Lori Sigurdson, Alberta NDP Seniors and Housing Critic, calls the UCP's just-released Budget 2023 a 'deceptive' one that gives out goodies to various groups with one hand, only to plan to yank it away after the coming May election. She cites the budget's $20 billion giveaway to oil companies as an example of where the government's priorities are; and it's not with seniors.
"The government is disregarding the polluter pay principle, and in fact is paying oil companies twice," Sigurdson said. "Meanwhile, so many Albertans counting on help will see payments for gas and utilities relief stop soon after the election. With the high cost of groceries and utilities, it will instead be the 'most expensive summer ever' for most Albertans, and that includes seniors."
“While the UCP’s multi-billion-dollar corporate handout will continue year over year, these one-off programs to help families are all expiring faster than a jug of milk," added NDP leader Rachel Notley.
In Budget 2023, the government says it will support seniors and other vulnerable Albertans to afford everyday necessities. This includes:
- 90.6 million over 3 years for the Gene Zwozdesky Centre at Norwood.
- $63 million in 2024-25 to support the Good Samaritan Society continuing care modernization project.
- Increasing Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH), Income Support and Alberta Seniors Benefit by 6% in 2023, and indexing them to keep pace with inflation.
- Providing $600 over 6 months to AISH, Income Support, and Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD) clients, along with seniors whose household incomes were below $180,000 in 2021.
- Providing $20 million over 2 years to food banks and civil society organizations working to provide food security for vulnerable Albertans, of which $5 million each year is to match private donations.
- Investing $22 million over 2 years for low-income transit pass programs in more communities, including $9 million to extend the Calgary and Edmonton low-income transit pass pilots an additional year.
- Providing 6,900 more households with an affordable place to call home by increasing funding by $187.5 million.
Amidst all these handouts, funding for primary care in Budget 2023 is smaller than the UCP originally claimed. As well, Budget 2023 does not include construction funding for the South Edmonton Hospital or the Red Deer Regional Hospital this year. The numbers also indicate the UCP will cut $100 million dollars from Albertans’ drug benefits.
For Sigurdson, the glaring absence of a seniors advocate in the budget is another big miss.
"They cut the seniors advocate (which was a part of the previous NDP government). It's a real resource that Danielle Smith's government is not re-instating," she said. "To many, it shows that the government isn't supporting seniors; that their concerns aren't important. With the huge oil and gas royalties, spending money on a seniors advocate would be a drop in the bucket."
The recent Auditor General's recommendations, which laid blame with the government for the province's COVID-19 response, says the health advocate's office will play a larger role in navigating issues in the health system identified by seniors and their families, in collaboration with the Ministry of Seniors, Community and Social Services.
"Alberta's Health and Mental Health Advocate plays an important role especially as a voice for seniors, ensuring they are able to access the supports and care they need," said Jeremy Nixon, Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services.
But Sigurdson says a health advocate only looks at health issues, not things like affordable housing for seniors--something a dedicated seniors advocate would take on.
"It'd be in the best interest of seniors if Danielle Smith's first budget is also her last budget."
