal Update and Economic Statement (PDF, 1 MB).

Strengthening health care

Alberta has the best front-line health-care workers in the world and Budget 2023 provides the right supports to ensure Albertans get the care they need when and where they need it.

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    Advancing our Healthcare Action Plan

    Budget 2023 increases health operating expense by $965 million (4.1%) from the 2022-23 forecast, to a total of $24.5 billion. New funding will go to priority areas to directly improve services important to Albertans by:

    • decreasing emergency room wait times
    • improving ambulance response times
    • reducing wait times for surgeries
    • empowering front-line workers to deliver health care
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    Investing in emergency medical services

    We are investing more money than ever in emergency medical services (EMS) to improve ambulance response times. 

    • $196 million in operating expense over 3 years will strengthen EMS by hiring more staff and implementing recommendations made by the Alberta EMS Provincial Advisory Committee.
    • $15 million over 3 years for new EMS vehicles and to replace or upgrade related equipment.
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    Investing in health-care facilities

    We continue to expand and modernize hospitals and other facilities to protect quality health care, grow system capacity and support the best front-line health-care workers in the world. Budget 2023 provides $4.2 billion over 3 years for health care-related infrastructure.

    • $105 million over 3 years for the Rural Health Facilities Revitalization Program, with $75 million in additional funding to support new capital projects in rural Alberta.
    • $105 million over 3 years for Medical Device Reprocessing (MDR) upgrades, including $96 million in new funding, which will provide needed MDR upgrades in Calgary, Edmonton, Fort McMurray, St. Albert and Westlock.
    • $310 million over 3 years in capital funding to modernize continuing care facilities, provide culturally appropriate care for Indigenous peoples, and add new spaces in priority communities having greatest need.
    • $120 million in 2024-25 will support new continuing care projects in Calgary and Edmonton.
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    Growing the number of health-care workers

    Budget 2023 allocates $158 million in 2023-24 towards workforce planning to increase the number of health-care professionals in Alberta by:

    • expanding physician training
    • recruiting more internationally educated physicians and nurses

    Under the Alberta Medical Association agreement, over $250 million over 4 years, beginning in 2022-23, is allocated for:

    • recruitment and retention programs
    • program-specific funding to support physicians, particularly family doctors in rural areas
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    Adding capacity and reducing wait times

    Budget 2023 makes important investments to reduce wait times and boost access to surgeries.

    • $237 million over 3 years for the Alberta Surgical Initiative Capital Program, including $120 million in new funding to support additional projects in AHS-owned facilities, will increase surgical capacity and help reduce wait times. 
    • These projects will happen in communities across Alberta, such as Brooks, Calgary, Camrose, Crowsnest Pass, Edmonton, Fort Saskatchewan, Grande Prairie, Innisfail, Olds, Pincher Creek, Ponoka, Red Deer, St. Albert, Stettler and Taber.
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    Improving primary health care
    • We are investing $243 million over 3 years through the Modernizing Alberta’s Primary Health Care System (MAPS) initiative to improve primary health care in Alberta.
    • Areas of improvements and recommendations will be provided to the Minister of Health by the 3 advisory panels in spring 2023. 

Supporting Albertans

Alberta’s economy has recovered strongly but many Albertans are still struggling to heat their homes and feed their families. Budget 2023 continues to provide relief through our Affordability Action Plan.

Albertans continue to benefit from ongoing programs such as the fuel tax relief program, electricity rebates, natural gas rebates and monthly $100 affordability payments for seniors, families and Albertans on certain benefit programs.

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    Supporting post-secondary students

    Budget 2023 is making life more affordable for Alberta’s post-secondary students and graduates.

    • Making tuition more predictable by implementing a 2% cap on increases for 2024-25 and future academic years.
    • Making it easier to pay back student loans by:
      • reducing Alberta Student Loan interest rates to prime
      • increasing the Repayment Assistance Plan qualification criteria to $40,000 of income, from $25,000
      • extending the grace period of Alberta Student Loan repayments to 12 months from 6 months, making Alberta a leader in Canada for repayment obligations
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    Supporting families

    Budget 2023 leaves more money in the pockets of Alberta families struggling with the high cost of living so parents don't have to choose between filling up the car and putting food on the table. 

    • Maintaining our commitment to make child care accessible and affordable for families by reducing average fees to $15 per day in 2023-24 and $10 per day by 2026.
    • Indexing personal income tax brackets for the 2022 tax year, with tax bracket thresholds and credit amounts increasing by 2% for 2022 and an additional 6% for 2023, meaning:
      • many Albertans have seen lower tax withholdings on their 2023 paycheques
      • many Albertans will receive larger refunds or owe less tax when they file their 2022 tax returns
    • Providing $361 million more over 3 years in support of the Affordability Action Plan to:
      • index the Alberta Child and Family Benefit to inflation, increasing benefit amounts by 6% in 2023
      • provide $100 per month for 6 months for each child under 18 if their parents' or guardians' adjusted total household income in 2021 was below $180,000
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    Supporting in-Alberta adoptions

    Budget 2023 is supporting in-Alberta adoptions to help parents grow or start their families. 

    • Increasing the provincial adoption expense tax credit to $18,210 to match the federal threshold in 2023. This claim can be made by families adopting within Alberta or adopting internationally.
    • $12 million more over 3 years to support adoptions of children including:
      • extending supplementary health benefits for children adopted from government care or through licensed adoption agencies 
      • providing $6,000 in grant funding to prospective adoptive parents making less than $180,000 a year who are pursuing adoption through a licensed adoption agency in Alberta
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    Supporting seniors and other vulnerable Albertans

    Budget 2023 is ensuring that seniors and vulnerable Albertans have the support they need to afford everyday necessities.

    • Increasing Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH), Income Support and Alberta Seniors Benefit by 6% in 2023, and indexing them to keep pace with inflation.
    • Providing $600 over 6 months to AISH, Income Support, and Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD) clients, along with seniors whose household incomes were below $180,000 in 2021.
    • Providing $20 million over 2 years to food banks and civil society organizations working to provide food security for vulnerable Albertans, of which $5 million each year is to match private donations.
    • Investing $22 million over 2 years for low-income transit pass programs in more communities, including $9 million to extend the Calgary and Edmonton low-income transit pass pilots an additional year.
    • Providing 6,900 more households with an affordable place to call home by increasing funding by $187.5 million.
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    Supporting social sector workers

    Budget 2023 includes $102 million per year to increase the wages of more than 20,000 social sector workers beginning in 2023-24.

    • This funding builds on the $24 million provided to service providers in February to support wage increases retroactive to January 1, 2023.
    • We are also providing $8 million in 2023-24 for disability service providers to address increasing administrative costs.

Keeping Albertans and communities safe

We are focused on positioning Alberta as a role model for safe and secure communities across the country and North America. Budget 2023 secures the safety and well-being of all Albertans, including vulnerable populations who struggle with mental health and addiction and may become involved with the police and justice systems.

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    Investing in public safety
    • $1.2 billion annually in operating expense for Public Safety and Emergency Services, an increase from the forecast of $1.1 billion. 
    • $709 million for public security in 2023-24, an increase of $84 million from the 2022-23 forecast, to fund contract policing and the sheriff’s branch, help municipalities and fight organized and serious crime.
    • $34 million more in 2023-24, $37 million in 2024-25, and $40 million in 2025-26 for correctional services, which includes support to continue creating and expanding therapeutic living units at corrections facilities so inmates can access mental health and addiction treatment and recovery programs while in jail or prison.
    • $20 million over 3 years to better protect and assist survivors and victims of human trafficking by:
      • increasing access to the specialized services needed to start the healing journey and reduce the risk of re-exploitation
      • supporting the establishment of an Alberta Office to Combat Trafficking in Persons and a Centre of Excellence for research and data collection
    • $3 million over 3 years to expand the Rural Sexual Assault Support project so sexual assault survivors can receive essential health-care services in both rural and urban communities from health-care providers specifically trained to administer sexual assault evidence kit exams.
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    Safety in Indigenous communities
    • $65 million over 3 years to strengthen First Nations policing:
      • improve community and officer safety
      • enhance policing services for Lakeshore Regional Police Service, Blood Tribe Police Service and Tsuut’ina Nation Police Service
      • fund a new First Nation police service for Siksika Nation
      • add up to 35 new policing positions across the province
    • $2 million for continued policing on the 8 Metis Settlements in Alberta.
    • $5 million in 2023-24 in new funding will support an Indigenous-led response to the ongoing crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people.
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    Investing in justice
    • $83 million over 2 years for the new Red Deer Justice Centre.
    • $5 million in 2023-24 for planning for the Edmonton Law Courts and the Sherwood Park Courthouse facilities.
    • $15 million over 2 years to operate the newly created Chief Provincial Firearms Office to help preserve Alberta’s firearms heritage and protect public safety by:
      • conducting timely investigations of licence eligibility for Alberta firearms owners, including rigorous background checks and continuous eligibility assessments
      • providing $7 million to hire 40 new positions to reduce wait times on applications and transfers of legal firearms
      • providing outreach and education to communities
      • focusing on special investigations and target firearms trafficking and 3D printing of firearms

Boosting Alberta’s advantage

Budget 2023 is securing Alberta’s future by attracting more investment than ever and helping businesses and entrepreneurs thrive. With its strong focus on job creation, economic growth, diversification and investment attraction, Budget 2023 sets the stage for Alberta to remain Canada’s economic engine for years to come.

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    Growing Alberta’s economy

    Building on Alberta’s strong foundations, including low taxes, a skilled and educated workforce, and an efficient regulatory environment, Budget 2023 enhances Alberta’s business climate even further by making strategic investments that support key and emerging sectors.

    • $2.3 billion over 3 years for key projects and programs that expand and improve Alberta’s road and bridge network, a key component of Alberta’s growing economy.
    • $369 million over 3 years for Alberta’s Broadband Strategy, supporting businesses in remote areas.
    • $100 million over 3 years in increased funding for the Film and Television Tax Credit.
    • $54 million more per year for the Alberta Petrochemicals Incentive Program starting in 2025-26 to support Air Products’ clean hydrogen facility – part of our work to make Alberta a global leader in petrochemical production, bring long-term investments and create thousands of jobs.
    • $30 million in 2023-24 for the Red Deer Airport Expansion, providing additional services to the region and supporting job creation and future investment.
    • $23 million over 3 years for the Aboriginal Business Investment Fund to support community-owned, Indigenous business initiatives - a 50% funding increase.
    • $24.5 million in 2023-24 for the Alberta Technology and Innovation Strategy.
    • $10 million over 3 years for rural business supports and economic development capacity building initiatives.
    • $10 million over 2 years for rural tourism investment programming.
    • $9 million over 3 years for the Northern and Regional Economic Development program to support Alberta municipalities, Indigenous communities and non-profit organizations with projects that promote regional economic growth and diversification.
    • $4 million increase in 2023-24 to the Alberta Media Fund to help meet the growing demand for small-budget, Alberta-made productions.
    • $687,000 in additional funding for the Alberta Enterprise Corporation (AEC) to manage new fund investments and for the Start Alberta platform.
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    Building Alberta’s workforce

    Budget 2023 ensures Albertans have the skills, knowledge and training to fill jobs in key sectors.

    • $176 million in 2025-26 for the Alberta at Work initiative to continue to help address labour shortages in key economic sectors.
    • $95 million for Career and Employment Services to ensure Albertans who are looking for work have access to the resources and tools they need to gain new skills and rejoin the workforce.
    • $95 million over 3 years to help address the shortage of health-care workers in the province.
    • $59 million over 3 years to support lab services and program expansion at the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.
    • $111 million more over 3 years to support targeted post-secondary enrolment expansion in highest demand sectors, such as non-trade construction, energy, technology and business.
    • $35 million in 2024-26 for MacEwan University’s new building for the School of Business.
    • $6 million over 3 years to help Mount Royal University develop a Bachelor of Aviation program.
    • $4.5 million over 3 years for an Air Access Bursary for students in high-demand aviation programs.
    • $500,000 in 2023-24 to develop an Aviation Centre of Excellence in partnership with WestJet.
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    Attracting investment and boosting competitiveness

    With the lowest general corporate income tax rate in Canada, more corporations and large companies are investing in Alberta, creating well-paying jobs and contributing to the province’s high quality of life.

    Budget 2023 lays the groundwork for improved competitiveness, boosted investment and more jobs for Albertans.

    • $15 million annually for the Investment and Growth Fund.
    • $5 million annually for an ongoing advertising campaign to attract new businesses, individuals and families to the province.
    • The Alberta Agri-Processing Investment Tax Credit will provide a non-refundable tax credit of 12% of eligible capital expenditures for corporations investing $10 million or more to build or expand agri-processing facilities in Alberta.

Responsible fiscal management

Alberta’s economy is poised to lead the country in growth this year, and that positive trajectory is expected to continue with Budget 2023 decisions and initiatives. A surplus is forecast for only the fourth time in the last 15 years, thanks, in part, to responsible fiscal management.

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    A new fiscal framework

    To secure the long-term sustainability of government programs, a new fiscal framework will be introduced to guide government decision-making in fiscal planning and use of surpluses.

    • Mandate annual balanced budgets, with exceptions allowed for unexpected disaster costs or a sharp decline in revenue to ensure continued government support to Albertans.
    • Limit year-over-year increases in operating expense to population growth and inflation.
    • Limit in-year expense increases to a budgeted and voted contingency, with certain exceptions.
    • Set surplus cash policies to allocate:
      • at least 50% to repay debt maturing that fiscal year
      • remaining cash in the new Alberta Fund used to:
        • pay down the debt
        • make additional deposits into the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund
        • fund one-time initiatives that do not lead to permanent increases in government spending

    The new fiscal framework would provide the government flexibility to invest in areas and services important to Albertans, but adds more rigour around expense decisions.

    Setting limits would challenge the government to focus on improving the services and programs Albertans rely on while continuing to use hard-earned tax dollars wisely.

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    Fiscal anchors

    The government continues its commitment to 3 fiscal anchors set in 2019.

    1. Budget 2023 maintains balance. Surpluses are targeted for the next 3 years:
      • $2.4 billion in 2023-24
      • $2 billion in 2024-25
      • $1.4 billion in 2025-26
    2. Budget 2023 keeps the net debt-to-GDP ratio below 30%, at 10.2% in 2023-24.
      • $13.4 billion was used to pay down provincial debt in 2022-23
      • $1.4 billion is expected to be used in 2023-24 to pay it down further
    3. Taxpayer-supported debt is forecast to be $78.3 billion at the end of 2023-24, which is $17.3 billion lower than was estimated in Budget 2022.

    We successfully brought expense levels in line with or below the per-capita average of comparator provinces to keep programs sustainable for future generations. This includes successful public sector settlements that achieved reasonable wage increases to many workers that are fair to both them and taxpayers.

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    Saving for the future
    • Government will introduce legislative changes to propose the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund keeps 100% of its annual net earnings in the fund.
      • Right now, any net income other than the amount needed for inflation-proofing is transferred to the General Revenue Fund.
      • This change would result in significant annual growth in the Heritage Fund.

Regional highlights

Budget 2023 secures Alberta's future by building connectivity and improving access to essential services and supports across the province so all Albertans can enjoy the same quality of life no matter where they live.

Funding for projects in the province’s 2 largest cities helps address their complex and evolving needs while positioning them for sustainable growth and economic prosperity. Budget 2023 gives more reason to live, work, study and invest in 2 of the most alluring cities in the country.

  • Calgary

    • $541 million over 3 years for Calgary LRT projects.
    • $429.7 million over 3 years for Deerfoot Trail upgrades.
    • $282 million over 3 years for the Springbank Off-Stream Reservoir Project.
    • $166 million over 3 years for the Calgary Cancer Centre.
    • $134.2 million over 3 years to complete the Calgary Ring Road.
    • $84.7 million over 3 years for the Peter Lougheed Centre Emergency Department, Mental Health Intensive Care Unit and Laboratory Redevelopment.
    • $63.6 million over 3 years for the Foothills Medical Centre.
    • $59.2 million over 3 years for the Glenbow Museum revitalization.
    • $57.1 million in 2024-25 to support the Bethany Care continuing care modernization project.
    • $48.6 million over 3 years for the University of Calgary’s Veterinary Medicine expansion.
    • $22 million for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for a new facility to address population growth.
    • $15 million over 3 years for the Repsol Sport Centre.
    • $2.1 million in 2023-24 to expand the aviation program at Mount Royal University.
    • $9.5 million over 3 years for a world-class gallery development at the TELUS Spark Science Centre.
    • $7.5 million capital grant for the WinSport Day Lodge Renovation.
    • $7.5 million in 2023-24 to accommodate a charter school program in Calgary.
    • $5 million for Multidisciplinary Hub planning at the University of Calgary.
    • $2.6 million for the Calgary Zoo Canadian Wilds redevelopment.
    • $1.9 million for the SAM Centre (Calgary Stampede Foundation).
    • $0.8 million for the Kids Can Catch Trout Pond at the Bow Habitat Station.
    • $1.2 million for the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Lab, to ensure critical diagnostic capacity at a lower cost.
    • $3 million over 3 years for planning the North Calgary/Airdrie Regional Health Centre.
    • $50 million for Charter Hub and charter school expansion in Calgary.
  • Edmonton

    • $760 million over 3 years for Edmonton LRT projects.
    • $634.1 million over 3 years for the new Edmonton hospital.
    • $138.5 million over 3 years for the Yellowhead Trail freeway conversion project.
    • $92.3 million over 3 years for the Terwillegar Drive expansion project.
    • $90.6 million over 3 years for the Gene Zwozdesky Centre at Norwood.
    • $63 million in 2024-25 to support the Good Samaritan Society continuing care modernization project.
    • $35 million in 2024-26 for MacEwan University’s new building for the School of Business.
    • $22.4 million grant to eliminate the at-grade rail crossing at 50 Street.
    • $7.9 million for the Misericordia Community Hospital modernization.
    • $4 million in new funding in 2023-24 for repairs and upgrades to the Citadel Theatre.
    • $3.2 million in additional planning funding for the Edmonton Law Courts.
    • $3 million over 3 years for the continued planning of a new, standalone Stollery Children’s Hospital.
    • $3 million in 2025-26 for the Ray Gibbon Drive upgrade project.
    • $2.5 million in 2023-24 with an additional $900,000 in 2024-25 and $300,000 in 2025-26 for the Designated Industrial Zone (DIZ) Pilot Project, in Fort Saskatchewan and Edmonton.
    • $6 million over 3 years for the design of a new school in Glenridding Heights.
  • Northern Alberta

    • $60.5 million over 3 years for the Vinca Bridge Replacement.
    • $117 million over 3 years for the twinning of Highway 63 north of Fort McMurray.
    • $84.1 million over the next 2 years for twinning of Highway 40 south of Grande Prairie.
    • $12 million in additional funding for the existing Rural Remote Northern Program to support physician and recruitment retention.
    • $11.3 million over 2 years for power engineering and instrumentation lab development at Northwestern Polytechnic.
    • $9 million over the next 3 years for the Northern and Regional Economic Development Program.
  • Central Alberta

    • $108.2 million over 3 years for Highway 11 twinning between Sylvan Lake and Rocky Mountain House.
    • $77.2 million over 3 years for Highway 40 widening north of Hinton.
    • $27.3 million in 2023-24 for flood mitigation for the town of Drumheller.
    • $7.5 million in 2023-24 for the Sundre Wastewater Treatment Plant.
    • $2 million capital grant in 2023-24 for the Badlands Amphitheatre.
    • $1 million in 2023-24 is provided for planning an artifact storage facility at the Reynolds Alberta Museum in Wetaskiwin.
    • $60.6 million over 3 years for Highway 60 improvements over the CN railway near Acheson.
    • $22.2 million over 2 years to address safety concerns at the intersection of Highway 16A and Range Road 20.
    • $3 million over 3 years for Strathcona Community Hospital expansion planning.
    • $1.5 million in planning funding for Sherwood Park Courthouse facilities.
    • $57 million over 3 years for Highway 1A upgrade.
    • $51 million over 3 years to replace the interchange at the Queen Elizabeth II Highway and Highway 566 at Balzac.
    • $20.6 million over the next 2 years for Queen Elizabeth II Highway and 40 Avenue half interchange near Airdrie.

    Red Deer

    • $320.6 million over 3 years for the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre redevelopment.
    • $83.4 million over 2 years for continued investment in the Red Deer Justice Centre.
    • $30 million in 2023-24 for the Red Deer Regional Airport expansion.
  • Southern Alberta

    • $94 million over 3 years for Highway 3 twinning between Taber and east of Burdett.
    • $2.6 million in 2023-24 in capital investment to manage water levels in the Mud Lake basin.
    • $11.2 million over 3 years to expand the renal dialysis program at the Chinook Regional Hospital.
    • $3 million in 2023-24 for Destination Project Phase 2 planning at the University of Lethbridge.

More budget information

A summary of Alberta's economic forecast.

Revenue projections from taxes, transfers, investment income and resources.

Budget 2023 invests in the infrastructure families and communities need.

Summary of government spending according to Budget 2023.