Alberta’s next government will have critical decisions to make about our future as a province. That means setting aside short-term thinking and leveraging our current favorable economic and fiscal position to build a province that is thriving, vibrant, and growing over the long term.
Reaching this goal requires three things: expanding the economy, building long-term sustainability for our finances and environment, and ensuring that all Albertans can create a good life here.
Inspired by the Council’s flagship report, Define the Decade, and augmented with consultations with community partners, Council members, and Albertans, this platform is a guidebook of next steps to achieve these objectives.
This guidebook offers over 70 concrete ideas and recommendations for the next provincial government to consider, including key needle movers such as:
- Funding innovation to develop solutions to global challenges in food, health and energy
- Implementing Alberta’s Agri-food Investment and Growth Strategy;
- Building a skilled and prepared workforce to meet your talent needs;
- Creating an energy solutions strategy for Alberta to be a global leader in providing the low-carbon energy, materials and minerals the world needs; and
- Expanding Indigenous business partnership opportunities.
Background
On May 29, Albertans will head to the polls and elect a new provincial government. Regardless of outcome, the next government in Alberta will have big decisions to make that will impact the lives of Albertans, not just over a four-year period, but for years and decades.
Coming into this election, Alberta is in a favorable position. In early 2023, the province is experiencing a level of economic and fiscal strength not seen in years with record high resource revenues and employment levels; and thousands of people from across Canada flocking to Alberta to make their new home.
But amid challenges like the rising cost of living; labour shortages; concerns over health care, addiction, and safety; global storm clouds; and the continued imperative to decarbonize, to name a few, we recognize that we can not take our favorable position for granted. We must make strategic decisions that address our most immediate needs, but also set us up for long-term and inclusive success and prosperity.
Entitled Defining the Decade: The Next Four Years. A Guidebook for a Vibrant & Growing Alberta, this is a policy ideas guidebook for the next provincial government. It is anchored in three goals that we believe every party can rally behind—economic expansion, long-term sustainability, and a good life for all—and it contains over 70 ideas, initiatives, and investments that we offer as first steps to building the future that Albertans want—one of belonging, opportunity, and solutions.
This report was inspired and informed by Define the Decade, and recommendations were further augmented by consultations and conversations with community partners, Albertans, and members from a wide range of perspectives and sectors.