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Alberta

Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba “Taking the lead on new nation-building projects”

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Taking the lead on new nation-building projects

Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba have signed an agreement to collaborate on joint economic corridor projects to boost trade and economic growth.

The signing of a memorandum of understanding between the governments of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba will foster the development of new economic corridors across the three provinces. This groundbreaking partnership aims to bolster economic growth and collaboration while strengthening the region’s position as a key player in the global market.

“Alberta is proud to partner with Saskatchewan and Manitoba, taking a leadership role in building new trade corridors that will help our provinces and our country. New nation-building projects need government cooperation and political will. We need to cut red tape. We need to get building things like we used to. We need to make good jobs and an affordable life a priority. We can start to show people that, yes, Canada is a place you can do business again.”

Devin Dreeshen, Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors

“The world needs what Saskatchewan has to offer. We rely on dependable, robust road, rail, air and port networks to ship our food, fuel and fertilizer across North America and around the globe.”

Jeremy Cockrill, Saskatchewan Minister of Highways

“Manitoba’s unique gateway and hub initiatives cannot develop in isolation, that is why external cooperative partnerships will leverage our initiatives for success. With similar trade and transport access such as distance to markets, reliance on international ports and railway services, and similar commodity basis, Saskatchewan and Alberta are natural key partners to work with on improving trade enablement through transportation.”

Doyle Piwniuk, Manitoba Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure

In its earliest days, Canada was united by nation-building economic projects such as the transcontinental railway, which tied the country together through improved travel and trade.

Over the last decade, regulatory uncertainty, anti-development policies and a lack of national leadership have cost provinces an opportunity to pursue projects that would have created thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in growth and investment.

The three provincial governments will work together to eliminate regulatory inefficiency and uncertainty to attract and develop nation-building projects. Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba will coordinate to identify and prioritize strategic infrastructure that will enhance trade and transportation between the provinces and around the world. Through this, new economic corridors will be built to support the movement of critical resources, energy and utility projects, and secure national supply chains.

Quick facts

  • The agreement will focus on enhancing critical infrastructure, improving the efficiency of interprovincial transportation networks and reducing regulatory hurdles. It will also identify opportunities to attract private sector investment and partner with Indigenous communities on economic corridor development.
  • Economic corridors link markets in and out of Alberta, supporting the province’s economic, social and environmental activity.
  • Economic corridors can involve a broad range of infrastructure, including transportation, energy, power, telecommunications and other utilities.
    • In addition to physical infrastructure, corridors include service markets and the coordination of regulations and policies across multiple jurisdictions and sectors.
  • According to Statistics Canada, Alberta exported more than $138 billion in goods in 2021.
    • This includes goods shipped by pipeline and other modes, such as road, rail, air and marine.
    • Non-pipeline exports of goods totalled more than $48 billion.
  • Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors will work and proactively partner with Indigenous communities to plan economic corridors for mutual economic benefit.

Alberta

CPP another example of Albertans’ outsized contribution to Canada

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From the Fraser Institute

By Tegan Hill

Amid the economic uncertainty fuelled by Trump’s trade war, its perhaps more important than ever to understand Alberta’s crucial role in the federation and its outsized contribution to programs such as the Canada Pension Plan (CPP).

From 1981 to 2022, Albertan’s net contribution to the CPP—meaning the amount Albertans paid into the program over and above what retirees in Alberta received in CPP payments—was $53.6 billion. In 2022 (the latest year of available data), Albertans’ net contribution to the CPP was $3.0 billion.

During that same period (1981 to 2022), British Columbia was the only other province where residents paid more into the CPP than retirees received in benefits—and Alberta’s contribution was six times greater than B.C.’s contribution. Put differently, residents in seven out of the nine provinces that participate in the CPP (Quebec has its own plan) receive more back in benefits than they contribute to the program.

Albertans pay an outsized contribution to federal and national programs, including the CPP because of the province’s relatively high rates of employment, higher average incomes and younger population (i.e. more workers pay into the CPP and less retirees take from it).

Put simply, Albertan workers have been helping fund the retirement of Canadians from coast to coast for decades, and without Alberta, the CPP would look much different.

How different?

If Alberta withdrew from the CPP and established its own standalone provincial pension plan, Alberta workers would receive the same retirement benefits but at a lower cost (i.e. lower CPP contribution rate deducted from our paycheques) than other Canadians, while the contribution rate—essentially the CPP tax rate—to fund the program would likely need to increase for the rest of the country to maintain the same benefits.

And given current demographic projections, immigration patterns and Alberta’s long history of leading the provinces in economic growth, Albertan workers will likely continue to pay more into the CPP than Albertan retirees get back from it.

Therefore, considering Alberta’s crucial role in national programs, the next federal government—whoever that may be—should undo and prevent policies that negatively impact the province and Albertans ability to contribute to Canada. Think of Bill C-69 (which imposes complex, uncertain and onerous review requirements on major energy projects), Bill C-48 (which bans large oil tankers off B.C.’s northern coast and limits access to Asian markets), an arbitrary cap on oil and gas emissions, numerous other “net-zero” targets, and so on.

Canada faces serious economic challenges, including a trade war with the United States. In times like this, it’s important to remember Alberta’s crucial role in the federation and the outsized contributions of Alberta workers to the wellbeing of Canadians across the country.

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Alberta

Made in Alberta! Province makes it easier to support local products with Buy Local program

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Show your Alberta side. Buy Local.

When the going gets tough, Albertans stick together. That’s why Alberta’s government is launching a new campaign to benefit hard-working Albertans.

Global uncertainty is threatening the livelihoods of hard-working Alberta farmers, ranchers, processors and their families. The ‘Buy Local’ campaign, recently launched by Alberta’s government, encourages consumers to eat, drink and buy local to show our unified support for the province’s agriculture and food industry.

The government’s ‘Buy Local’ campaign encourages consumers to buy products from Alberta’s hard-working farmers, ranchers and food processors that produce safe, nutritious food for Albertans, Canadians and the world.

“It’s time to let these hard-working Albertans know we have their back. Now, more than ever, we need to shop local and buy made-in-Alberta products. The next time you are grocery shopping or go out for dinner or a drink with your friends or family, support local to demonstrate your Alberta pride. We are pleased tariffs don’t impact the ag industry right now and will keep advocating for our ag industry.”

RJ Sigurdson, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation

Alberta’s government supports consumer choice. We are providing tools to help folks easily identify Alberta- and Canadian-made foods and products. Choosing local products keeps Albertans’ hard-earned dollars in our province. Whether it is farm-fresh vegetables, potatoes, honey, craft beer, frozen food or our world-renowned beef, Alberta has an abundance of fresh foods produced right on our doorstep.

Quick facts

  • This summer, Albertans can support local at more than 150 farmers’ markets across the province and meet the folks who make, bake and grow our food.
  • In March 2023, the Alberta government launched the ‘Made in Alberta’ voluntary food and beverage labelling program to support local agriculture and food sectors.
  • Through direct connections with processors, the program has created the momentum to continue expanding consumer awareness about the ‘Made in Alberta’ label to help shoppers quickly identify foods and beverages produced in our province.
  • Made in Alberta product catalogue website

 

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