Alberta UCP promise to create jobs, boost health-care capacity in throne speech

Adding jobs and health-care capacity while also addressing the rising cost-of-living will be the United Conservative Party government’s main priorities in the months ahead, according to Tuesday’s speech from the throne.

Adding jobs and health-care capacity while also addressing the rising cost-of-living will be the United Conservative Party government’s main priorities in the months ahead, according to Tuesday’s speech from the throne.

Lt.-Gov. Salma Lakhani delivered the speech in the legislature this afternoon.

“We are carefully lifting COVID-19 health restrictions and we’re seeing a strong economic turnaround that is bringing jobs and investment to our province,” said Alberta Premier Jason Kenney.

Throne speeches are intended to lay out the government's direction for the coming session and Premier Jason Kenney's government faces a series of controversial choices.

It comes ahead of Thursday’s budget and hints at “a dramatic improvement in Alberta’s finances” due to high oil prices, reduced costs and economic growth.

Tuesday’s speech indicated a shift toward using more chartered facilities to help clear the province’s backlog in surgeries.

Kenney said the change would come in through the Alberta Surgical Initiative and would represent a shift from 15 per cent of surgeries being performed in charter facilities up to 30 per cent “in the coming years.”