Media release: Alberta needs a provincial sales tax

(March 20, 2018-Edmonton) Today, a coalition of researchers, economists, and members of civil society released an alternative budget to boost Alberta’s economic growth while reducing income inequality.

“Alberta is on the road to recovery after a deep recession,” said economist Nick Falvo, “now is not the time to reverse the course.”

The document, High Stakes, Clear Choices, sets a progressive vision encouraging public investment to stabilize tough economic times, reduce poverty, support our seniors, and create good jobs.

The report reveals that, since taking office in 2015, the Notley government took important measures to support poverty reduction. These include: introducing the Alberta Child Benefit; the near doubling of annual spending on housing; and, increasing minimum wage.

The authors note, however, increasing staffing for long term care facilities, universal child care and pharmacare, and reducing class sizes in K-12 are necessary to forge ahead towards economic prosperity.

The report further calls for government action to implement budget processes honouring the duty to consult with Alberta’s Indigenous communities, as well as more funding for Indigenous programs.

“Budgets are always about choices,” says contributing researcher Angele Alook. “Alberta continues to have the lowest taxes in Canada and that is nothing to be proud of.”

Alberta could implement a 5% provincial sales tax and still be the lowest tax jurisdiction in the country, she added.

“Increasing tax revenues would provide a foundation for economic sustainability,” added Falvo.

Finally, the report emphasizes that Alberta must forge ahead with a more diversified economy and creating good, green jobs for Albertans.

Download report.

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Media contact:

Nick Falvo, Editor – Alberta Alternative Budget, (cell) 587-892-7855, (email) falvo.nicholas@gmail.com

 

2 comments

  • Nathan Peterson

    This is not a fix. The Tax will generate 5 billion a year, why not use the 308 billion in 2018 that will be generated by our carbon tax. Or wait a year for it to be offset by the trillions carbon tax will make at peek %. The government just wants to keep taxing and taxing and taxing the hell out of people. 15 dollar minimum wage dose nothing for people that have worked hard for the past 5 years to claw their way from 13 to 18 an hour. We are letting the government squeeze the middle class and then kick us all into poverty by taxing us while we are down. You want to afford more teachers tax rich people. Or mandate fair pay for fair work. A construction laborer and a teacher shouldn’t make almost the same annual income. A bag boy and a computer repair technician shouldn’t either. The sad truth is the head of the alberta teachers association makes 4 times what a real teacher makes. Most CEOs and higher ups in big business make more money in a year then I will probably see in my life. Yet we the people still have to help pay. If someone in this country makes 140 time my income in a year I feel like they can pay 140 time the amount of tax I do. Thats just fair math.

  • Nathan Peterson

    If we get a Harmonized sales tax. It should be Harmonized across all Albertans. Collect a 5% and at the end of a tax season mail it all back out to the tax payer’s. That why the person that has millions and wastes it on dumb products can help offset the costs for day to day people that are working and struggling in this Provence.

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