Highwood MLA says budget is a sign of more to come for Alberta

Alberta's 2022-2023 budget was recently released, boasting, among other things, increased health care capacity and a sizable surplus.

It's the first balanced budget in seven years, but for Highwood MLA RJ Sigurdson, it goes far beyond that accolade.

The budget has been criticized, with some believing it leans too heavily on oil and gas.

For Sigurdson, the criticism is unfounded.

"The recent comments that somehow our budget has only happened due to the current price of oil and gas is false. I recognize the NDP and many of those who support them want to discredit everything that's gone on in the province and working towards this balanced budget. It kind of harkens me back to when the prime minister somehow said that budgets balance themselves, which is ridiculous."

He attributes the balanced budget to discipline and responsible spending, as well as investments in other industries including tech, film, and agrifood production in the province.

Sigurdson also contrasted the latest budget to those of the NDP government, whose spending Sigurdson says would have added billions more to Alberta's deficit.

"We need to keep our debt to GDP ratio below 30 per cent. If we get beyond that, we move into a very critical point in which we could see a structural debt year over year in which more and more money has to go to service that debt," added Sigurdson.

The half-million-dollar surplus is also a big point of pride for the provincial government, and something Sigurdson says will require some thought as to how it'll be distributed.

He's confident there'll be more to come.

"I'm very optimistic in all the signs that point to Alberta for investment. We're seeing major banks, investment firms, businesses, corporations, we're seeing mass diversification. These are all great signs, and I believe this is just the start of the economic build that's going to come within the province."

On a local level, he feels the province has allocated plenty of funding for municipalities, specifically pointing to water services when it comes to his own Highwood riding.

"The ministry of municipal affairs has increased, contrary to what some have said, greater support over last year in this area. There has been an increase of $23 million in municipal water infrastructure grant programs including $62 million for municipal water and wastewater programs, $13 million to clean water/wastewater, $37 million to the regional water and wastewater projects, the water for life program... [and] a massive increase for $30 million to work on the First Nations Water Tie-In Program."

Those along with $485 million for the Municipal Sustainability Initiative, contribute to $1.7 billion allocated to municipalities, says Sigurdson.

He says he'll be able to direct some questions directly to Finance Minister Travis Toews this week regarding specifics of the budget.