Please see the statement from the Business Council of Alberta on Alberta’s 2025 Budget:
This moment in Alberta challenges our public policy to both plan for uncertainty and focus on what can be controlled – two things every farmer in this province has done for generations. In that spirit, today the Government of Alberta brought a measured budget for the times: taking a prudent approach and preparing for multiple scenarios in an unpredictable economic climate.
The Business Council of Alberta is encouraged by the government’s pragmatic fiscal planning, including the incorporation of potential tariffs into baseline planning and contingencies for emergent circumstances, while remaining within the province’s fiscal guardrails – even with a substantial in-year deficit.
At a time when affordability remains a pressing concern, many Albertans will welcome a level of financial relief, helping to ease cost-of-living pressures. And we are encouraged to see the budget include efforts to get more Albertans into the skilled trades, which is key to building a good life for themselves, and a thriving economy for Alberta.
Due to the structure of Alberta’s royalties and fiscal framework, this year’s budget continues to lean heavily on energy royalty revenue. A key strategic opportunity for Alberta in the long run will be in reducing the province’s reliance on non-renewable resource royalties to fund ongoing core services. Following through on efforts to grow the Heritage Fund are laudable and will help strengthen Alberta’s fiscal foundation and provide greater long-term stability.
The Council and its members look forward to working with the government through these uncertain times, and to provide bold policy recommendations that ensure Alberta remains a place where businesses thrive, workers succeed, and families prosper.