There is little good news in the budget for working Albertans and a lot of unknowns as to where funding is actually going especially given the UCP’s plans to privatize health care and education.

Alberta has the highest unemployment rate outside of Atlantic Canada, and it hasn’t decreased despite there being more people working.

Alberta actually had the worst performance over the last 3 years of all the provinces, seeing a 3.06 per cent decrease, compared to the average of 0.77 per cent of all provinces.

The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) said the move puts more money into the pockets of private health-care providers and reduces the public health-care system “to a skeleton.”

AHS says 334 workers will lose their jobs as it outsources the last of its in-house laundry work. The UCP is also seeking private surgical centres for hip and knee operations to privatize further.

The University of Lethbridge requires $8 million more in revenue from tuition and fees this year than they received 2 years ago. Plus, they’ve already laid off over 100 faculty and staff.

The impact of the cuts to the Grants in Place of Taxes program adds up to $30 million a year for approximately 170 communities. The cuts were announced in the UCP government's first budget, in 2019.

The University of Alberta is laying off more than 60 custodial staff and contracting out their jobs after significant budget cuts from the UCP government.

AUPE says general support services workers were presented with a 4 per cent wage cut by Alberta Health Services (AHS) at the bargaining table. General support services staff work in cleaning, laundry, etc.