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Alberta Throne Speech - Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Salma Lakhani (LNN)
By Jerran Fisher

Alberta to focus on jobs and health care – Throne Speech

Feb 22, 2022 | 4:38 PM

Edmonton, AB – Salma Lakhani, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, announced the provincial government’s plans for the spring to create jobs, improve health care, keep streets safe and support the most vulnerable.

Lakhani said during the throne speech Tuesday afternoon the government plans to continue Alberta’s Recovery Plan, bringing people from across the country to Alberta.

“This campaign will focus on attracting both job-creating investment and hard-working people from across Canada and around the world.”

Alberta will increase hospital capacity through various methods. The government will accelerate the Alberta Surgical Initiative, inceasing the number of operations performed in chartered surgical facilities to reduce wait times.

Premier Jason Kenney says, right now, 15 per cent of surgeries are held in chartered facilities and the government is looking to double that number.

Investments have been made to expand and modernize hospitals, including the completion of the Calgary Cancer Care Centre, an expansion of the Red Deer Regional Hospital, and expansion of Edmonton’s Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute.

Lakhani says the government will strengthen protection for students by having complaints about teacher misconduct being investigated by an independent body rather than by the Alberta Teachers’ Association itself.

The government will increase prenatal benefits to mothers receiving AISH and Income Support and implement the Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act to simplify the adoption process.

New legislation will be introduced to ‘modernize the electricity market.’

“The bill also clears the way for more self-generation of electricity, allowing major consumers to sell power to the grid, thus increasing supply and helping to lower prices for Albertans.”

The Alberta government will introduce a ‘natural gas consumer protection program’ in the form of rebates that will be talked about during Thursday’s provincial budget announcement.

by Jerran Fisher