Content of the article

The Alberta government will ensure that income supports such as AISH and the Seniors Allowance are adjusted for inflation, according to mandate letters issued by Premier Danielle Smith on Wednesday.

This ad hasn’t loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Content of the article

The letters to the ministers of affordability and services, children’s services, culture, education, municipal affairs and seniors, community and social services outline specific actions the province plans to take to help tackle inflation, improve quality of life and increasing support for families, seniors and vulnerable Albertans. Sign up to receive daily news headlines from the Edmonton Journal, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. By clicking the subscribe button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300

Thanks for subscribing!

A welcome email is on its way. If you don’t see it, check your spam folder. The next issue of Edmonton Journal Headline News will be in your inbox soon. We encountered a problem with your registration. PLEASE try again

Content of the article

“Alberta’s economy remains strong, but many middle- and lower-income families, seniors and vulnerable Albertans are struggling to even heat their homes and feed their families,” Smith said in a news release. “With these mandate letters, our message to Albertans is clear: help is on the way. Our government has Albertans’ backs and we will take decisive action now and in the coming weeks and months to help our fellow Albertans manage this storm.”

Advertising 3

This ad hasn’t loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Content of the article

In each of the mandate letters, Smith notes that inflation and the affordability crisis must be taken into account.

Elderly, Community and Social Services

Minister Jeremy Nixon has been tasked with ensuring that income supports such as AISH and the Alberta Seniors Allowance are adjusted for inflation on a “forward basis”. Nixon told Postmedia in an interview that the administration has no specific timetable for implementation. “We hope as soon as possible,” Nixon said, adding that since the last budget update, affordability has become an even more pressing issue. The move will not be retroactive because the government is exploring “a wide variety” of other affordability measures, he said. While NDP critic Marie Renaud apologized to the UCP, including Nixon, for unaligning the programs three years ago, Nixon blamed the NDP for leaving the province in a tight fiscal spot.

Advertising 4

This ad hasn’t loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Content of the article

“We were in structural deficit three years ago and we were in a financial position where the long-term viability of the program was at risk. I’m happy now that the economy is booming and we have the revenue to readjust the index,” Nixon said, though he did not provide an estimate of how much the move would cost taxpayers. Nixon’s letter also outlines plans to implement the province’s strategy to address affordable housing, work with the health department to develop a strategy to expand housing and facilities for seniors to keep pace with growth and demand, and develop a strategy to strengthen Alberta’s food bank network.

Affordable rates and utilities

Minister Matt Jones will work with other ministries to implement a package of inflation relief measures to tackle affordability and cost of living issues. Jones is also set to address the cost of utility payments and overhaul the electricity pricing system with the goal of reducing transmission and distribution costs.

Advertising 5

This ad hasn’t loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Content of the article

Jones is also tasked with working with the federal government on the Child Care Agreement to ensure fair inclusion of private agencies.

Services for children

Minister Mickey Amery is tasked with carrying out a review of the foster care system with the aim of reducing the number of moves and minimizing disruption for children in care. It will also ensure a more efficient adoption process for Albertans and more transparency and accountability for unlicensed day homes. Amery will work to implement Bill C-92 that gives Indigenous communities jurisdiction over child care and will work with Jones to ensure the “onboarding and incentivization” of both private and not-for-profit child care providers and reducing bureaucracy and administrative costs.

This ad hasn’t loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Content of the article

Education

Minister Adriana LaGrange has a number of directives, including expanding support for mental health, working with the Department of Health on whether there is a need to expand supports for qualified professionals from speech pathologists to psychologists, and looking at strategies to addressing the need to train assistants. He will work with the infrastructure minister to develop a proposal to significantly increase the number of schools in growing communities and consider strategies to tackle transport costs and travel times. LaGrange will also continue to support parental choice in the education system.

of Municipal Affairs

Minister Rebecca Schulz’s mandate letter tasks her with improving the provision of stable, predictable funding through the Local Government Financial Framework and reviewing the feasibility of changes to the Education Property Tax to help municipalities retain more funding.

Advertising 7

This ad hasn’t loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Content of the article

He will also consult with Alberta’s energy industry and rural municipalities on how to address issues related to Property Line Tax and unpaid municipal taxes. Schultz will work with Nixon to engage large and mid-sized cities to ensure the province adequately funds homelessness, mental health and addiction services.

civilization

Minister Jason Luan’s mandate letter outlines his mandate to work with the Minister of Technology and Innovation and the Minister of Jobs, Economy and Northern Development to grow Alberta’s cultural industries. She will also work with Tanya Fir, Parliamentary Secretary for the Status of Women, on women’s participation in the economy and focus on a strategy to support victims of domestic violence. Additional mandate letters will be issued next week to address challenges in health care, job creation, “standing up for Alberta” and growing the economy. — With files from Lisa Johnson [email protected]

Share this article on your social network

This ad hasn’t loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Comments

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourages all readers to share their views on our articles.  Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site.  We ask that you keep your comments relevant and respectful.  We’ve enabled email notifications—you’ll now receive an email if you get a reply to your comment, there’s an update on a comment thread you’re following, or if a user follows the comments.  Visit the Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.