Alberta Budget Raises Generational Unfairness Concerns Ahead of Election

With less than one month until the Alberta election, party platforms will use the 2023 provincial budget as a starting point, further risking the spread of generational tensions.

Alberta’s 2023 provincial budget features a massive spending gap between citizens over 65 and those under 45. This gap is larger than in BC and Ontario. As the upcoming election approaches, political parties need to highlight how they are going to address generational unfairness in their platforms.

Below are five key issues we think especially need consideration.  Let us know what you think the priorities should be when it comes to finding the right generational balance by commenting below.

1. Fair Investment: Alberta's spending is not distributed evenly for young and old. $16,700 is budgeted for each of the 777,000 Albertans age 65+, while only $9,900 is budgeted for each of the 2.9 million Albertans under 45. This $6,800 spending gap is larger than in Ontario ($6,600) and in BC ($4,800).

2. Medical Care Spending: medical care spending drives the generational imbalance. Sixteen percent of Alberta’s population, who are over age 65, receive 42% of the medical budget ($11.8 billion). Conversely, the 60% of Albertans under age 45 receive just 36% of medical spending ($10.0 billion). This makes spending on medical care for Alberta retirees larger than the entire budget for Kindergarten to Grade 12 education and twice as large as the entire budget for postsecondary.

3. Per Capita Spending: Alberta spends over $1,300 more per person age 65+ for medical care than BC and Ontario. In contrast, Alberta spends less per resident under age 45 for grade school than Ontario, and less than BC for postsecondary.

4. Priority on Treating (Rather than Preventing) Illness: Medical care spending has seen the largest budget increases. Over the next three years, the provincial government plans to increase annual spending on medical, education, and social services by $6.5 billion. Of this total, $3.8 billion (58%) will go to medical care, equal to two-thirds of the province's entire investment in postsecondary.

5. Need for Better Outcomes: Higher provincial spending on medical care has not led to better health outcomes for Albertans. Instead, investing in preventative measures and supporting people in their daily lives can create healthier communities. This means ensuring access to decent homes, child care, and a sustainable planet.

Albertans go to the polls in less than a month. We believe that party platforms must address these above five issues to make the province work for all generations. Alberta needs fairer, more balanced budgeting that supports the health and wellbeing of its citizens of all ages.

Read our in-depth analysis of Alberta’s 2023 budget here: https://www.gensqueeze.ca/analysis_2023_alberta_budget

In the coming weeks, you can look forward to our platform analysis of the major parties contesting the Alberta election. Our non-partisan breakdown of party platforms is meant to get past the spin and highlight the hard truths about what’s on offer. Because no matter who you vote for, we want you to vote informed.