Keeping Alberta Affordable: Eligible seniors and families with children under 18 can apply for $600 affordability payments. Learn more and apply now
Overview
Budget 2022 moves Alberta forward by building health system capacity, getting more Albertans to work, and putting forward a balanced budget for only the second time in over a decade.
Alberta’s continued economic recovery depends on all Albertans finding opportunities to build their skills, pursue their passions and support themselves and their families. Employers are looking for skilled workers to fill jobs in emerging sectors.
We are strengthening the health-care system and maintaining fiscal responsibility, while ensuring Alberta still has the lowest overall taxes in Canada by far so Albertans can keep more money in their pockets.
The government’s latest budget update is now available online. Read the 2022-23 Mid-year Fiscal Update and Economic Statement.
-
Record health care funding
By 2024-25, we will add a total of $1.8 billion in operating expense to the total health care budget, which means $600 million more in 2022-23 than the previous year.
- $2 billion for drugs and supplemental benefits, an increase of 5.7%.
- $750 million contingency to address evolving pandemic-related costs and surgical backlogs.
- $20 million in new funding for mental health and addiction supports, in addition to the $140 million over 4 years previously committed.
- $90 million per year to attract new family physicians to practice in rural and remote communities.
- $64 million to strengthen Emergency Medical Services (EMS) response capacity.
-
Keeping health care on track
- Nearly $15.1 billion for Alberta Health Services (AHS) operations, an increase of $476 million or 3.3%.
- $5.5 billion per year for physician compensation and grants to post-secondary institutions for academic medicine.
- Nearly $3.7 billion for community care, continuing care and home care programs.
-
Investing in health care capital
- $332 million over 2 years to create 160 new inpatient cancer care beds and complete the Calgary Cancer Centre.
- $193 million over 3 years toward a $1.8 billion investment for the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre.
- $133 million over 3 years for the Alberta Surgical Initiative Capital Program, to increase surgical capacity and ensure all patients receive their required surgeries within clinically recommended timelines.
- $99 million to add 30 mental health treatment spaces in the emergency department of the Peter Lougheed Centre and 12 beds in a Mental Health Intensive Care Unit.
-
Alberta at Work
Budget 2022 provides over $600 million in additional funding over the next 3 years for Alberta at Work – a collection of new post-secondary education, skills training opportunities and employment programs.
-
Building foundations
- $15 million to upgrade our ability to collect, analyze and disseminate labour market information.
- $47 million over 3 years in capital funding and $25 million over 3 years in operating funding to expand collegiate programs and charter schools, with a focus on expanding opportunities in science, technology, engineering, mathematics.
-
Developing skills
- $171 million over the next 3 years to expand enrolment in areas with skills shortages, such as technology, finance, energy, engineering, health and aviation.
- $59 million over 3 years in infrastructure to expand the veterinary medicine school at the University of Calgary.
- $30 million to enhance apprenticeship programs and opportunities.
- $5 million over the next 3 years to increase training opportunities for Indigenous Peoples.
- $30 million over the next 3 years to support commercial driver training and address other training challenges.
-
Seeking employment
- $64 million over 3 years to enhance Alberta’s proven skills development, training and employment programs.
- $30 million over the next 2 years to address barriers to employment.
- $6 million over the next 3 years for workforce attachment and integrated learning programs.
-
Advancing your career
- $15 million over 3 years to create a new non-repayable support to low-income students in high-demand programs.
- $8 million to expand reskilling and upskilling opportunities through micro-credentials.
-
Workforce and investment attraction
- $73 million over 3 years to help make Alberta an internationally recognized technology and innovation hub.
- $15 million more over 3 years for the creation of a new rural investment attraction stream that will aid in attracting investment and creating jobs.
- $15 million to market Alberta to Canada and the world as the place to live, work and start a business.
-
Responsible fiscal management
Budget 2022 is Alberta’s second balanced budget in over a decade thanks to responsible fiscal management, a growing economy and strong energy prices. The budget is guided by 3 fiscal anchors:
- Bring per capita spending in line with other provinces, ensuring Albertans get value for their tax dollars.
- Keep net debt-to-GDP low to prevent debt servicing costs from threatening the province’s future.
- Find a path back to a balanced budget.
-
Revenue and expense
- Total revenue is estimated to be $62.6 billion in 2022-23, $900 million higher than the forecast for 2021-22.
- Commodity prices and investment income are expected to moderate in 2022-23 after growing significantly in 2021-22.
- Total expense in 2022-23 is $62.1 billion, $2.8 billion less than the forecast for 2021-22.
-
Surplus targets
- $500 million for 2022-23 (compared to the forecasted deficit of $3.2 billion for 2021-22).
- $900 million for 2023-24.
- $700 million for 2024-25.
-
Economic outlook
- In 2022, real GDP is expected to grow by 5.4%, up from the 5.1% forecast at mid-year.
- Alberta’s economy, as measured by real GDP, is expected to fully recover to 2014 levels this year.
Budget 2022 provides wide-reaching supports for both rural and urban communities across the province. Strategic investments will help ensure Alberta is one of the best places in the world to live, work and raise a family.
Rising cost of living
Global supply chain and pandemic issues are pushing up the price of goods and services, which is driving inflation and making life less affordable for Canadians. With our lower cost of living, combined with relatively high average earning and the lowest overall taxes, Budget 2022 makes Alberta an even more affordable place to call home.
More budget information

A summary of Alberta's Budget 2022 economic forecast.

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

Budget 2022 invests in the infrastructure families and communities need.

Summary of government spending according to Budget 2022.