Red ink doesn’t phase Alberta finance minister
Posted Jan 15, 2014 7:36 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Doug Horner admits the province’s financial picture might include a lot of red ink right now, but he’s confident the governments’ business plan is both prudent and fiscally responsible.
In an exclusive interview with 660News, Horner takes offence with opposition parties and groups like the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, which focus only on debt levels instead of looking at the big picture.
He says the government has caps on how much money it can borrow, how much it can use for debt servicing costs and commitments to not only save but to build up the contingency fund.
Horner says Alberta continues to have the lowest taxes in North America, along with the best balance sheet and more assets per capita than any other jurisdiction on the continent.
Increases in manufacturing, agriculture and tourism have helped offset depressed energy returns, which is why Horner thinks it’s possible the operating side of the ledger could end up not only being balanced but possibly in the black.
Horner says he is putting the finishing touches on the 2014/2015 budget, but a date as to when that document will be tabled has yet to be finalized.
He says the soon to be released financial blueprint will include more capital spending, because the province still needs to address an infrastructure deficit, to accommodate a growing population which needs improved roads as well as more schools and hospitals.
