Media releases

EDMONTON - The Government of Alberta is introducing a new differential minimum wage for workers under the age of 18, cutting youth wages from $15 to $13 per hour. This discriminatory decision will hurt youth who should be receiving equal work for equal pay, and also hurt other workers in low wage sectors.

EDMONTON - The Alberta government will introduce a bill in the upcoming session of the Legislature to cut the tax on the profits of large corporations. They plan to slash the rate from 12 percent to 8 percent over four years ($2.36 billion), which will worsen Alberta’s revenue shortfall to line the pockets of the wealthy.

EDMONTON - Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has announced a blue ribbon panel to make recommendations on how to balance Alberta’s budget without increasing taxes.

EDMONTON - Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley has announced her party’s child care plan for the provincial election campaign. It pledges to cap costs for all existing child care spaces at a maximum of $25 per day, as well as add 13,000 new spaces, expanding on her government’s successful pilot project.

EDMONTON - United Conservative Party (UCP) Leader Jason Kenney announced his party’s K-12 education platform. Despite the platform containing several points, issues affecting classroom conditions were not presented as priorities.

Today, Premier Rachel Notley announced that if re-elected, the Alberta New Democratic Party is committed to building an additional 2,000 long term care (LTC) beds. The promised $170 million investment is welcome news to a system that is currently facing serious shortages.

EDMONTON - Public Interest Alberta, a non-partisan progressive advocacy organization,  encouraged support for Edmonton Public Trustee Bridget Stirling’s motion, to ensure the public nature of school ownership and operation:

EDMONTON - Friends of Medicare and Public Interest Alberta premiered a series of four videos to kick off their new campaign Alberta Seniors Deserve Better, which highlights the issues facing seniors in the continuing care system, and encourages Albertans to sign a petition to call on all of Alberta’s political parties to make strengthening seniors’ care a top priority in the 2019 provincial election.

Public Interest Alberta’s Executive Director Joel French attended a Government of Alberta consultation on the 2019 provincial budget hosted by Health Minister Sarah Hoffman. He presented five major points of input on the budget: