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Jobs & the Economy platforms

Here's what the Alberta 2023 parties are promising.

Agriculture

UCP
  • Expand the Feeder Assistance Loan Guarantee to $3M

NDP
  • Create a program for accessing capital

    "Create an Alberta Value-Add Incentive Program to help companies access capital." — albertandp.ca, retrieved 2023-05-19

  • Set up a task force to incentivise rural food start-ups

    "Set up a Local Food Incentive task force to incentivize small-scale, rural start-ups that can upgrade local ingredients to new food products." — albertandp.ca, retrieved 2023-05-19

  • Hire more staff to help with navigating services and agri-food and value-added approvals

    "Increase staff dedicated to help navigate services and agri-food and value-added approvals." — albertandp.ca, retrieved 2023-05-19

  • Lower capital borrowing costs for irrigation districts and municipalities

Calgary

UCP
  • Work with Calgary and the Calgary Exhibition to build infrastructure around an arena and entertainment district

    "Working with the City of Calgary and the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede to build supportive infrastructure for a world-class arena and entertainment district." — unitedconservative.ca, retrieved 2023-05-22

  • Provide up to $300M for new infrastructure and infrastructure improvements

    "Contributing up to $300 million, the majority over the next three years, for supportive infrastructure like roads, bridges LRT connections, site utilities, site reclamation and more.

       This includes the 6th street SE underpass, and improvements to 5th St SE, and 15th, 17th, and 25th Ave SE." — unitedconservative.ca, retrieved 2023-05-22

  • Build a new 1,000-seat community arena for youth and amateur hockey

    "Working with the City of Calgary to build a new 1,000-seat community arena neighbouring the main arena that will serve youth and amateur hockey." — unitedconservative.ca, retrieved 2023-05-22

NDP
  • Match the City of Calgary's investments for office conversion and capital improvements to attract people downtown
  • Provide targeted grants for small businesses to do business in downtown Calgary
  • Work with post-secondary institutions to relocate or expand their campuses in downtown Calgary
  • Begin work on the north leg of the Green Line LRT

    "The Alberta NDP is committed to supporting the Calgary Green Line LRT through an investment to begin land acquisition for the north leg of the project. Once completed, the north leg of the Green Line will extend from 16 Avenue North to 160 Avenue North." — Building a Better Future for Calgary, retrieved 2023-05-22

  • Provide $205M over three years to support City of Calgary's efforts to build 11,500 units more of affordable housing by 2026

    "In addition to increasing financial supports for rental assistance and rental supplements, the Alberta NDP’s Affordable Housing Plan outlines our commitment to invest capital funding and support the construction of affordable housing units in Calgary. Our plan will support the City of Calgary’s efforts to build the remaining 11,500 units required to meet their goals by 2026." — Building a Better Future for Calgary, retrieved 2023-05-22

  • Provide $1.5M to revitalise Calgary's Chinatown

    "This funding will support improvements to the Chinese Cultural Centre, Sien Lok Park, and other Chinese cultural hubs in the community, as well as upgrades to the public realm surrounding many of Chinatown’s businesses and social spaces." — albertandp.ca, retrieved 2023-05-27

Economic diversification

We don't have any UCP policies on Economic diversification.

NDP
  • Provide a 20% refundable tax credit on capital investments in new emerging sectors

    "Rachel Notley and the Alberta NDP have a plan to attract $20 billion in private-sector capital investment and create 47,000 good-paying jobs."

  • Provide an additional 10% refundable tax credit for new capital investments that meet additional criteria

    "An additional 10 per cent will be awarded for new capital investment that goes further — generating key outcomes like high-skilled job opportunities, new technological capacity in our province, or new sector skills and know-how."

  • Reinstate the Alberta Investor Tax Credit and the Interactive Digital Media Tax Credit

Forestry

UCP
  • Expand the Agri-Processing Investment Tax Credit to forestry
We don't have any NDP policies on Forestry.

Oil & petrochemicals

We don't have any UCP policies on Oil & petrochemicals.

NDP
  • Expand the Alberta Petrochemical Incentive Program

    "This will expand the eligible feedstocks of the program to include, for example, recycled plastics, will expand the program to include end-products and will bring back partial upgrading — which was removed by the UCP."

Retention

UCP
  • Provide a $3K-$10K tax credit for students in particular high-demand professions to stay and work in Alberta after graduation

    " Graduates are eligible for the tax credit if they:

    o Graduated from a recognized post-secondary institution in Alberta with a certificate, diploma, or degree and paid tuition

    o Are residing in and filing taxes in Alberta

    o Are registered and practicing/working as a high-demand health professional, apprentice or certified journeyperson and child care workers in an eligible occupation on a full-time basis.

     As a start, eligible occupations will include doctors, registered nurse, nurse practitioners, midwives, paramedics, child care professionals, and those in skilled trades." — Diversification and Job Creation Strategy Backgrounder KMQA, retrieved 2023-05-09

We don't have any NDP policies on Retention.

Startups and small businesses

UCP
  • Give an additional $100 million to the Alberta Enterprise Corporation to attract more venture capital investment
  • Invest $25M in Indigenous equity funds

    "We will also ensure Indigenous communities in Alberta can benefit from venture capital projects by investing $25 million in Indigenous equity funds." — unitedconservative.ca, retrieved 2023-05-09

  • Double the Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation's loan capacity to $2B, and expand project eligibility to manufacturing, forestry, health care, technology, and tourism

    "A UCP government will double the Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation (AIOC) loan capacity to $2 billion and further expand the types of projects that are eligible. The AIOC was first created in 2019 under the United Conservatives and was expanded in early 2022, to help indigenous communities participate in major natural resource, agriculture, telecommunication, and transportation projects. This expansion of the program will open new doors for indigenous communities to be partners in Alberta’s success by adding investment opportunities in manufacturing, forestry, health care, technology, and tourism." — unitedconservative.ca, retrieved 2023-05-09

NDP
  • Eliminate the small business tax for more than 100K small businesses

    "We will eliminate the small business tax for more than 100,000 small businesses, including retail establishments, restaurants, mechanic shops, family farms and more."

  • Consult on expanding the Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation to more sectors and projects

Tourism

UCP
  • Encourage increased flights to Alberta

    "Encouraging increased flights from Canada and around the world through West Jet, Condor, Flair, Swoop, Lynx, and Porter all of whom have grown their Alberta presence." — unitedconservative.ca, retrieved 2023-05-22

  • Fund more aviation management seats at Mount Royal University and provide more grants

    "Funding more aviation management seats at Mount Royal University, and grants to help more Albertans pursue a career in aviation." — unitedconservative.ca, retrieved 2023-05-22

  • Allocate $10M/year for five years to Travel Alberta's Air Access Program

    "Ensuring Travel Alberta’s Air Access Program achieves a total annual allocation of $10 million for five years for Alberta-based carriers to improve access to visitors from target, high-value markets." — unitedconservative.ca, retrieved 2023-05-22

We don't have any NDP policies on Tourism.

Trades

UCP
  • Provide a $1,200 non-refundable tax credit to people who move to Alberta in 2023 or 2024 to work in particular skilled trades and professions
    • "The Alberta is Calling signing bonus.

    o A $1,200 non-refundable tax credit for targeted skilled trades and professions where we have labour shortages – including in healthcare, childcare, and trades. Workers will be eligible after living here for a year." — unitedconservative.ca, retrieved 2023-05-09

    "To be eligible for the $1,200 payment in this pilot program an employee must:

    - Have moved to Alberta in 2023 or 2024

    - Be registered and working full time as a high demand professional health care practitioner (Doctor, RN, NP, Midwife, Paramedic), child care worker, or an apprentice or certified journeyperson in one of the 49 recognized trades.

    - Have filed their first tax return in Alberta for the tax year 2023 or 2024. New Albertans will be eligible to apply when they have received their (first) tax assessment for 2023 or 2024 (as with a similar program in Nova Scotia). The bonus will be considered taxable income." — Diversification and Job Creation Strategy Backgrounder KMQA, retrieved 2023-05-09

  • Partner with industry and youth organisations to run career fairs for high school students

    "Partner with various industry and youth organizations to organize career fairs for high school students. The initial focus will be on in-demand sectors such as manufacturing, construction, trades, tech, energy, and health." — unitedconservative.ca, retrieved 2023-05-24

We don't have any NDP policies on Trades.

Unions

UCP
  • Consult with unions to amend Bill 32 to reduce "red tape" on union charitable donations
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"Alberta’s United Conservative Party will change Alberta’s labour legislation to reduce red tape for charitable giving by union locals. The UCP will work with Alberta’s private sector unions to find ways to reduce the red-tape aspects of “Bill 32.”

The UCP continues to support the intent of the legislation to give union members more say over how their union dues are spent, but it is also sensitive that “Bill 32” changes made it unduly onerous for unions to make charitable donations to community and human service charities.

“It was never the government’s intent to prevent unions from supporting the Christmas Bureau or providing relief during disasters, or in other ways supporting community charities,” said Brian Jean, the UCP candidate for Fort McMurray Lac La Biche. “We are supportive of unions efforts to be a positive force in the communities where they work. We recognize that the changes in “Bill 32” created red tape for activities that the government has no concerns about.”

The UCP will consult with Alberta unions to make amendments to the legislation and regulations so that there is better alignment between the original intent and the legislation." — unitedconservative.ca, retrieved 2023-05-25

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Working conditions

We don't have any UCP policies on Working conditions.

NDP
  • Restore presumptive PTSD for injuries in a traumatic event in the workplace
  • Give Fort McMurray firefighters retroactive access to WCB coverage

    "Giving Fort McMurray firefighters retroactive access to WCB coverage through legislation. This will include respiratory illnesses and cancer coverage retroactive to 2003. And we’ll consult with other essential personnel groups that occupied Fort McMurray at the same time to provide the same coverage." — albertandp.ca, retrieved 2023-05-27

  • Legislate a definition of catastrophic events

    "Legislating a Catastrophic Event definition, to ensure all workers involved in such events have access to similar coverage without needing legislative changes." — albertandp.ca, retrieved 2023-05-27