Budget highlights

Overview

Budget 2026 focuses on what matters most to Albertans by investing in priority programs and services to keep our province moving forward while maintaining a disciplined fiscal approach.

Budget 2026 delivers a record investment in healthcare to support physicians and strengthen our primary care system to help improve the health and well-being of Albertans.

To ensure services keep pace with evolving community needs, the budget also makes record investments education and supports for vulnerable Albertans. The budget continues to invest in the industries, infrastructure, and skilled workforce that drive jobs, opportunity and our economy.

Resources

Budget 2026 Fiscal Plan and highlights

Strengthening health care

In Budget 2026, Alberta’s government invests in health care capacity - hospital beds, health care professionals, and the services patients rely on when they need it most.

$34.4 billion in total expense, including $1.9 billion in new health funding, to address Albertans’ priorities including reducing wait times across emergency services, surgeries and cancer care.
$525 million in additional funding to deliver 50,000 more surgical procedures over the next 3 years by leveraging chartered surgical facilities to expand operating room capacity and reduce surgical wait times.
Targeted investments at the Royal Alexandra Hospital to enhance triage, speed up patient flow and move patients more efficiently through the system.
Continued funding of $26 million for 30 psychiatric beds and 60 community-based mental health and addiction beds (of which 30 will be added in 2026-27).
$1.7 million provided to 2 civil societies to support Albertans in crisis – experiencing overdose or substance disorder – to receive timely support and relieve emergency department congestion.
Strengthening comprehensive access to continuing care, including medical and non-medical supports, home care, community care and social services.
$804 million in 2026-27 and the following 2 years for improved ambulance deployment and rural staffing.
$223 million additional funding over the next 3 years to expand Cancer Care Alberta’s workforce and clinical capacity, as well to increase spaces at the Cross Cancer Institute.
$91 million over the next 3 years for expanding capacity in emergency departments and operating rooms.
$87 million over the next three years to expand the role of nurse practitioners, giving Albertans greater access to the care they need.
$33 million for compassionate intervention in Recovery Alberta.
$53 million to operate 9 holistic addiction recovery and rehabilitation communities across the province, 5 of which are Indigenous communities scheduled to begin operations this year.
$22 million is provided in 2026-27 to support CASA House operations, providing access to wellbeing programs and critical supports for youth.
$152 million for continuing care initiatives and $146 million for continuing care capacity and alternate level of care initiatives to help patients transition from hospital to appropriate continuing care settings, mitigating capacity pressures in hospitals.

Investing in K to 12 education

To meet the needs of Alberta’s growing communities, Budget 2026 provides $722 million in new funding to support enrolment growth, teacher compensation, improved classroom conditions, and the construction and modernization of school infrastructure.

$1.8 billion budgeted in 2026-27 to support students with specialized learning needs, an increase of $86.5 million from 2025-26.
Funding of $355 million in 2026-27 and $1.4 billion over 2026-27 to 2028-29 to hire 1,500 more education assistants and 3,000 more teachers over the next 3 years to help address class size and complexity.
$3.3 billion to support new and ongoing school projects

Focused on what matters

As Alberta continues work to address increasing domestic and international economic pressures, Budget 2026 works to strengthen Alberta’s economy by investing in the industries, infrastructure, and skilled workforce that drive jobs, opportunity and our economy.

Supporting a strong workforce

$115 million in workforce strategies and $16 million for economic immigration programs and services.
$81 million for labour relations, occupational health and safety and employment standards.
$4 million in 2026-27 to support training opportunities for Indigenous people in Alberta through the Employment Partnerships Program (EPP).

Investing in post-secondary education

$1.3 billion towards Alberta student loans, scholarships and grants to support affordability for students by reducing financial barriers to post-secondary education
$96 million through the Apprenticeship Learning grant to expand classroom instruction seats across Alberta and respond to demand for apprenticeship training.
$148 million over 3 years for new Targeted Enrolment Expansion initiatives to increase seats in high demand post secondary programs, such as health care, education and engineering.

Building communities

$20 million to support multicultural and newcomer supports and anti-racism initiatives to help Albertans from diverse backgrounds achieve their full potential.
$80 million in capital funding through 2028-29 to expand irrigation capacity and address modernization priorities and water supply needs across the province
$169 million to support effective wildfire mitigation
$2.4 billion in provincial funding, including $1.1 billion in federal support, over 3-years for LRT projects to enhance connectivity for the growing populations within Alberta’s 2 biggest metropolitan centres.
Allocating more than $179 million in grant funding in 2026-27 from the First Nations Development Fund (FNDF) to help support First Nations’ economic, social and community priorities.
$38.1 million in 2026-27 to the Alberta Foundation for the Arts to support Alberta’s artists and arts organizations, including many that provide programming for children and families.
$9 million to support community groups, non-profit organizations, societies, First Nations, and Metis Settlements to build or enhance sport and recreational facilities through the Active Communities Initiative.

Supporting trade and diversification

Establishing Alberta as a destination of choice for companies to innovate, commercialize, and scale in high-impact sectors through the Alberta Technology and Innovation Strategy.
Positioning Alberta as a prime destination for international and local data centres through the implementation of the Alberta Artificial Intelligence Data Centres Strategy.
Growing Alberta’s cultural industries to diversify the economy, create jobs, and secure the province’s position as a hub for publishing, music, television, film and other performing arts.
$530,000 for engagement with Albertans, Indigenous communities, organizations, technical experts and other stakeholders on future nuclear projects.

Investing in business and industry

$7 million to support a pre-feasibility study of a bitumen pipeline to the west coast of British Columbia.
$155 million in 2026-27 for the Orphan Well Society, followed by increases of $11 million and then $12 million to reach $177 million in 2028-29, all funded by the Orphan Fund Levy.
$60 million for the Film and Television Tax Credit.
$28 million for the Investment and Growth Fund.
$15 million for the Invest Alberta Corporation.
$605 million in 2026-27 for Agriculture support and insurance programs delivered by the Agriculture Financial Services Corporation.
More than $16 million to support Indigenous-led projects through the Indigenous Reconciliation Initiative, the Aboriginal Business Investment Fund and the Community Support Fund.

Meeting challenges faced by families and communities

$2.1 billion to support Alberta families to increase access to affordable, high-quality and inclusive licensed childcare.
$405 million to the Alberta Child and Family Benefit (ACFB) program in 2026-27 to support lower- and middle-income families with children under 18.
$768 million for the Affordable Housing Partnership Program over 3 years to support the goal of creating 13,000 affordable housing units.
$4.1 million in 2026-27 through grants to prevent elder abuse.
$586.6 million in 2026-27 through the Alberta Seniors Benefit, grants and low-interest home equity loans to support seniors with low income.
$64 million in 2026-27 to seniors lodges through the Lodge Assistance program.
$217.5 million in 2026-27 to support homeless shelters, Navigation and Support Centres, and housing supports programs.
$105 million in 2026-27 will be invested through Family and Community Support Services to support municipalities and Metis Settlements to design and deliver preventive social programs to address key social issues in their communities.
$156 million in 2026-27 to deliver prevention, intervention, and specialized mental health and addiction services for children and youth in schools and in community.
$22 million in 2026-27 to build and $53 million to operate recovery community facilities across the province.