Budget 2017 Brings A Real and Fair Chance at Success to Calgary and Alberta  

News Release

March 27, 2017 - Calgary, Alberta - Department of Finance Canada

Budget 2017 is the next step in our Government's long-term plan to create jobs and strengthen the middle class. Canada is home to a well-educated and highly-skilled workforce, but as the demands of the workplace change, so too must the education and skills that workers bring to their jobs. The changes in the economy – both here at home and around the world – present incredible opportunities for the middle class and those working hard to join it.

Today, Finance Minister Bill Morneau met with Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi and Southern Alberta Institute of Technology President and CEO David Ross, to discuss how Budget 2017 will equip Canada's workers with the skills and tools they need to succeed in a changing economy. Budget 2017 places Canada's skilled, talented, and creative people at the heart of a more innovative economy. It makes smart investments to help adult workers retrain or upgrade their skills to adapt to changes in the new economy, and to help young people get the skills and work experience they need to start their careers.

Later today Minister Morneau will also deliver a keynote speech to the Calgary Chamber of Commerce. Minister Morneau will highlight Budget 2017's ambitious agenda to support middle class Canadians at every stage of their lives, transform our neighbourhoods and communities, and give every Canadian a real and fair chance at success.

Budget 2017 continues the Government's smart, necessary investments in people, communities and our economy in a fiscally responsible and sustainable way that ensures that the federal debt-to-GDP ratio remains low.

Quotes

"Budget 2017 is about creating good middle class jobs today, while preparing Canadians for the jobs of tomorrow. It is about giving Canadians the skills they need to thrive in a changing economy. It is about creating opportunities for lifelong learning—so that the next job is a better job.  And it is about seizing the opportunities that come from innovation - to rethink everything from how we manage the demands of work, to how we build our cities, to how we grow our economy."

– Bill Morneau, Minister of Finance

Quick Facts

  • Budget 2017 supports Calgary and Alberta by:

  • Building better communities through investments in world-class infrastructure that will improve public transit and provide Canadians with cleaner water to drink and cleaner air to breathe.

  • Investing $125 million to launch a Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy for research and talent that will promote collaboration between Canada's main centres of expertise in Montréal, Toronto-Waterloo and Edmonton and position Canada as a world-leading destination for companies seeking to invest in artificial intelligence and innovation.

  • Providing a one-time payment of $30 million to the Government of Alberta to support provincial actions that will stimulate economic activity and employment in Alberta's resource sector.

  • As committed to in an offer by the Government of Canada, Budget 2017 proposes to invest $6 billion over 10 years for home care, and $5 billion over 10 years to support mental health initiatives in provinces and territories that have accepted this federal offer, including Alberta. Over the next 10 years, Alberta's share of this funding represents an additional $1.3 billion for the province: 

  • $703.2 million for better home care including addressing critical home care infrastructure requirements; and

  • $586.0 million in support of mental health initiatives.

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Contacts

Media may contact:

Annie Donolo
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Finance
annie.donolo@canada.ca
613-769-7187

Jack Aubry
Media Relations
Department of Finance
fin.media-media.fin@canada.ca
613-369-4000

General enquiries

Phone: 613-369-3710
Facsimile: 613-369-4065
TTY: 613-369-3230
E-mail: fin.financepublic-financepublique.fin@canada.ca

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