Media releases

EDMONTON—The Edmonton Social Planning Council, the Alberta College of Social Workers, and Public Interest Alberta released a new report, “The Path Forward: Opportunities to End Child Poverty in Alberta” on the eve of the Alberta government’s 2016 budget.

EDMONTON—A new poll asking Albertans how they would like revenue raised by a proposed carbon tax spent indicates that by more than a two-to-one margin, people favour spending it on green energy projects, transit and energy efficiency improvements.

EDMONTON—Public Interest Alberta Executive Director Joel French called on MLAs and government to reject MLA Rick McIver’s Motion 504, and instead to end provincial funding for private schools and absorb charter schools into the province’s school boards.

EDMONTON—The Speech from the Throne was delivered today by Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Lois Mitchell. It pledged to protect health care and education in the face of the government’s severe revenue shortage.

EDMONTON—Representatives of Public Interest Alberta today released a proposal for democratic reform related to the province’s electoral system and its campaign and party finance legislation, and called for strong citizen engagement in the coming months to make democratic renewal a reality.

EDMONTON—Members of the Alberta Green Economy Network (AGEN), a diverse coalition of Alberta-based green businesses, labour unions, NGOs, First Nations and Métis supporters, released the following statement in response to the government’s announcement on renewable energy:

EDMONTON—Members of the Alberta Green Economy Network (AGEN), a diverse coalition of Alberta-based green businesses, labour unions, NGOs, and First Nations supporters, released the following statement in response to the government’s climate announcement.

EDMONTON—Following the Labour Day long weekend, Public Interest Alberta released new Statistics Canada data showing 362,400 (18.9% of all employed workers) earn $15 per hour or less. Of that number, 123,700 workers live in the Edmonton area, and 122,100 live in the Calgary area.

EDMONTON—On Friday the federal government announced $1.53 billion for Calgary’s Green Line Light Rail Transit (LRT) project through PPP Canada Inc., which provides funding to projects via public-private partnerships (P3s).

EDMONTON—Representatives of Public Interest Alberta were pleased to learn today that the Alberta Government will increase the minimum wage to $11.20/hour as a first step toward raising it to $15.00/hour by 2018 and will immediately begin a two-year phase out of the two-tier minimum wage for employees who serve alcohol.