Alberta finance minister to table 2024 budget

Alberta’s finance minister is set to table the 2024 budget on Thursday afternoon.

Premier Danielle Smith has warned that the province will need to show restraint in this year’s budget.

In a paid televised address last week, Smith said lower resource revenues and the volatile price of oil and gas have prompted the government to think of a long-term strategic financial plan to have a “stable, balanced budget.”

1:56 Smith says restraint needed in Alberta budget 2024, vows to build Heritage Fund

In a fiscal update in November, Finance Minister Nate Horner said the province was on track to record a $5.5-billion surplus when the 2023-24 budget year ends in March.

The upcoming sitting of the legislature is expected to include the start of major changes to the structure of Alberta’s $17-billion health system.

Smith has promised to dismantle Alberta Health Services and divide the work among four new subgroups to deliver more focused care.

1:59 Stakeholders await next week’s budget after address from Alberta premier

Global News will livestream the budget address in this story post on Thursday afternoon. You can also watch the finance minister table the budget on the Global News YouTube channel.

— with files from The Canadian Press.