By George Lee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Highway and bridge improvements dominate a highlights reel of anticipated northern Alberta capital spending over the next three years.
But no health care projects earned a spot the list, even though the budget foresees a capital spending increase across Alberta of more than 35 per cent to $4.9 billion to build health care capacity.
Work on roadways and bridges is set to receive $446 million in highlighted spending over the period.
Capital spending highlights in the Alberta budget tabled last month also note that the region is slated to get money for 22 school projects.
Funding of the projects — three are earmarked for 2026-27 dollars — represent the region’s share of $3.3 billion anticipated over three years for 161 new and ongoing school projects across Alberta.
The budget’s highlights package of capital spending doesn’t breakdown how the project money is divided between three regions and the province’s two largest cities, Edmonton and Calgary.
If approved in the legislature, the budget also supports municipalities in the northern region with $108 million in 2026-27 funding under the Local Government Fiscal Framework.
Provincewide capital spending overall is forecast to increase by 8.5 per cent to $28.3 billion over three years.
That comes even though the new budget forecasts consecutive annual deficits of $9.4 billion, $7.6 billion and $6.9 billion.
The shortfalls are the result of dramatic population growth and its pressure on core services, combined with lower-than-anticipated oil and gas revenue in a time of global uncertainty, the government says.
Preparation of the budget predates ongoing attacks on Iran by the U.S. and Israel, which has destabilized the Middle East and driven up oil prices.
Also in the capital highlights for the north are:
· $138 million over three years to improve Highway 881
· $106 million over three years for twinning Highway 63 north of Fort McMurray
· $81 million to widen Highway 40 between Grande Cache and Hinton
· $66 million over three years to replace a bridge over the Athabasca River near the hamlet of Smith in the Municipal District of Lesser Slave River
· $50 million over three years to replace a bridge over the Athabasca on Highway 33 near Fort Assiniboine
· $5 million over two years to build a permanent roadside pull-out for the Cold Lake watercraft inspection station
