NDP’s Bill 3 promises to reverse healthcare cuts, freeze tuition
Posted Jun 18, 2015 12:08 pm.
Last Updated Jun 18, 2015 12:11 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The NDP is promising to re-invest in Alberta’s essential public services as they wait to introduce a new budget in the fall.
If passed, Bill 3 will mean $682-million in extra funds for healthcare, education, and programs for the province’s most vulnerable.
Minister of Health Sara Hoffman says the biggest chunk, $500-million, will help them avoid cutting more than 1,500 nursing and other positions.
“We’re (also) expecting about 70,000 Albertans needing to access the healthcare system, whether they’re moving to Alberta, having babies. We need to make sure that public healthcare is there when they need it,” she said.
As for education, there are two major investments involved: $103-million will help combat surging enrolment.
“This Interim Supply Bill ensures that 12,000 new students starting school in Alberta in the fall will have the tools they need to get the best education possible,” Minister of Education David Eggen said.
The bill also promises a tuition freeze at the post-secondary level for the next two years.
Minister of Innovation and Advanced Education Lori Sigurdson told reporters, it would also roll back market modifier increases for 25 programs across the province.
Those modifiers allow schools to propose increasing tuition beyond the rate of inflation, based on what other schools are charging.
“Post-secondary education has to be accessible, and that includes keeping it affordable for students and families,” Sigurdson said.
Human Services in Alberta will also get a $39-million boost, to maintain existing programs.
There were few ideas on how the government would pay for the extra funds, until it can work out a budget, and organize its financial priorities, but there were some suggestions.
“It was in our platform. There will be of course some debt financing, we’ve also talked about ways we’re going to move forward to ensure that we have a balanced budget,” Hoffman said. “This is about supplying funds out to the ministry to make sure that hospitals can keep their lights on, that teachers can be hired over the summer.”
Hoffman said they are keeping a close eye on the Tax Reform bill in the days ahead.
“When we talk about the specific debt and how we are going to be dealing with that, that will be in the fall budget,” she said.
