The government will spend a projected $6,037 more per Albertan over four years than it planned in the 2022 mid-year update.
alberta government finances
This year, program spending will reach a projected $14,334 per Albertan, which is $1,603 higher than the original plan.
By shifting resources and money, the government is simply shifting jobs into film and away from other sectors.
The province last year had the 10th-highest top combined income tax rate among 61 North American jurisdictions.
If the government made this change, approximately 2.3 million Albertans would save $1,573 per year (on average).
The province plans to spend $13.9 billion more over two fiscal years than originally planned in mid-year 2022.
The government should learn from past experience and ensure new rules about the fund are constitutional.
Program spending from 2023/24 to 2025/26 will be $6.4 billion higher than projected just three months ago.
Since the Heritage Fund's inception, in most years the government has made no contributions to the fund.