United Conservative Party leader Jason Kenney speaks to supporters at a rally in Calgary on March 30. (The Canadian Press/Jeff McIntosh)

By Canadian Press and RDNewsNow

2019 Alberta Election

Kenney promises budget surplus by 2023

Mar 31, 2019 | 9:07 AM

CALGARY – The United Conservatives are promising to get Alberta’s books out of the red and into a $714-million surplus by 2023, a year earlier than the NDP.

UCP Leader Jason Kenney unveiled the numbers today as part of the formal release of the party’s election platform.

The UCP is focusing on the economy and job creation, but says it will take time to dig out from under the multi-billion dollar deficits run up over the last four years by Premier Rachel Notley’s NDP.

The UCP expects revenues from oil and gas royalties will be lower than projected by the NDP.

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But they say by keeping spending hikes to about 0.3 per cent per year, coupled with job-creation incentives such as slashing the corporate tax, they can get to balance before the end of their first term in government.

Kenney also released more details on his previously announced commitment to end the carbon tax and replace it with a program targeting large emitters of greenhouse gases.

Meanwhile, Notley has come out and said the UCP’s platform will hurt families and the Alberta economy.

A party release notes that the $4.5 billion hole that would be caused by an 8-12 per cent corporate tax cut could be used to pay for two new major hospitals, three cancer centres, or 224 new elementary schools.

(The Canadian Press and NDP media release)